What time is it? Watches and horology

Regal

Expecting a lot of mods with this dial to come. It really is excellent and would love a version sans foreskin

I think the handset will also find its way into many mods.

No surprises from me this week.

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With it being Thursday rather than slightly awkward dress-down Friday, today's watch is a bit dressier than normal.

Apple Watch AND man thigh... have a nice Thursday.

@soul absolute beauty, I’ve tried that exact Snowflake on twice and come very close, future classic.

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Cheers.

I was super close to getting the Golden Snowflake (also has the nickname Yellow Snow...!) but it's a bit 'millennial'. Did look nice in the flesh though...

Yeah I tried that too (to match wedding band) but it’s pretty bling, the blue handed version is the one.
The SBGA285G is great too, love the sharp indices and matt dial...

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Yeah the OG is better IMHO. Funny that the snow texture is less pronounced on the gold one, not sure why they did that.

Have we all seen the new light blue textured SD model?

https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-en/collections/sbga407g

SBGA285G

Yeah, i like the size (39mm) but prefer the dial of the snowflake and the titanium bracelet.
Grey dial snowflake would be an insta buy though...!

I tried on the last one of these in the UK in Watches of Switzerland. Came on a stainless steel metal bracelet though. Super feminine and didn't like the colour at all. Not for me...

It was reserved but they offered it to me if i bought it on the day.

Yeah, you can never tell what a GS is going to be like IRL from their product shots, I was wondering how that blue would translate.

I really like the simplicity and size of the SBGA285G. More my sort of thing.

This is a more accurate representation of how it looked though it looks shinier in real like still...

I hope it means they're open to other darker colours like grey...

Ah no, that's a different watch. That's the 44GS style case with the "kirazuri"(??) dial. That one up there's in the "Elegance" collection, hence leather strap etc.

They actually did a Monster with a dial a bit like that recently.

Because why not…

Ah - fair enough.

Either way, the blue snowflake is a no from me. I think blue dials, in general, are a bit shit...

What I did try on in WoS last week was this though:

WANT...!

£28k though so...

Somewhere Ejay is biting his tongue...........

Thought you were going to start selling GS soon?

Would rather buy my next one through a connection if possible...

Gizza discount chief

Okay, a few Easter beers (that’s a thing rite) have loosened my fingers enough to type this: I do not fathom the love for Grand Seiko. Some strike me nicer than others, but I generally glaze over. Maybe I need to handle some IRL. Hope I didn’t offend anyone.

I love them but I totally agree with your point of view. Part of the reason I love them is because they're a bit odd and divisive.

The one thing they genuinely do better than anyone is the dial furniture. Everything else is up for debate. Spring drive is unique but for a lot of people using a quartz crystal to regulate the escapement basically makes it a quartz watch.

Also their bracelets compare poorly with Swiss brands, especially similarly priced Rolexes.

But they have some really great designs if it’s the sort of thing that connects with you, quite a different philosophy. A lot of space, if that makes any sense.

Definitely check out the dial and hand finishing IRL.

I'm down with the nay sayers.

28k for soming I would expect in an M&S Christmas Cracker.

(Says he wid an alpha etc)

#JustSayin

Well, yeah. That sort of stuff is them pushing it a bit, because right now they are testing how far they can push it. Traditionally their sweet spot is having vastly better exterior finishing (bracelet excluded) than any Swiss steel watch in the region of £5k. Credor is their brand that traditionally operates at the very high end, not GS.

Grand Seiko is clearly not to everyone’s taste but objectively they are very well made and finished in that £4k-£6k price bracket. It’s when they start getting that bit too ambitious with the pricing & limited editions that it can begin to look a bit questionable.

I actually think I prefer this. (Genuine Crimbo Cracker) 😎

PS. Haven't figured out the day/date yet.

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Bought this when my first student loan landed about 21 years ago.. still going strong although I’m fairly sure it used to be blue.

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Had a nightmare trying to screw the crown back in, was sure I stripped it but then magically I got it in. Anyone care to explain how to do it? Instructions are pretty rubbish.

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With screw down crowns a tip is to turn it anti-clockwise while pushing it in (gently). You’ll feel it jump down when it reaches the end of the thread. Then you can screw it in cleanly.