Every year, the Baselworld watch show is Christmas in March for horology heads. This year, of course, Basel—and every other major watch fair—was canceled. In fact, the pandemic forced almost every major brand to delay introducing new designs planned years before. (Even top-tier luxury houses know how to read the room.) Each brand had to adapt to the current state of affairs, foregoing the usual new-watch bonanza to instead roll out smaller-than-usual collections. Some amazing pieces came to market from all over the world, for sure, but it was definitely an off year. That is, for every brand but Grand Seiko.
Though 2020 will go down as one of the least auspicious years of our lives, it marks the 60th anniversary of Grand Seiko. And thankfully, the Tokyo-based manufacturer decided to move forward with their plans to celebrate. There was no gala or celebrity-studded campaign—just a wave of new releases that flexed Grand Seiko’s mastery of basically every category of watchmaking.
In the lineup, there are travel watches, diving watches, and chronographs. There are quartz, spring drive, and mechanical options. There are sporty ones, dressy ones, and sporty-and-dressy ones. There’s something that will satisfy any budget, with prices running from $2,600 all the way up to $185,000, for a diamond- and sapphire-encrusted novelty). But to me, the majority of the firepower in the lineup is in the sub-$10,000 range.
For my money, the SLGH003 is the best sub-$10,000 watch of 2020 / $9,700
The SLGH002 is the same model, rendered in 18k yellow gold / $43,000
In fact, I would call the Grand Seiko SLGH003 the best watch of 2020 in that bracket. It’s got an incredibly innovative movement with a new dual impulse escapement, which GS spent 9 years developing. And its “Superman” color scheme is nothing short of fantastic. Grand Seiko employs the color blue better than any other watchmaker, and this piece captures why: the GS blue is deeper and richer than any other, like they’ve captured the pure essence of the ocean.
On the higher end of the spectrum, the SLGH002 is limited to 100 pieces worldwide. It’s the exact same design as its steel brother, but is housed in 18k yellow gold and fitted on a crocodile strap with a three-fold clasp. Be warned—it had a Midas-like mesmerizing effect on me, and when I tried it on it I could barely bring myself to take it off.
Most watchmakers tease out different versions of watch designs over many years. They’ll introduce a model in yellow gold, then follow it with a white or rose gold version over the next few years. Four years later, you might get a platinum version. What’s exceptional about Grand Seiko’s 2020 lineup is they’re not only offering the same design in multiple metals, but they’re doing almost all of them in steel, too. The SBGW57, 8, and 9 are all the same perfectly elegant dress watch done in platinum, gold, and steel. Think about how fun it would be if more watchmakers let you choose designs from a range of pricepoints. Maybe then not everyone would wear the same three steel sports watches.
One thing I love about Grand Seiko is how so many of their watches are inspired by Japan's natural beauty. The SBGA427's green accents are a nod to Kyoto's Arashiyama bamboo forest / $5,000
Grand Seiko’s appeal isn’t just in its value, or its craftsmanship, or its design, but in a balance between all three. The SBGA427, with its spring drive movement, rare three-piece link bracelet design, and insanely cool green second hand is the perfect example. It’s only $5,000, and I would never get tired of looking at it. (I’m wearing mine as I write this.)
On the sporty end of the spectrum, GS is doing things I’ve never seen before, like creating a luminous bezel for the SBGJ237 dive watch. It’s crazy: it literally fills the room with green light when it’s lit up. At 44mm, it’s a big watch, but with the look of a ’50s vintage GMT it wears really nicely on the wrist.
The SBGP015 has a brand new quartz movement and blue ceramic bezel / $3,800
The new quartz caliber in the SBGP015 and SBGP007, here, allows the wearer to adjust the hour hand while the second hand keeps ticking / $3,900
There are also some really fantastic quartz watches that would convert even the most die-hard mechanical watch fiend—which is fitting, given Seiko pioneered quartz watch technology in the late 1960s. The $3,900 SBGP007, which sports a brand new quartz movement, is fitted with a gorgeous, limited-edition dial to mark the anniversary. I love that it sits alongside watches like the $97,000 SBGW263, another limited edition piece—which, with its hand-engraved hour markets and hands, proves that a watch label can do highly technical artisanal work alongside workaday quartz pieces.
I was lucky enough to try nearly every new Grand Seiko watch introduced this year a few weeks ago. 2021 is sure to bring more greatness, but don’t hesitate to pick up one of these beauties while you still can. You can see the rest of the Grand Seiko’s I loved this year below.
The SBGD205, with a diamond and sapphire-set dial, is the heavyweight of the bunch. (Literally—the case clocks in at 43mm.) Only 10 were made / $185,000
The SBGM239 is a limited edition watch made exclusively for Hodinkee. 500 pieces are available only in the US / $5,400
The SBGW259 is the steel version of Grand Seiko's killer dress watch trio / $8,000
The SBGW258 is its yellow gold counterpart / $26,000
The SBGJ237, Grand Seiko's flagship GMT watch, has a sapphire bezel with luminous material underneath / $6,800
Limited to 700 pieces worldwide, the SLGA001, Grand Seiko's most heavy-duty dive watch, is an absolute beast on the wrist. (The case is 46.9mm wide and 16mm thick) / $11,100
The SBGW264, limited to 120 pieces, has one of the most beautiful dials I've ever seen. The rose gold case and green dial is a rare and brilliant combination / $24,000
The SBGE257 is also available in blue, black, and a brown version that can be pre-ordered through Grand Seiko's new “GS9 Club” / $6,200
The SBGW262's black dial is made out of Urishi lacquer, a traditional artisanal process that achieves an intensely deep black tone / $30,000
The SBGW263, limited to 20 pieces, is finished by Grand Seiko master engraver Kiyoshi Terui, who emulates drops of water hitting rocks on the dial and hands / $97,000
The SBGW260, an homage to the first GS watch made in 1960, is available in an edition of 350 starting in January / $28,900
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16 Reasons Why Grand Seiko Won 2020 - GQ
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