Shopping for a Grand Seiko in Japan: Change Charges & Fashions ft. Determination Paralysis | FashionBeans

Why I’m Pondering About Shopping for a Watch in Japan

We’re going to do one thing totally different right this moment. I’m form of available in the market for a watch – properly, probably not. It’s a bit of difficult. I’m going to move over to Tokyo in a couple of month from now. When in Tokyo, what else is there to do in addition to purchase a watch, proper?

Right here’s the difficulty I’ve in the intervening time: I’m probably not available in the market to purchase something proper now. I’m very content material with my assortment, however I’m having a bit of little bit of FOMO simply because the trade charges are at the moment in favor of the greenback.

I really feel like I’m lacking out on one thing and must buy one thing. Why not treatment that by shopping for a Grand Seiko in Japan?

 

The Grand Seiko Dilemma: High quality vs Determination Paralysis

I’m simply going to discover some choices that I is likely to be curious about whereas I’m there. The obvious selection goes to be Grand Seiko.

I’m all the time speaking about Grand Seiko with my buddies, and I really bought quite a lot of them to choose up a Grand Seiko of their very own. Two of them really got here again from Japan not too way back and picked up the Shunbun and the Omiwatari.

The issue I’ve with Grand Seiko, and quite a lot of different fans as properly, is a couple of issues. One is the bracelets – it’s form of nitpicking on the watch, however in comparison with Rolex and truly in comparison with quite a lot of different producers, even like IWC and JLC, they’re form of lackluster and never so feature-rich as quite a lot of different manufacturers which are providing, together with micro manufacturers as properly.

I actually love Grand Seiko and would like to personal one, and this is likely to be the time to really decide one up for an inexpensive worth. In contrast to manufacturers like Patek Philippe and Rolex that actually retain their worth, Grand Seiko is on the overall reverse spectrum of that.

Most individuals are shopping for Grand Seiko to not impress others however actually to impress themselves, which is known as a testomony to the model as being a watch fanatic stage watch.

The second cause why I’ve by no means owned a Grand Seiko, and albeit this can be a actually massive one for me, is every time I try to take a look at a Grand Seiko and am available in the market to really buy one, I all the time have a difficulty with selecting which one to get.

At the moment, I’m not within the place to simply purchase every little thing that I like, however each single time I take a look at Grand Seiko’s catalog, I’ve some sense of resolution fatigue and resolution paralysis.

It’s form of like The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit – in the event you’re accustomed to that restaurant, there’s so many several types of delicacies that I actually don’t know what to get, versus one thing like In-N-Out Burger the place they only have a cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, fries, and shakes.

Only a quite simple menu the place I do know what to anticipate. Grand Seiko, alternatively, has so many alternative dial variations, a number of case choices, and a number of other actions you possibly can select from.

I’ve all the time tried my hardest to slender down my ideas on what I would like from Grand Seiko. I’m going to aim to decide on a watch right this moment or hold a couple of watches in thoughts, and if I find yourself seeing them in Tokyo and selecting them up, then cool.

There’s one thing about – I’ve seen so many Uranos which have come throughout as lovely as they’re, I simply can’t get round to personal one among my very own, however for the fitting worth, possibly. Not less than for me, if I’m buying one thing, I actually need to be in love with it, and truthfully, that’s the way it needs to be.

Let’s dive proper into the web site. That is the Grand Seiko USA web site, and we’re going to move over to the collections web page.

Trying on the Magnificence Assortment

I’m going to begin from the underside up – we’re going to move over to the Magnificence assortment, and I form of have an concept of what I already like from right here.

One among which is, for the longest time, I’ve been eyeing the SBGM221. One thing about it – it’s only a very classical trying watch with a GMT performance, which in fact, I simply love GMTs.

They’re very helpful particularly in the event you’re touring on a regular basis, and even when not, it’s an additional complication that may find yourself being helpful sooner or later.

There are a number of choices right here except for this cream dial. Now we have this restricted version sky blue, the SBGM253, and this can be a twenty fifth anniversary mannequin, however I don’t count on this to be very laborious to get, particularly in Japan.

My buddy that was over there mentioned that he swore he noticed this at one of many boutiques he was at. Oh yeah, let me point out that too – in Japan proper now, they provide reductions in the event you store at shops. On high of the low cost, you’re additionally getting a tax refund, and naturally that candy trade charge with the greenback. I’m anticipating to get this at a very reasonable value.

Right here’s the factor with price range in thoughts – like I mentioned, I’m not available in the market to at the moment purchase a watch, which isn’t a superb mindset to have to purchase one thing wish to FOMO into one thing. However on this case, if I’m getting a deal on one thing and I’m in Japan, I’d as properly simply get one thing, or possibly I gained’t.

At $5,600 for this, I believe it’s a fairly enticing worth level, particularly in the event you’re going to get a reduction on high with tax refund.

Diving into the Heritage Assortment: 44GS vs 62GS

No, I don’t suppose there’s something on this Sport assortment that actually tickles my fancy, so we’re going to maneuver on to the Heritage assortment.

Now we’re introduced with this web page which is fairly good on Seiko’s half, introducing the 2 well-known circumstances: the 44GS and the 62GS. For me, after I consider Grand Seiko, I mechanically revert to the 44GS and the traditional Grammar of Design that you simply search for.

Once more, the issue I’ve – simply too many choices. Like if we click on into this, what will we see? For me a minimum of, it’s simply an excessive amount of to take a look at, it’s an excessive amount of to contemplate as a result of they’re all very lovely in their very own proper and I’d like to personal all of them.

But when that is going to be my first Grand Seiko, not my first watch particularly, do I would like one thing refined or do I would like one thing a bit of bit extra particular with a bit of extra pizzazz like a extra colourful dial? Or do I am going with one thing that I can put on each single day – the lotions, blacks, and grays?

There are a pair that I’ve been contemplating within the 44GS line, one among which, which quite a lot of you would possibly discover boring, is the SBGP003. It has every little thing {that a} Grand Seiko case would have for the 44GS with its mirror-like sides and Zaratsu sprucing, however you’re getting a quartz motion.

I’m positive all of you already know that the Grand Seiko quartz motion is not like every other – correct to a ridiculous 10 seconds per 12 months. Lots of people would say it’s a really overpriced look ahead to what you’re getting, however for me, the 9F quartz motion is the head of quartz know-how, pioneered by Grand Seiko.

Actually, the motion itself doesn’t hassle me with the associated fee – you’re nonetheless getting the identical stage of ending throughout all their 44GS watches. This goes into the realm of “is this too boring? Is this what I want when I’m over in Japan?” I imply, once more at $3,200 with the reductions on high, you’re going to get a ridiculous worth for this. It is likely to be an possibility.

These strains of watches on the 9F quartz for the 44GS, I must say, are very underrated as a result of they’re principally overshadowed by the Spring Drive motion, in fact, and I don’t blame you – the Spring Drives are actually cool and that’s additionally a factor I’d think about.

With the SBGA375, SBGA373 with a blue and cream dial, or blue and champagne dial fairly, for some cause that doesn’t excite me as a lot. I believe possibly simply the dials are just a bit too subdued for my liking.

So possibly if we step as much as the SBGA471, possibly that’s one thing I’ll think about simply because it’s a bit of bit extra particular, however I already know if I find yourself seeing this in particular person, I’m not going to actually be in love with this man.

Shifting on to a different 44GS case that I used to be contemplating is the SBGY011. This one continues to be subdued, however the dial has some texturing happening which provides a bit of extra curiosity to the watch. To be trustworthy, I form of favor the 44GS with the bracelet.

I believe it actually shines on the straps till you possibly can see actually these lugs – these lugs, although they’re form of lengthy and protrude exterior of the case, I believe it wears completely on the wrist. Particularly for this one, rocking their 9R31, which is their hand-wound Spring Drive, form of slims issues down a bit of bit, so this is likely to be one thing to contemplate as properly.

These are the one ones from the 44GS that actually pique my curiosity. Now if we transfer on to the 62GS, in fact their hero picture on this web page is the Shunbun, and it’s – I imply, for good cause – it’s an exquisite dial, very Dynamic.

It goes from typically a white dial to a bit of pinkish hue and typically to even a grey tone, which is one thing very nice.

A variety of males would possibly form of steer away from this, but it surely’s dynamic sufficient to not all the time appear like a shade of pink. It’s among the best sellers for a cause.

For me, there’s one thing concerning the 62GS case that I’m probably not a fan of. I imply, it’s an exquisite case regardless, however I believe I’m simply so used to seeing the 44GS displaying off their Zaratsu sprucing with the faceted edges.

However the benefit of the 62GS, as a result of there are brushed components on the case, it’s not susceptible to scratching on that mirror-like floor you’ll get with the 44GS. So there’s a bit of trade-off between the 2 circumstances.

Trying on the different choices as properly except for the Shunbun, I’ve thought of the grey model or the SBGA415, however once more, it’s a kind of issues that I don’t know if it’s particular sufficient.

It’s form of just like the Snowflake, which I actually love the primary time I noticed it in all places over the web years in the past.

After seeing that flow into all around the web loads of occasions, I simply form of grew a bit of jaded from seeing that in all places, so I believe I would like one thing totally different.

Yeah, there’s the Snowflake – it’s a really lovely watch, however there’s one thing about it, possibly as a result of I’ve simply seen it so many occasions. Within the case after doing a bit of bit extra analysis on Grand Seiko over time, it’s probably not that thrilling to me.

Fast Take a look at the Sport Line (Even Although It’s Not My Factor)

Is that every one I selected from Grand Seiko? Only for giggles, let’s take a look at the Sport assortment. I’m probably not a fan of their Sport line, however there was one which I used to be actually curious about on the time – their Spring Drive GMTs.

This SBGE257 inexperienced dial variant, I actually like this, and after I had it in hand, I knew it wasn’t for me. It was a really thick watch, so I didn’t actually take pleasure in it a lot.

It doesn’t put on very properly, and that’s an enormous factor for me.

So no, I’m not contemplating that man. I imply, yeah, there are these 9F quartz GMTs of their Sport line – the SGN027, which everyone knows seems like an Explorer 2, which is admittedly cool, however after I consider Grand Seiko, I consider the 44GS and extra of their Magnificence and Heritage line assortment.

Till they’ll make a very killer sport watch. If they’ll make a GS model of an Alpinist, I believe everybody would go loopy over these. I’d a minimum of. So yeah, it’s going to be a no for the Sport line for Grand Seiko.

Watch This Overview

The Evolution 9 Line and Last Ideas

Lastly, now we have the Evolution 9s. I completely love the dial format, I really like how the case seems – it’s form of like an up to date 62GS case. The one I used to be eyeballing was both the GMT Spring Drive or their Lake Suwa. The Lake Suwa is only a attractive watch in comparison with their GMT.

It is available in titanium, and though I’ve nothing towards titanium, I similar to the sensation of a hefty watch on my wrist. With this watch, with its metal bezel taking quite a lot of design cues from an Explorer 2, I don’t suppose I’d actually go for this, however I do form of dig the look with the case.

However this one, a traditional three-hander date, SBGA021, the Lake Suwa, is one thing I’d think about. The dial is form of just like the Omiwatari however a extra navy blue ripple impact that you simply’re getting on the dial, which I bear in mind seeing on my wrist and I believe it wore very properly.

Coming in chrome steel, it has that heft on the wrist that I actually take pleasure in, in order that’s positively one thing that I’ll think about.

However you already know, Japan just isn’t all about Grand Seiko, however Grand Seiko has all the time been behind my thoughts. I believe I’ve to separate this into a couple of half sequence as a result of there are much more watches than Grand Seiko in Japan.

In fact there’s Seiko, there’s totally different strains inside the Seiko group – Prospex, the LX, their 5 line sequence, and watches which are JDM particular. So possibly we’ll discover that in one other article.

Lastly, there’s different manufacturers like Kurono Tokyo, which at the moment in the intervening time, I don’t suppose they’ve something on sale at their salon. In all probability give it a cease by there and see what they’ve and possibly play a bit of bit with their watches.

Anywho, want me luck shopping for a Grand Seiko in Japan! Hope to see you all quickly!