VIDEO: The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT SBGJ237 & SBGJ239 are two of the boldest, and best looking steel sports watches of 2020
Editor’s note: When I first saw this video in the middle of last week, I hit the team WhatsApp message thread with a vengeance. Omitting some more colourful language, the gist was: “I am mind blown by these GMTs, they can’t possibly look as good in the metal as they do in this video?” Both Nick and James responded immediately with a barrage of emojis. The answer was clear. They absolutely do. It’s rare to be moved on such a visceral level when you’re looking at watches every day. I expect you might have a similar reaction. If you once connected Grand Seiko with dress watches, you’re in for a mind shift. Enjoy – Andrew Over the past 12 months we’ve witnessed Grand Seiko unveiling more and more novelties that move away from their traditional dress watch modus operandi, and really start to hone in on the steel sports watch market. The Japanese watchmaker has released a bevy of dynamic divers, three-handers and GMTs, and the sheer breadth and diversity of these new sporty models has been quite profound, with enough different case shapes and sizes, dial colours and designs, and complications to keep their ever-growing fan base happy. Two of…
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Few things in watch world conjure more contention than the six letters that make up the word homage … and understandably so. Are homage watches just shameless replicas with a different name slapped on the dial? Or are they harmless fun that aim to democratise an aesthetic normally only accessible to the uber wealthy? As is the way with most things in life, the answer isn’t black and white. No, some tribute timepieces, like the Gevril Tribeca or anything by Dan Henry, seem to be more than OK. They’re outright desirable, and executed with total respect to the original. While other timepieces deserve the vitriol heaped upon them for being, and let’s not mince words here, opportunistic ripoffs. If you’re already confused, buckle up. Because there’s a third category again. Which are watches that look like homages, but have in fact a legitimate backstory that places them well and truly in the action with the original. These watches are the ultimate pickups for watch lovers for the unexpected story that comes with them. Sinn 903 Now, we know what you’re thinking: “That’s a brazen rip-off of the Breitling Navitimer!” And to that, we’d say, “Settle down, turbo, there’s a good…
The theme of this list is simple. Great value watches at reasonable prices that get the nod from watch lovers at a get-together. Because we all likely know that there’s nothing worse, at said watch-related event, to get a nod of recognition of the watch you’re wearing without any follow-up questions, or a request to hold/try on. It’s always good to bring a little intrigue with your wrist game. And everybody loves a value proposition, no matter what drip they can afford. Behold, part two of the 10 most popular watches under $1000 USD list. Check out part one here. 6. Lorier Neptune Another vintage-inspired diver, the Neptune strips the diver down to its essentials and in the process packs a punch for the dollar. The no-date Neptune presents a clean aesthetic of divers past and offers the beloved vintage design cues that watch buyers have come to love today. This watch is a versatile wear, it can be taken anywhere, from the beach or the boardroom, and presents the opportunity to have a big crown vintage-inspired diver at a fraction of the cost of the watches it is inspired by. It truly has a ’60s inspired vibe and feel…
Is your feed currently flooded with the Grand Seiko “Nature of Time” Exhibition in New York City? There’s a reason for that. Taking place Downtown in the SoHo area, in partnership with Watches of Switzerland, this event has completely raised the bar for watch pop-ups. As thoughtful in design as the watches themselves, the exhibition provides fans of the brand (both old and new) a completely immersive and spacious display of some of the best – and rarest – models the brand has to offer. According to Grand Seiko, the unique Nature of Time Experience was inspired by Japan’s spring and the fleeting beauty of the sakura cherry blossoms (which are also the inspiration for the dial of the SBGA413 Spring model, which you can see here). Grand Seiko has also worked to incorporate the ancient Japanese philosophy of mono no aware – appreciate the beauty of ephemeral things – to create one of the best and most beautiful brand experiences I have had the pleasure of visiting. If I am being totally honest, I really felt like I was in a space that was more than just a point of sale. It was more akin to a museum. The…
Editor’s note: In preparation for an epic upcoming article that tracks a year on the wrist with the Rolex Root Beer, we thought we’d revisit this video that comprehensively positions it among its 2018 crop of sports watches. Watch it for side by side comparisons with the Full Everose version and the Pepsi, which largely hogged the limelight in the beginning. It’s a great refresher on the model, before the soon-to-be-dropped deep dive into what it’s like to own and wear the model on a regular basis. The interesting thing to note from the copy below, which was written when we released the video, is that at the time this model was largely overlooked by the media. There was intense scrutiny and hysteria around the Pepsi, and the Full Everose version emanated a glow akin to the opened suitcase in Pulp Fiction. It gives me a wry smile to read the last line: “I’m sure that once the Pepsi sugar high has worn off a little, the glittering Rolex GMT-Master II in Oystersteel and Everose will have its time in the sun, but we thought we’d shine a little light on it early.” This proved prophetic, with the Root Beer now among the most desirable Rolex models…
Editor’s note: Here we continue a new style of review that pits two similarly specced watches against each other, in an arena that is less touched up, and more true to the naked eye than our usual images. Last week we had a super-popular Seiko and the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight. While both alike in specs, they were at very different price points. So, this time we thought we’d pit two dive watches with similar specs and aesthetics – from the golden mid-century era – and almost an identical price, against each other. There is extra sass here, because one is proof of the bullish new Seiko price positioning and the other is proof that Omega has dive watches of great quality hiding somewhat “in the shadows” as Thor says. Who will prevail? That is, as always, largely up to you and your tastes. Enjoy! There are some sharp vintage-inspired divers for $5000-10,000AUD ($3500-7000USD) out there. But what if you want to quench your thirst for vintage tool watches with something less common that signifies a studied personal style? And dare we make the criteria include that magic word: availability? Here are two sharp examples not seen on many wrists – both with the…
