Although I've gotten random compliments on mine, it's really a watch for true horology enthusiasts who appreciate the high quality and the accuracy and innovative movement. Personally, I don't give Rolex wearers nearly the respect I do for GS owners.

Out of all the watch bloggers/reviewers, you are my favourite..... you’re doing a great job and the way you talk about the watches is detailed and thorough......without being pretentious (like some of the others...... I was pleased to see your review of the Bremont u-2, a watch that I now own....

awesome watch. very thorough review and objectively based on his own experience with the watch. can't ask for much more than that. well done.

Fantastic review. I agree regarding the stamped metal clasp, I really wish GS had a heftier clasp.

You have owned a spring drive watch for 10 years and now you have a second one… that’s wild. I’ve dreamed of owning one for years. Also the movement is one of the coolest things about this Grand Seiko and I’m very surprised you didn’t know it doesn’t beat. Best review I’ve seen yet though👌🏼

Great review of a fantastic watch. From what I have read in many official reviews the bezel is actually inlaid with Titanium Carbide Ceramic. The 9R65 movement is an absolute technical marvel, mine is accurate to -1.5 sec/month.

Great and awesome movements.! A mechanical with quartz accuracy.Good stuff.Cheers,Len.

Absolutely love these !

Great review except for the part when you try to explain how spring drive works. Seiko replaced the escapement with the so-called tri-synchro regulator. In a nutshell it works like follows: the rotor powers the mainspring which in turn powers a glide wheel, which passes by a magnet which produces electricity. The electricity powers an integrated chip, an electromagnetic brake and it causes the quartz to oscillate. The chip compares the speed of the second sweep with the oscillations of the quartz 8 times per second and wether the SS is too fast or too slow the chip applies more or less of the electromagnetic brake. Seiko States +- 1 second a day, but most users state +4 seconds a month, which makes it 48 seconds a year. Pretty insane for a mechanical watch!

Thanks for the review - I am now enlightened on the high quality Seiko can produce. On the 200m depth comment you made: diver watches have to be rated above the depth they go to (ie recreational diver 40m max) because of movements you make at depth that add additional pressure forces on the watch.

Thanks for the review. I love the Spring Drive technology. Craig Shipp owns this watch and features it whenever he live-streams, however your review points out some things that give me pause, such as the minute hand covering part of the hour hand, and how big it looks on your wrist, which is the same size as mine. A Seiko Samurai also has a 44mm case but wears better because the lug to lug distance is only 47mm.

Nice video and yes, these are all opinions and here is mine : 1.ceramic bezel may shatter, thats why this bezel material is a good choice.2.pins and collars are superior to screws : screwed pins do not rotate with links and cause stress and wear to links, whereas pin&collar is rotating freely in bracelet links. 3..this clasp is best in the market, stamped material is insignificant if you know anything about material strengths and that quick adjustment on the wrist, pure genius : AFAIK, only Seiko offers this. Got my SBBN031 on my wrist right now, love the quick adjustment, using it all the time.4. 18:25 theres no beat rate, it does not beat, not even with the 28,800 you mention, its spring drive.

Excellent video, appreciate it

This review is perfect. Well done. Mine is in the mail, picked it up on Reddit for 3200 usd. Greetings from Canada

I've had my SBGA029 for several years now.....+5 seconds/month accuracy. Heavy at 201 grams, but it doesn't feel that heavy on the wrist....very comfortable.

Great review mate, I'm on the never-ending Sub waitlist and getting impatient, this has helped me make a decision between this and the omega PO. Cheers

Good video. I will share a few things from my perspective. 1. We will appreciate the long minute hand if we understand the principle. You will notice that the normal Seiko divers has smaller and shorter minute hand. So is the Rolex and many others. You need a very good mechanism to carry a long minute and second hands. This is especially true for manual winding watches. Below is my comment on reviews of the GS SBGW series.; "For all seasoned collectors, a classic high end THREE CENTRE HANDS Manual WIND, with long minute hand, and an even longer second hand, is the most desirable. One from Patek would cost you a Benz or a BMW. So, kudos to Grand Seiko, again, for continuing with the SBGW (the latest being the 231), series, giving watch lovers an opportunity to enjoy what the connoisseurs called the Best of watches, at an affordable price, with finishing even Patek would not want to compete. Wonder when Rolex would come out with one and make themselves credible? In this world of marketing, unless you know this basic principle, you would be so intoxicated that there would be no chance for you to wake up to this simple truth. And, if you don't understand why, then, it's better to buy a quartz or an electronic watch with complications that the mechanical watches can never have." As for Ceramic bezel, the Marine master has it. In Astron, the whole watch is ceramic. The 1000 dollar Seiko Transocean also has ceramic. So, this bezel makes a lot of sense as far as functionality goes. The same is true of the clasps. If we go into vintage Seiko, we can see that they always come with something different, but, very practical. It look strange in the beginning, but after using for some time, you are likely to like it. It's like the Dragon chronograph with the extra big pushers. When you wear it, you see that they do not touch your hand. These are stuff that iconic watches are made of. There are some excitement every time you look at them. They are playful and they are fun. That's the main reason i like Seiko.

Lovely watch and great video. Just one little correction the Spring Drive movement doesn't have a beat the second hand has a glide motion that is totally smooth without any ticks. 28,800 bph (4Hz) is standard for most watches including Rolex. 👍

One of the best watch reviews I’ve seen. Like you I have Rolexes and a Grand Seiko. I too am in the market for a Rolex Submariner, but I refuse to pay 2K over list. The Rolex is a good watch and will indeed hold its value, but I don’t flip watches so this isn’t a big deal to me. I have a GS GMT, which technically, is superior to Rolex for several reasons. The spring drive movement is arguably the biggest innovation in decades. Nevertheless, this review is rekindling my interest in a GS diver. I too have a 6.75” wrist and agree that the Seiko Diver is the limit. I tried a Ti GS diver on a couple of years ago and was amazed how comfortable is was. My GS GMT is very comfortable and a pleasure to wear. Thanks again for the superb review!

Very good assessment of the whole Rolex deal. It's such a turn-off now, I have two grand SEIKO and love them

Loved this video.

Thorough review.

brilliant review

Spring drives don’t beat like regular automatics. Great review. Love mine!

Quite literally just went to an AD to try this on today. The 44mm wears like a 41mm, and the spring drive movement is amazing, as is the finishing of the case and bracelet. The only thing holding me back was the backplay in the bezel and the enormous hour hand. If these two things were fixed, I'd buy this over a Submariner any day of the week.

Seiko actually talked about the choice of bassel, they think that as ceramic is relative brittle and need some kind of guard(a rim may be?) that would increase the dimension. They also want the watch to be a bit "dressy" that is having a bassel that have a shape which can better slide into a cuff, thus they choosed not to use ceramic

Great review. I'd love one but I just can't get over the clasp.

Great video

Very nice review. I’m on a waiting list for a Sea Dweller 43mm but I think I should consider this GS. I would be inclined to replace that hand set. Seiko could have done better IMO.

I ignored this watch before because I thought 44mm was too big . MY wrist is 6.3'' and I just got the SBDC061 its 44mm and 50.5mm lug to lug and fits perfect. If the Grand Seiko fits similar to the SBDC061 I will have to add it to my wish list. I went thru the Rolex phase as well and my whole collection was Rolex but now have gone back to Seikos and german watches. I had a GS auto and a quartz and liked them both but moved them on when I got into Rolex. Actually the SBGR053 was one of my favorites out of the 100+ watches I've had since I started collecting. Next grand Seikos fro me to try are this Spring Drive diver and a Spring Drive GMT

Wow. I just finished your video with you measuring the two watches. Incredible. You sir are truly a man with more money than sense...

Vacheron - 20,000 pieces per year. Grand Seiko - 35,000 pieces per year. Patek - 50,000 pieces per year. Rolex - 700,000 pieces per year.

Great review i'm a bit of a Seiko fan myself i have quite a few in my collection ( lower priced one's & mid range ) i have a Seiko Prospex forest green SLA019 that has the same sort of clasp it was a bit annoying at first when i would open the clasp & it would pop out but i've got the knack now where i open it & it stays in practice makes perfect as they say. I must admit i would like to get my mitts on a GS snowflake Spring Drive SBGA211 or a GS mechanical Hi-Beat SBGH201G one day to see how it would compare to my Prospex SLA019 but i think that might be a good while away yet ?

It's amazing even at GS level there some aspects of the watch to let it down surly by now Seiko must know this if we notice it.I can except it at the lower end Seiko's but not at this level I think Seiko need to be more intune with what there customer's want and exspect.

Never seen a smoother sweep

Fantastic review. I have bought one and it is Far far superior to my planet Ocean 8500. My only extra want would have been for a clear case back like the PO.

Great video and fabulous watch however IMHO Seiko needs to utilize a ceramic bezel on a watch of this caliber as well as putting their pieces on a diet and bringing the dimensions down. Kind regards.

About the bezel... It was painted finish because in professional use, they've found that ceramic bezels, when damaged would fall off in chips. The painted finish was so that the damage would be as scratches but still remain usable as the numbers and calibration markings would still be there. Another way it could have been done for toughness would be to have the graphics engraved on stainless steel. The advantage of painted bezel graphics was that it could be replaced as it's not really part of the bezel body itself. And the length of the seconds hand goes directly over the seconds markers. You can actually stare at the tip and see exactly when it overlaps the markers. Because it goes over, you can see it even if you're not viewing it perfectly perpendicular to the watch face.

Ok watch gurus please answer me this which is better a Grand Seiko with spring drive or a Seiko lx prospex which also has the spring drive movement?

What is your accuracy for both Spring Drives?

I think both of the deepsea and gs diver are too big for you. However, it is all down to personal preference.

Screws can cross thread very easily in titanium. Seiko claims that this is the reason for the pins.

the newly upgraded Seiko Marine Master( #SBDX023) got the ceramic bezel, maybe they'll come with the ceramic bezel soon

did you end up keeping the GS?

Seiko bezels are the Achilles heel of the watch

25:57 "That's how the diameter works" Lol, no, it's not how it works.

Hi Mate great review on the GS. I'm wondering where you'd recommend buying one here in the UK? Such as websites to look at I'm struggling in finding many places stocking them cheers

Ceramic bezels is not a matter of price. A ceramic bezel cost 40$ You can even scratch saphire so if you saw grand seikos scratched is kinda normal.

The bezel is not a painted one. The material is a diamond-like coating or DLC.

Seiko sweet spot on divers is $500-1000 I have an SBDC053 and love it . If I were to go $3500 -$5000 I would not go Seiko I would go Omega Seamaster hands down.

this guy is incredible - don't buy into others opinions, without your own, first. the team at GS did a great job. the ceramic bezel is not, because of the desire for something tougher - perhaps. if a bezel is pure ceramic, then it is fragile. ceramic is in fashion lately. i mean, first came ceramic brake pads. then ceramic frying pans. now, ceramic bezels. plz. the stamped metal parts ensure the watch stays on the wrist, during a deep-sea dive, and any unforeseen knocks. purely functional. a dress watch can be made for comfort, and slipped off easily. stamped metal parts, hopefully, without rough edges is very acceptable - an engineering standard, if there were one. if it is a legit dive watch, it should be designed as such. true enough, 200m may not be deep enough for some divers...like you want to go to 300m - i bet that watch goes below 200m - and your air supply would be very limited.

Pins vs screws - if titanium, it has pins because titanium is softer and the screws are at higher risk of stripping

There is no "tick speed" for this watch. The hand sweeps due to an electromagnet

Hi, Grand Seiko SBGA229 VS Tudor black bay, Which one is more wearable for small wrist?

I just don't like the HUGE hour and minute hands with the disproportionately small hour markers. I wish GS made something like the Seiko TransOcean with a spring drive movement.

It is BIG for your hands while you wear it :) just my opinion.

And here I was wishing my $500 monster didn't have a stamped clasp! For what they are charging it should be a lot closer to perfect and FYI I have the same size wrist and I think it is really pushing it size wise. It looks better than the deep sea for sure, I think you would be better off with a regular Sub if Rolex actually wanted to sell their watches and you didn't have to go around begging for one like an idiot.

Is this Watch like a Rolex Submariner ( Im New in the Watch Game ) 😅 i wanna buy this one as my first watch

Do you still have this?

You could try sla019, mm300. It has a zirconia ceramic bezel, with zaratsu polishing.

The Rolex looks way better on your wrist. The GS looks massive on you. Maybe it's the camera angle!?

I dont buy the polishing a bit. Once you achieve full mirror like levels there is no big difference IMO. Same has been said about japanese nepros tools vs snap on tools. Its rubbish having done side by side. Clasp and non ceramic is laziness on part of manufacturer. Like the fact they still use “hardlex” glass on the lower end when they should have upgraded those divers to sapphire by now. My recent Turtle re issue purchase being my gripe. Ill stick w the DSSD and take my chances on a ceramic or screw “failure”. I agree on the hands overlapping as not a good thing. It was immediately apparent once you mentioned it about harder to distinguish the hour hand. The spring drive is innovative and power indicator is nice. I like the low end seiko lume and assuming the GS is at least as good. As to the whole “need” you dont need a phone either arguably. Food, water and shelter is about all you actually need.

Should have bought the Oris '65 if the bezel bugs you into a three minute speech about the GS not having a more expensive damageable component. But again, like the GS, it too has a seconds hand that is too easy read underwater. What a time to be alive.

The thickness of the clasp is ridiculous

Check out New Grand Seikos coming out August 2020

Lord, this steel diver already weighs 200g. Where else do they need a cast bracelet lock .....

thing that bothers me most - would be the wrong position of power reserve - Something wrong in Japan - they should check how german cars are made - ie - tank full/tank empty. how its possible - that arrow goes UP - when its empty? :O

I am curious how much you got it for... :)

Whenever I hear people avoid saying specifically how much they paid it always makes me think they are afraid they over payed or didn’t get a good deal. It would really help those who are in the market to know a realistic buying price and not the MSRP

How would you compare this with the Rolex submariner?

That clasp is terrible! for the price it's gotta be some sort of glidelock type clasp surely, and I've seen the bezel peels in time which is a bit of a shame because it's a Beauty watch

Although smaller than the Rolex, I think it's still too big for your wrist... beautiful watches though.

Don’t know what you got yours for, but these do have discounts from good ADs, especially when you are a repeat customer.

Wtf,. Just say the price you bought it at.

the only problem I have got with this watch, its size. I have a slender wrist, same as yours 6.75" and to me it looks way too big on your wrist.

The spring drive is extremely dificult to achieve and hard to manufacture. The saratsu polishing is also a lot more work than what rolex does. the high intensity titanium is also dificult to work and you seriously think the price is barely good for it? give me a break.

thanks for your review way to long about the bezel

I love my Grand Seiko and I would not spend the money on a used Rolex.

No one does watch functionality better than Rolex.. they are built to last, so if they are prepared to add a ceramic bezel so should Seiko.

It's important to understand that Seiko are making functionality decisions with the bezel and clasp. They can do more stylish solutions, as you've seen, but they're building a high quality watch for real divers.

why are those watch people so obsessed with diving? I have never been diving in my life

It’s difficult to take your review seriously when you blow it severely when you mention the “beat” of this watch. It has no beat. It is 100% smooth. You should know that.

To the un knowing thief it looks like a Rolex .Just learn how to look after yourself wear what you like and look everyone int he eye .

Is it just me or are the hands huge?

That clasp does not in any way look like a normal clasp. It looks like two clasps stuck together and looks massive. I do not like it.

The power reserve ? just looks out of place

Why every brand doesn't come up with its own design instead of copying each other ??

You obviously like watches. Just as obvious, you do not understand watches. To you they are simply jewelry and a status symbol. While all luxury watches fulfill that niche, and they can be simply reviewed on that basis, a Spring Drive is all about Horology and absolute accurate design. Industrial design. Function over fashion. No other watch compares. You have done enough research to know that the GS Spring Drive is somehow a special watch but you do not understand why it is an INCREDIBLY special watch. To compare this watch to any Rolex illustrates a huge misunderstanding of the Spring Drive. You touch on the B.S. Rolex marketing briefly. The delay between purchasing and delivery. The fact they want to play games with the warranty card, etc. This issue should be thoroughly discussed. Nothing about a Rolex (or Omega, et al) is about time keeping. It's all about jewelry and marketing. The top Swiss brands are marketing companies, not watch companies. Their designs have not changed in decades. It blows my mind how many "watch" people simply do not understand the Spring Drive, but they like to get on the internet and talk about them. Some people actually buy them, own them, and still do not understand them. You definitely fall into this latter category. Spring Drive - There simply is no comparison. .

Wrong , snowflake uses pins not screws

I just assumed it was ceramic and was saving up for one. No longer.

This shows how far you have to go to be "different" (which translates into "quirky") in a segment that is absolutely owned by the Rolex Submariner. GS is certainly great and all but in reality this watch doesn't hold a candle to the Sub.

Not single mention about the bezel action. The Rolex is unquestionably the best in the world. Period. Too much money for the GS at AD prices. Defo a better considered purchase second hand.

You dont like it?????.Sell it to me.

Too big. What Japanese man has a wrist big enough for these??? I too have a disdain for Rolex... but for a dive watch, I would much rather have a brand new Omega Seamaster with the ceramic dial and waves or an Omega Planet Ocean (39.5mm)... or even a Sinn U1.

No thanks.

Argument for using AL vs ceramic is BS. It is just cost cutting and nothing more. Same with pins. Even $100 chinese knockoffs have that so no excuse. Same for clasps. If you think they're doing it for the safety of divers well you are just misinformed at best. Not to mention misalignmet issues (Not sure in GS and don't think so but happens in 2k plus Marine masters). For the money thay charge on those higher end watches everything should be perfect or close to it.

Not a ceramic bezel. Boy, what are you complaining about? Sell it and go buy your next Rollie

Seiko always copy the design of Rolex and Omega. This model is a combination of Submariner and Planet Ocean. Looks at the hands...Not worth for the price.