INTRODUCING: The Grand Seiko SBGR321 is among the best blue dial steel sports watches of 2020, and you can probably get one, which is nice
Grand Seiko continue to celebrate their 60th anniversary with another limited edition to commemorate the milestone. The latest anniversary model is the Grand Seiko SBGR321, which adds a fifth piece to the first four references that were released earlier this year. The initial four anniversary models included the hi-beat SBGH281, the ladies STGK015, the heritage quartz SBGP007 and the sports quartz SBGP015, which makes this latest limited edition automatic a nice addition to the family. All five of the anniversary limited editions feature striking and expertly finished rich blue dials, with red accents throughout. The latest Grand Seiko SBGR321 is cased in 40mm of steel, measuring a robust 13mm tall and, in line with the rest of the anniversary references, comes complete on a stainless steel bracelet that is secured with a folding clasp. The attractive blue dial features an eye-catching sunburst finish that makes the richness of the blue pop even further, and is uninterrupted, bar the immaculately faceted and polished hour markers and a date window at 3 o’clock. The show really begins, however, when you flip the watch over, with a double-take prompting display caseback that hints at the inspiration behind the watch. Behind the sapphire crystal…
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While Grand Seiko has more and more collectors and watch buyers on their radar, with a community of fans growing each day, there is always more to discover when it comes to this esteemed Japanese watch manufacturer. While visiting the Nature of Time Exhibition, going through each of its eight stations and speaking with staff along the way, I was continually taken aback by the facts and tidbits I was learning. While I consider myself quite knowledgeable on the brand, I discovered just how much more there was to learn about their watches and those who craft and assemble them. Here are six things I think will be new and interesting, even to the most devoted Grand Seiko fans. 1. What makes a Grand Seiko a Grand Seiko? The design principles underpinning the brand can be boiled down to four categories/principles: accuracy, durability, legibility, and beauty. Accuracy First and foremost on the list is accuracy. Grand Seiko is not going to make a movement that does not excel in its level of precision. We see this not only in the revolutionary spring drive movements that are accurate within a second per day, but also in their traditional mechanical movements that…
Seiko Presage is the sharp alternative between everyday Seiko and the mythical big brother Grand Seiko, with a price range coinciding with the Prospex range and an emphasis on dressy references with a classic Japanese twist. During the last couple of years, Presage has mainly been known for their very popular Cocktail Time series, with a typical Seiko focus on superb value for money – especially in their choice of colourful and elaborate dials. As with their ever-expanding Prospex series, we are now seeing a proper step up in style with the new Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series. In this new series, we welcome the sight of familiar sharp angles and muscular side profiles we know from the master of dressy sports, Grand Seiko. We saw a glimpse of a more angular Presage future with the unusual 1964 Chronograph re-edition earlier this year and its sharp vintage-style lugs, but this is thoroughly modern, with no curves in sight, and a dial that pops like few others. It’s a dial with the mysterious ability to draw all focus away from other details, so let’s save that for last. The bracelet and case This series comes on leather straps, or a sharp…
The Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller is back – pairing Yellow and Everose versions with Oysterflex bracelets for the first time. Oysterflex has become a fan favorite due to its tough, sporty, and adjustable build. The complicated cosmopolitan of the Rolex catalogue with this new configuration becomes a bit more casual and approachable in terms of look and fit. The case & bezel The two new Sky-Dweller models are, for the moment, limited to yellow and Everose gold cases with sophisticated fluted bezels that blend a sporty watch with formal wear aesthetics. At 42mm in diameter, the watches are by no means classically sized, but are well within the diameter of professional sports watches. While previously on a bracelet with fixed end links, the Oysterflex strap should have a higher degree of conformity around the wrist – possibly making the watch more wearable on smaller wrists intimated by its size. Thanks to its Twinlock crown, they are guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet) – and considering they are now on rubber Oysterflex bracelets, it only makes sense the watch is ready for a dip in a pool, lake or ocean. The dial There are six dial configurations for…
As Georges Kern, Patrick Pruniaux, Jean-Christophe Babin and a dozen-or-so other watch CEOs stood on stage in a moment of solidarity to pose for a group photo, behind them a big Geneva Watch Days sign went largely unnoticed, obstructed from view by the hussy of wrist-displaying head hunchos. Some smiled, some straightened their ties and some were dressed rather fashionably in smart suits and sneakers. Collectively, they looked a mixture of relieved and underwhelmed to be there. That they were stood in front of no more than 70 people – 80 per cent of which were colleagues – is where the real tale is to be told. This would be the only ‘event’ per se, over within 50 minutes and strictly invite only. Adhering to COVID-19 guidelines, one glass of champagne was allowed to be consumed per person (Moët at least), face masks were mandatory as were temperature checks on arrival. But it was quiet and clinical, bearing stark comparison to a pop-up Coronavirus treatment tent. Indeed, it was far from the size and scale the watch industry is renowned for. But after six months of the world largely locked down, two cancelled watch fairs and a global pandemic still…
Green is known to be a special colour for Rolex. In recent eras, to buy a new Rolex sports watch that had any parts fabricated in this particular green you would have to secure a stainless steel Rolex Submariner “Hulk”, yellow gold Rolex GMT-Master II, or yellow gold Rolex Daytona. It is usually quite rare that the “Rolex Green” makes it on to one of their steel sports models, with the Rolex Submariner “Hulk” being one of the most sought-after watches in the world – many leaving their authorised dealers empty-handed with at best a false sense they will climb the waiting list quickly in time. Prior to the Rolex Submariner “Hulk”, the hot green watch was the Rolex Submariner “Kermit” 16610LV. Introduced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Submariner model, Rolex shocked the world with its bright green aluminum bezel – a nod to their primary brand colour green, used on all of their boxes and paperwork. The Rolex Submariner “Kermit” was discontinued after seven years of production in 2010, ushering in the era of the “Hulk” Submariner (now discontinued). So why are we discussing the Kermit? Because it’s back – larger and tougher than ever. The new Rolex…
Father’s Day – a 24-hour span when dads across the country are celebrated for their patriarchal guidance and then receive dreary presents like jocks, socks, gift vouchers and the best bottle of Penfolds that can be had for 20 bucks. Sounds awful, doesn’t it? And, for most men, that’s what it’s like. But, for the dad who happens to be a watch enthusiast, things can be different – you can actually buy your old man something he’ll like. Trouble is, just as every father is not the same, every horological aficionado differs, too. That’s why we’ve devised this handy list, and everything you see below can be bought right here, at the Time+Tide store. Rugged dad There’s a certain type of dad who likes to slide into those carpe diems with maximum gusto, to take it to the limit each and every day and get out amongst it. You know the ones – up at the a**crack of dawn and owns a 4WD jacked up with off-road tyres and covered with amusing and often offensive stickers. A barbecue-ruling, Bonds singlet-wearing jack-of-all-trades type, the kind of guy who would rather camp under the stars than stay in any six-star hotel. If…
Vintage field watches can be a minefield, full of mechanical issues, aftermarket parts, or just a victim of horrendous overvaluing on the likes of eBay. All of this seems to go against their original ethos, which was to be legible, reliable and able to take a beating in the outside world. Of course, as watches have become less and less practical, the aesthetics of these watches have become priorities, especially when it comes to homages or reissues. Mitch Mason’s inaugural Kickstarter for their Chronicle promises to change that, returning to a formula that aligns itself with those original tough-as-nails timepieces, all the while offering familiar yet fresh designs. There are four variations of the Chronicle, each giving their own unique character to the watch, as they’re not just a simple colour change. Two of the models have a sandwich dial construction, with a layer of sunken luminous paint beneath the dial, adding a depth to the quarterly numerals. Of these, the Steel Blue is the most visually stimulating. A denim-blue dial with vertical brushing allows the bright orange seconds hand to pop, almost evoking a ’70s racing chronograph. The Jet Black version is the most classically handsome model. With the…
Editor’s note: If you missed Part 1, make sure you check it out as it includes the likes of Moser, Chopard and Greubel Forsey. In the best dials of 2020 Part 2 we keep the eye-catching dials rolling, from affordable microbrands all the way to the most haute of horology. Enjoy! anOrdain Model 2 Time-consuming vitreous enamel with a high breakage quota, and a Scottish microbrand producing time-consuming small batches of 36mm watches. This quirky combination must have been a hard sales pitch to secure funding from the bank managers, but had they seen the end result, the arguments would be swiftly silenced. The deep lustre of the candy-coloured enamel dials of anOrdain has gained them a steady stream of followers, and it’s easy to see why their models sell out quicker than a hypothetical steel Sub in an AD’s window. Here is the purple fumé version of the Model 2 with its pebble-smooth 36mm case, a charmingly pointed crown guard of sorts, and that pretty face. Find a good macro shot or YouTube review and you’ll be spellbound by the surface depth perception; glass being the closest likeness to the vitreous enamel, also known as Grand Feu. It is a…
Let’s be honest, 2020 is not just a year of disastrous market decline, job losses and lockdowns. This year has also been one of rapid change and lateral thinking within the horological community. There have also been many heartening examples of the show going on, despite the uncertain backdrop. And with another stunning timepiece in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic, it’s proof again that there’s no stopping Jean-Christophe Babin and Bulgari, as we witness yet another record-breaking complication for the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo. What is a certainty is that the Finissimo line was launched only six years ago, but it has changed our perceptions of ultra-thin in every category, from aesthetics to functionality, and here is, dare I say, the pinnacle of the catalogue. The chronograph GMT was released in 2019, wowing even the Finissimo sceptics (all of three people) with its engaging design and functionality. This is no less than the blessed marriage of this and the Finissimo Tourbillon, in itself a masterpiece of delicate micro-engineering. The case measures 42mm by a still unbelievable 7.40mm thickness, and comes in the silken sandblasted case still representing horology on-point in 2020. The caliber BVLA388 has a 50-hour power…