HANDS-ON: Is this Grand Seiko Elegance SBGK007 a perfect dress watch?
Unquestionably one of Grand Seiko’s most surprising releases of 2019, the SBGK additions to the Elegance Collection had all the makings of a perfect dress watch. There was just one problem, however — if I’m being really finickity, the dial options that were made available upon release were perhaps slightly out of keeping with that of a quintessential dress watch. Someone in the Japanese watchmaker’s design team clearly had the same feeling, because less than six months after its initial unveiling, we have this — the Grand Seiko Elegance SBGK007. I was borderline ecstatic when this watch was unveiled, and waited with bated breath for the press watch to find its way into the office, eager to find out whether the crisp white dial I’d seen in countless press images was as arresting in person as it was on my Mac screen. And now that I’ve been able to spend some time with this svelte dress watch attached to my wrist, I have to admit it’s a great dress watch … but it’s not exactly what I was expecting. Allow me to explain. The press release for SBGK007, as well as the product description found on Grand Seiko’s own website, characterise…
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We’re not even a month into 2020 but already Bulgari has released a collection of stunning new references in the Octo Finissimo range, with two standout pieces in steel and ceramic. But which piece is more compelling? The team share their thoughts. James Robinson – Team Steel The biggest news, by far, coming out of LMVH’s Watch Week in Dubai was Bulgari’s announcement that the Octo Finissimo will be made available in a stainless steel case. Mark my words – this watch has the potential to well and truly shake up the watch industry. Not only does the Octo Finissimo exemplify the Italian marque’s commitment to haute horology, it’s also a watch that can now go toe-to-toe with the stalwarts of the luxury integrated steel sports watch genre. And, from where I’m sitting, it beats pretty much every one of its perceived contemporaries – it’s miles cheaper, slimmer and, to my eyes, more attractive. There’s a huge amount of trepidation at my end regarding trying this watch on, however. Why? Well, because I’m pretty sure I’ll immediately want to buy it. Luke Benedictus – Bet on Black What do you get when you cross a stealth bomber with a panther?…
“Authentic” is an often misused and even abused accolade in today’s disposable and instant-service world. Consumers tend to be impressed for brief moments with the speed and functionality of an app, or the savings and convenience that a subscription model lends to their lifestyle. Less and less frequently, consumers are able to appreciate a product offering durability and longevity and, thus, when they do encounter such a thing, simply write it off as frivolous luxury. The A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37mm guise initially presents as frivolous luxury indeed. For nearly $20,000, the consumer earns the right to know only the time on a small-ish, seemingly simple dial. Sure, the watch is made of gold, but there isn’t even a matching bracelet to emulate the weight of those dollar bills on your wrist. To really understand the Saxonia Thin, the value of its authentic qualities need to be examined from some arm’s length perspectives. History always lends credibility and it is within the historical perspective that the Lange scores a big win. The end of the Cold War and fall of communism in Eastern Europe gave the world a lot of things, some good and some not. The resurrection…
These are strange times in the horological world … on the one hand, it honestly feels like a large portion of gents watches are regressing rather quickly into exceedingly vintage tendencies: aesthetically, dimensionally, mechanically — it just seems like there’s been a complete about-face from the pursuit of the avant-garde. On the other hand, ladies watches have seemingly dodged the vintage vogue all together, and are instead carving a contemporary path forward that includes bright colours, big cases and better mechanical movements. This is evidenced rather perfectly with Rado’s Golden Horse Ref.R33103203. It’s a watch that’s unequivocally made for the gentlewoman. However, unlike a ladies timepiece from a decade ago, which would’ve most likely been two-tone, champagne-dialled, quartz-powered and no more than 28mm, this Golden Horse features a complete stainless steel construction, large 35mm case, bright sunburst blue dial and a mechanical self-winding movement. In fact, the only thing that’s antiquated about this feminine Golden Horse is its name — everything else about it is, for a ladies timepiece, very much from the new-school. The radially brushed, sunburst blue dial, for example, features modish contrasting hints of red, which can be found on the quintessential Rado logo, seconds hand and date wheel. Likewise,…
Editor’s note: The hunt for a new watch is, for many watch enthusiasts, a huge part of the collecting experience. It isn’t enough to simply buy a watch, but a watch must be searched for long and hard, with its eventual discovery making the acquisition all the more exciting. This is the story of Joseph and his hunt for an Omega Speedmaster Limited Edition. This is a tale of an Omega Speedmaster Limited Edition that was one of only 2998 pieces … seven months’ perfection, six years’ lust, three countries and two continents, and one hospital trip. The Omega Speedmaster is one to reckon with. Not only is it an iconic watch design, it’s also embedded in the history of watchmaking and its ties with NASA. The Speedmaster, or Speedy, has always been on my must-have watch list. The one I am talking about, however, I first noticed back in 2012/13. I had just graduated from Sydney University, and wanted to commemorate it with a watch. Regretfully, things happened as they always do, and I had to postpone my search at that time. The particular watch I am talking about is the FOIS (First Omega in Space). As chance would…
Every year there’s a couple of timepieces that, for one reason or another, slip under the collective radar of us watch enthusiasts. There were more than a few examples in 2019: think the Citizen Eco-Drive Caliber 0100, Rado Golden Horse, Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic … the list goes on. But the watch that tends to sound out louder than any other is this — the Longines Master Collection Ref. L2.673.4.92.0. Quite how people aren’t screaming about this timepiece from the rooftops is nothing short of baffling and, much to my shame, I too didn’t really give it a second thought either. But upon revisiting this complicated timepiece and getting to spend some time with it on my wrist, I must say, boy oh boy, was I foolish for not being more excited about it. Why? Well, simply put, and much like several other timepieces that piqued the collective interest of the horological community – it’s down to the size of the case. You see, Longines already make a Master Collection with blue sunburst dial, but its stainless steel case measured a beefy 42mm. Now, however, Longines has seen fit to create the timepiece in a much more svelte and versatile 40mm…
Editor’s note: When you’re looking to buy your next watch, you want to know you’re getting great value for the money you’re spending. This Tissot Seastar 1000 could still be one of the best value watches on the market after its release at Baselworld 2018, and there’s no sign of that changing. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful example of “bang for buck”. This is such a great watch. Honestly. I can’t think of many (if any) Swiss-made watches that offer such a punchy package for this sort of price. Not only do you get the impressive Powermatic 80 movement (more than three days of power reserve rocks) in a good-looking, well-made 300m diver, you get nice little features like the gradient dial and ceramic bezel. So much win. On top of that, it fits great on the wrist: 43mm is big, but not obnoxiously so, especially when paired with the height. Even the dial text and date placement is done right. My only possible quibble is the strap. Not the rubber strap itself, which I quite like — Tissot ‘T’ motif and all — no, it’s the slightly odd 21mm width. Given that I’m the kind of guy who…