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Grand Seiko makes many GMTs. At present rely, there are not any fewer than 40 watches that characteristic a GMT complication throughout the Magnificence, Heritage, and Sport collections with choices in Spring Drive, Hello-Beat, and 9F quartz actions. The difficulty, in fact, has been that the sporty GMTs with Spring Drive or Hello-Beat actions have solely been obtainable in a hefty 44mm-wide case. That’s, till just lately.
The requires a smaller GMT reached a gentle din over the previous few years, and in 2020, Grand Seiko delivered a brand new assortment of 40.5mm-wide Spring Drive GMT watches with a brand new ceramic bezel, 200M of water resistance, and a brand new bracelet with a micro-adjust. That is the Grand Seiko GMT that so many people have been ready for and it’s additionally one of the well-finished and hardest journey watches on the market at its worth level, and above. As of now there are 4 variations of the 40.5mm Spring Drive GMT: the SBGE253 with black dial and black bezel; the SBGE255 seen right here with blue dial and blue bezel; the SBGE257 with inexperienced dial and inexperienced bezel; and the LE SBGE263 ‘Eagle’ dial for the U.S. market. These even have a brand new fastened ceramic bezel, not like the bigger 44.2mm Spring Drive GMT which has the sapphire crystal insert over the rotating bezel.
A True GMT
Naturally, the SBGE255 and its stablemates are “true” GMTs which have an independently adjustable hour hand for native time. The primary place of the crown lets you set the hour hand, and the second place adjusts each native time and GMT fingers. This makes it so there isn’t any quick-set date operate, however the impartial hour hand simply lets you transfer each ahead and backward when setting the date. Whereas it’s actually doable that the minds on the model are already engaged on it, Grand Seiko has not launched a two-color ceramic bezel the likes of which you’ll see on Rolex and Omega GMT watches. As a result of this, the rehaut (chapter ring) has the day/evening colours in silver and blue with odd numbers from the 24-hour scale that complement the even hours on the bezel.
As with every fixed-bezel GMT, these new Grand Seikos permit monitoring of two time zones and never three. Some will discover this to be unacceptable, and that’s affordable if you happen to want that performance, however I believe two time zones is greater than enough for a overwhelming majority of individuals. And once more, simply because Grand Seiko didn’t have a rotating ceramic GMT bezel model at launch doesn’t imply we gained’t get one sooner or later.
A Scaled-Down 40.5mm Case
Measuring 40.5mm-wide with a 48mm lug-to-lug peak (the top hyperlinks prolong a bit and measure 51mm) and 14.7mm-thick with 200M water resistance, the SBGE255 and its stablemates have been a very long time coming for thus many who discovered the 44.2mm case to be prohibitively massive. It’s not the thinnest GMT on the market, but it surely’s removed from the thickest. For comparability: The Rolex GMT Grasp II measures 40mm-wide/48mm L2L and 12.4mm-thick; the Tudor Black Bay GMT is 41mm vast/50mm L2L and 14.8mm thick; the Panerai Luminor GMT PAM1535 is 42mm-wide/52mm L2L and 13.5mm-thick; and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M is 43.5mm-wide/50mm L2L and 17mm-thick (albeit with critical water resistance). If you wish to go even additional, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT Worldtimer is available in at 43mm-wide/50mm L2L and nearly 15mm-thick.
Briefly, aside from the Rolex GMT-Grasp II and the Explorer II, we’re seeing the Grand Seiko principally into common case thickness amongst competing GMT watches.
Zaratsu (And A Small Gripe)
This new case has the hand-finishing you’d count on from Grand Seiko with alternating brushed and Zaratsu-polished surfaces, in addition to some good chamfering alongside the perimeters. The hand-finishing applies to the dial, as nicely, with the diamond-polished fingers and indices, the latter of which has a few of the best facetings I’ve seen each at this worth level, and above. These faceted indices glimmer after they replicate mild and, past aesthetics, it additionally actually enhances legibility in low mild. Talking of legibility, it’s superb total when you think about the sapphire crystal has a single layer of AR coating, versus double. Slightly glare is unavoidable, however even the photographs I took underneath direct mild are legible.
In case you’re like me and don’t fall sufferer to the “dial symmetry entice,” then the date window at 4 o’clock and energy reserve indicator between 8 and 9 o’clock are inoffensive, at worst. The subject of the Spring Drive energy reserve indicator has been litigated for years now, and I don’t assume something about these new GMTs will change any minds to swing in a special route. You prefer it (or a minimum of tolerate it), otherwise you don’t.
I do have a small gripe with the execution of the facility reserve indicator. The white, grey, and black sections of the dimensions don’t actually match up with the painted indices, and the consequence simply lacks a few of the refinement I’ve come to count on. Although it’s probably not perceptible with out a loupe, it stands out as a result of the remainder of the dial components are so nicely executed. Grand Seiko units the bar excessive with its dials, and I hope this comparatively minor and simply fastened flaw is addressed.
When it comes to end and high quality, the case is nearly as good because it will get. The brand new 40.5mm metal case dimension wears very comfortably and is fairly balanced on the wrist. Sure, on paper it’s on the thick facet at 14.7mm, however the sprucing and beveling on the case, together with the slope of the ceramic bezel, goes a great distance in detracting from the heft. Whereas not a direct competitor so far as worth goes, it’s really just a little slimmer than one thing just like the Tudor Black Bay GMT (and has simply as a lot water resistance). As for case and dial ending, I’m open to listening to recommendations which can be comparable not simply at this mid-four-figure worth level however within the low five-figures. You simply gained’t discover this stage of case ending from Rolex or Omega, not to mention something hand-finished.
And sure, the top hyperlinks match completely comfortable, and I don’t see any noticeable hole between them and the lugs.
Micro-Alter Your Expectations
These new Spring Drive GMTs come geared up with a brand new and refined bracelet with micro-adjust clasp that Grand Seiko followers have lengthy referred to as for. The three-link bracelet is completed in brushed metal with refined polished beveling alongside the perimeters of the outer hyperlinks (that echoes the chamfering on the facet of the case), in addition to polished flanks on the middle hyperlink. Very properly completed and cozy to put on, Grand Seiko has upped its bracelet sport right here. Whereas I wouldn’t say the bracelet is on the identical stage because the case or dial, it’s a important enchancment and doesn’t stand out as incommensurately completed (which you’ll argue the earlier ones have been).
Grand Seiko confirmed to me that this new bracelet may also be obtainable to order individually through the model’s service heart.
Spring Drive GMT
Beneath the enclosed case again is the Caliber 9R66 Spring Drive motion, which has been Grand Seiko’s go-to Spring Drive GMT because it was launched again in 2006. In case you’re not acquainted with Spring Drive, I extremely advocate this text explaining it, however briefly, it’s largely a mechanical motion that replaces the escapement with what Seiko calls a “tri-synchro” quartz regulator. It doesn’t use a battery and is powered by a mainspring, like each mechanical motion. It isn’t a quartz motion or a hybrid meca-quartz — it’s a Spring Drive. I’ve heard buffoonery about Spring Drive being extra quartz than mechanical, however we don’t must entertain that any additional.
The sweep of the seconds hand on a Spring Drive watch is the smoothest you’ll see, and it’s at all times mesmerizing, particularly when positioned subsequent to a watch that operates at one thing like 18,000 bph and appears virtually sputtering as compared. The Caliber 9R66 has a 72-hour energy reserve and is correct to +-15 seconds/month in comparison with the Rolex GMT Grasp II, which is +-2 seconds/day. Personally, I believe everybody ought to have a Spring Drive watch of their assortment and one thing as versatile as these 40.5mm Spring Drive GMTs may ostensibly be each informal, on a regular basis sports activities watches and journey watches in a single.
The Competitors
So far as competitors goes, I’d say the Rolex Explorer II ($8,550) might be a greater match than the GMT-Grasp II ($9,500) however good luck getting these at retail worth. The bottom worth for the just-outgoing Explorer II 216570 that I see on the pre-owned market is about $10,000 they usually go as much as $13-14k from there — and good luck discovering a GMT-Grasp II for lower than $14,000. Even the now-discontinued GMT-Grasp II 116710LN with all-black bezel goes for at least $12,500 from my searching Chrono 24. If you will discover a brand new Explorer II 226570 for retail. On the cheaper facet, the Tudor Black Bay GMT is $3,725 on strap and $4,050 on bracelet, however I wouldn’t put the standard at close to the extent of the Grand Seiko.
The Panerai Luminor PAM1535 ($8,200) and Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT with black and white bezel ($7,900) are first rate decisions as nicely, however each are about $2,000 greater than the Grand Seiko. I suppose Bremont has some good choices that begin round $5,500 however they use ETA actions and should not “true GMTs,” as they don’t have an impartial hour hand.
Last Ideas
The brand new Spring Drive GMT in a 40.5mm case excels in ending high quality, has a really good ceramic bezel, 200M of water resistance, is a real GMT with impartial hour hand, and has a model new bracelet that, whereas removed from excellent, is a critical improve and has a micro-adjust clasp. There are downsides in fact because it solely tracks two time zones as a result of fastened bezel, and maybe the case remains to be on the thicker facet for some individuals’s tastes (although I’d completely advocate making an attempt it on earlier than dismissing).
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT SBGE255 in blue, SBGE253 in black, and SBGE257 in inexperienced are all priced at $6,200. You’ll be able to study extra at grand-seiko.com.
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