GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post up your articles and reviews for future references
flamenco

GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by flamenco » 22 Feb 2012 11:14

Grand Seikos for me has always held a mystery as mystical as the orient. Thru several very informative and technical posts in this forum that made up my mind on obtaining one in my humble collection.

A long search thus began……..

It was back in the late 2009 that I read with great interest that GS released 2 models, namely the BGH001 & SBGH003 watches with an astonishing 36,000BPH. The 9S85 caliber quelled all rumors that Seiko has abandoned high end mechanical watch production. With the 9S85 came a claimed accuracy of +5/-1 seconds per day, quite possibly the most accurate movement in production. As we now know, Seiko has achieved this through innovations in mainspring and escape wheel design.

Fast forward to 17 Dec 2010, on a business trip to the Fragrant Harbor (Holly Land for GS outside of Japan). Spent a day of intense hunting and I ended with my latest prized catch. Not to mention a limited edition which I feared was all sold out. Lady luck was smiling on a cold wind chilled day …….

Image

The watch itself is presented very much in a traditional GS design; dauphine hands, oyster bracelet in traditional case.

Image

Image

Exquisite dial work on the 50th Anniversary, makes the normal production, well normal !!

Image

Image

Image

Image

Casework and bracelet is nothing short of breathtaking.

Image

Image

The famed 9S85 with a revised mainspring and escapement wheel.

Image

Image

Have a smallish 6.5" wrist and fair complexion & not the best hand model . And one taken with the BB Bold 9700 for comparison sake.
User avatar
lunarin79
CEO
Posts: 12958
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 00:20

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by lunarin79 » 22 Feb 2012 11:44

first & foremost, welcome to SC :D

I believe you're one super lucky guy to be able to purchase this LE piece!!

My friend had been hunting this for close to a year w/o any luck :mrgreen:

Thanks for your review on this superb timepiece!
Seiko Club Gathering 2016
flamenco

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by flamenco » 22 Feb 2012 11:51

Thanks for the welcome ! In fact I like the 50th Anniversary so much I am looking for the Blue Dial version (just to complete the collection) ;)

Would have gone for the 130th anniversary had it not been a tad small at 36mm.
devil00
Senior member
Posts: 1526
Joined: 10 Apr 2011 22:07

GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by devil00 » 22 Feb 2012 13:15

Very nice piece there.... Congrats :D
hisokaka

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by hisokaka » 22 Feb 2012 17:59

very nice! how much did it cost u?
dominicwor2

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by dominicwor2 » 22 Feb 2012 20:14

very nice pc there n lucky u bro!
somemore is 36kbph *drools*

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
flamenco

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by flamenco » 23 Feb 2012 09:39

Thanks guys! Have had the watch for more than a yr now, and it sits atop my fav list, despite its price tag (relatively speaking of course). Its very comfy to wear for prolonged periods (much like rollies) and the dial never gets boring. The extra touches to commenorate the 50th anniversary makes it jus tat bit more special.

Not sure if I am flouting any rules here, but I got the watch at low SGD9k when the HKD-SGD rates were much better (compare to current rates).

At 36kpbh, not many touches it, perhaps the el primeros, in terms of accuracy. Had tested it on my winder for 1 mth straight, in a vertical position (ie watch face perpendiculr to ground), and its barely gained a min !! That is quart-like (I exaggerate here) .... well almost

I have quite a few reviews/photologues that I have put up on various other forums which I like to put up here for the benefit of this forum. Just have to find some time, perhaps on the weekends, to do so.

Look forward to more "action" on this board ! Cheerios !
watchlooker

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by watchlooker » 23 Feb 2012 19:10

Super cool GS.... lucky guy you are! ;) There is only 300 pieces of it.....
tzetze

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by tzetze » 23 Feb 2012 19:56

wah, v nice, im on the look out for this too!

the blue face 50th anni one i recently saw it sold on ebay for ard US$6k.
Evirobie

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by Evirobie » 24 Feb 2012 11:08

Nice watch and at a very nice price!!!

If ones come along my way... I would definitely grab it even using my reserve funds. :lol:
User avatar
fireal
Senior member
Posts: 2021
Joined: 03 May 2011 23:49

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by fireal » 26 Feb 2012 00:07

beautiful.... :mrgreen:
Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't
own it, but you can use it. You can't keep
it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it
you can never get it back.
User avatar
TheChef
Senior member
Posts: 3203
Joined: 01 Nov 2011 21:15

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by TheChef » 01 Mar 2012 22:58

This is the holy grail for me.
"Please touch your own favorite watch with your kind heart and love forever." - Ikuo Tokunaga, Chief Designer of SEIKO Dive Watches and Sports Watches
User avatar
Cosmograph
Member
Posts: 985
Joined: 30 Jan 2012 09:47
Location: Little Red Dot

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by Cosmograph » 04 Mar 2012 20:12

Beautiful! The dial especially, not to mention the movement. Definitely a keeper! Which area or shops did you check out (if you can share) did you hunt out of curiosity?
Enjoying Japanese, Swiss, Germans & Micros quartz or mechanical, solar/Eco or kinetic, electronic

Time is one's best friend or worst enemy. You can't stop her or contain her but you can use her or watch her go by!
BnL

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by BnL » 10 Mar 2012 13:59

Super nice unique dial.
edmundgoh

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by edmundgoh » 11 Mar 2012 10:58

All the Seiko 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition, are made to exceed any Grand Seiko watch ever built.

SBGH015 is not the regular "Hi-beat" +5/-3 sec/day found in SBGH001.
It is a specially tuned “HI-BEAT 36000” caliber for 50th Anniversary Edition, delivering even higher accuracy: a mean daily rate between +4/-2 sec.
The “SPECIAL” logo is printed in gold on the dial to symbolize this -2/+4 sec precision.

It feature a unusually high Magnetic resistance: 10,000 A/m (125 gauss) compared to 4800 A/m (60 gauss) of SBGH001.

Limited edition of 300 pieces

Recommended retail price in Japan:
JPY682,500 if you can ever find 1.
steve mcqueen

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by steve mcqueen » 17 Mar 2012 09:13

dun let me drool too much. grand seiko with anniversary limited edition. I'm poisoned
Becky

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by Becky » 17 Mar 2012 14:33

Welcome to scs Steve!

All the bros here all already drooling..get ready to get poison more deeply!

:lol:
ae121
New member
Posts: 67
Joined: 15 May 2012 09:26

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by ae121 » 28 May 2012 12:42

omg.... very nice pics... makes me wanna try to source for one.... pity my pockets....
User avatar
004
Senior member
Posts: 1236
Joined: 14 Nov 2012 19:31

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by 004 » 14 Nov 2012 20:11

"WOW" Simply a very beautifull watch , work of art . :)
Helloroo

Re: GRAND SEIKO Smittened !!!

Post by Helloroo » 29 Mar 2013 15:30

Beautiful watch. Do you find it to be very heavy on your wrist?
Post Reply