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Grand Seiko SBGA083

7K views 9 replies 10 participants last post by  fskywalker 
#1 ·
A couple of months ago, I ordered my very first Grand Seiko watch. Amazingly, it was from an Authorised dealer from here in Perth, Western Australia. Having recently been to Japan and seeing these watches in person, I was very tempted to purchase one then and there. The only problem was that it is generally against customs in Japan to get any sort of discount whatsoever when buying a prestigious watch. I did go to some high end watch shops and checked out a few Credor and Grand Seiko watches, and they just would not budge on the RRP. Just to give you some insight, this will be my fourth "luxury" watch I own, the previous of which I all managed to get ~25% off RRP in retail stores. Eventually I do remember stumbling across a couple of watch departments who's prices were a bit lower than RRP, but the prices were still far higher than what I've come to expect.

Months went by and the idea of owning a Grand Seiko lingered. I kept thinking about the beauty of the Spring Drives sweeping seconds hand. I did some research into the nature of Spring Drive and how it differs from your typical Mechanical watch. The information I found basically revealed that the Spring Drive movement consists of many of the main components which produce a typical mechanical watch: A mainspring and gear train. The way in which an ordinary mechanical watch releases its energy is through an escapement mechanism that limits the total number of vibration per hour. These vibrations per hour are a result of the escapement wheel stop-starting at an incredible rate, so as to prevent the mainsprings energy from being released too quickly. The Spring Drive movement replaces the conventional escapement with their so-called "Tri Syncro Regulator" which is basically an electronic braking system. Rather than reaching a typical escapement wheel, the mainsprings energy is transferred to a 'glide wheel' that spins in one direction without ever stopping. The glide wheels speed is controlled by an integrated circuit (IC) which is connected to a crystal oscillator (quartz crystal) - this results in the glide wheel spinning at a consistent rate of 8 times per second. A magnetic rotor is used to generate a small current of electricity to communicate to the integrated circuit - from what I understand, the magnetic rotor spins as a result of energy which is transferred from the mainspring. After having done my research I realised that the Spring Drive movement is almost completely mechanical in nature, apart from the tiny "integrated circuit" used to control the glide wheel. I found the idea very compelling.

Moving on to the watch I decided to get: the SBGA083. So, having decided I wanted a Spring Drive, the next choice was "which one?". The obvious choice was the Snowflake. The retail outlet I went to did not have a Snowflake in stock for me to see but they did have the exact same model with a black dial. I tried it on and it was quite a beautiful watch. I was not a real fan of the black dial as it was too matte for my taste. The size seemed like it was about 39mm in diameter but as I went home that day I realised it was actually 41mm. Typically I don't really go for watches > 40mm in diameter so I searched for other Spring Drives that came in at a smaller size. The SBGA083 came in at 39mm and had the exact same movement used in the Snowflake. The price difference was significant and the dial of this SBGA083 intrigued me. The dial of the SBGA083 is coded "F17" by Seiko and is claimed to be their most elaborate dial to manufacture. The dial really is a beauty and very subtle. In bright light it takes on a champagne finish, while in dim light it simply looks more like an off-white.

As I've mentioned, the case is 39mm. The bezel is much larger than what I'm used to (and flatter) - something which, for me, gives it a different look to my other watches. The polishing on the case and sides of the bracelet is by method of Karatsu blade polishing. From what I understand, this process is not an easy task and results in an extreme mirror finish that significantly reduces any distortions on reflections. The sides of the case are unique in that they taper inwards very slightly. The case is 12.3mm thin making it very comfortable to wear. The crown is a screw down. I remember once reading that if you run the tip of your finger all over the case of any Grand Seiko, you will notice there are no sharp corners at all - I tried this and it's true. My Swiss watches have lugs that are definitely 'sharp'. Please note, I don't mean sharp by common standards - other cases will not cut you or anything of the like! You have to compare them for yourself to understand. Finally, the bracelet is a 3-piece oyster bracelet as opposed to the 5-piece bracelet seen in the Snowflake. I own a Tag Heuer watch which is similarly styled to this watch (i.e. simple, clean design), that has a 5-piece bracelet. I find myself feeling that the polished links that run through the extra pieces result in the watch appearing too formal at times, therefore the 3 piece brushed links was actually something I was looking for. The case back is not see through but it does have a really nice GS logo on it. Once again, all my other Swiss watches have see through case backs and so this was never an issue for me.

All in all, the SBGA083 is a great watch and in my opinion the best bang for your buck that GS Spring Drive has to offer. Sure, its still not a cheap watch coming in at close to $6,000 Australian Dollars, but considering it has the same movement used in watches that cost a couple of thousand dollars more, and a beautiful dial to boot - its well worth the money. I hope you enjoy the photos. Note the photos of the case and that show its unique shape, and also the distortion free reflection of my face on the side of the case in the final photo!!
 

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#7 ·
Thank you for your outstanding review! You have the ability to make me now totally understand the operation of the Spring Drive, which is a remarkable accomplishment indeed, considering my lack of mechanical understanding.

I have, so far, a GS quartz and an automatic. I steered away from the Spring Drive because I really prefer a watch size 39mm or less. Your review has really inspired me, however, to take another close look at these mechanical marvels. I really have to admit seeing the second hand glide around the dial is extremely appealing.

Cheers,
Carl
 
#8 ·
Great review I just stumbled on today having just tried on this watch in the afternoon!
I have always wanted a GS Springdrive with the Snowflake being the top of my list.
But having tried the Snowflake on it is just too big for my small 6.75inch wrist.
Today I tried on the SBGA083 for the first time and its simply a sublime fit!
The dial is also beautiful with lots of character. Now I need to fund raise!
 
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