# Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's



## southcarolina1801 (Dec 10, 2008)

Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's. Mine came in this morning and I was so happy to find the black dial/bezel variant. It's also my first Spring Drive piece and watching the perfectly smooth sweep is mesmerizing!

The 40.5mm diameter is perfect and is not too big or small. I find the thickness to be perfectly acceptable but I certainly would not call it a thin watch (I love chunky G-Shocks so this feels small to me).

Of course the Zaratsu finish is amazing and the ceramic bezel also has a wonderful look to it. I was also happy to finally have a GS buckle with multiple adjustment holes. The bracelet is wonderful and includes multiple half links so it is certain to fit any wrist. Finally, I was also surprised to see this model does have a screw down crown and 200m water resistance, will definitely feel comfortable swimming with this one!


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## Gogglespaesan (Aug 20, 2020)

Super nice


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## Chuckyb (Feb 24, 2020)

southcarolina1801 said:


> Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's. Mine came in this morning and I was so happy to find the black dial/bezel variant. It's also my first Spring Drive piece and watching the perfectly smooth sweep is mesmerizing!
> 
> The 40.5mm diameter is perfect and is not too big or small. I find the thickness to be perfectly acceptable but I certainly would not call it a thin watch (I love chunky G-Shocks so this feels small to me).
> 
> Of course the Zaratsu finish is amazing and the ceramic bezel also has a wonderful look to it. I was also happy to finally have a GS buckle with multiple adjustment holes. The bracelet is wonderful and includes multiple half links so it is certain to fit any wrist. Finally, I was also surprised to see this model does have a screw down crown and 200m water resistance, will definitely feel comfortable swimming with this one!


Congrats. It's a beauty.


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## Incident (Jan 27, 2014)

Beauty! Enjoy it!


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## brgracer (May 20, 2020)

Very nice! I've been thinking about getting the green version. How is the weight and date position in your opinion?


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## Ginseng108 (May 10, 2017)

Looks great, congratulations!
The date position is...inoffensive in my view as only the 12, 3, 6, and 9 indices have lume, so you're not losing anything by having it squarely in the 4 position.
Would you mind posting a "down the wrist" shot from the elbow and fist side so we can see how it sits on the wrist?


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## ridnovir (Feb 20, 2015)

this one is impressive


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## av8ffej (Aug 10, 2014)

That is absolutely beautiful!!!


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## kennethwashere (Apr 11, 2015)

Very beautiful piece. Congrats on the purchase!


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## Hamilton923 (Jan 16, 2014)

Gogglespaesan said:


> Super nice





southcarolina1801 said:


> Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's. Mine came in this morning and I was so happy to find the black dial/bezel variant. It's also my first Spring Drive piece and watching the perfectly smooth sweep is mesmerizing!
> 
> The 40.5mm diameter is perfect and is not too big or small. I find the thickness to be perfectly acceptable but I certainly would not call it a thin watch (I love chunky G-Shocks so this feels small to me).
> 
> Of course the Zaratsu finish is amazing and the ceramic bezel also has a wonderful look to it. I was also happy to finally have a GS buckle with multiple adjustment holes. The bracelet is wonderful and includes multiple half links so it is certain to fit any wrist. Finally, I was also surprised to see this model does have a screw down crown and 200m water resistance, will definitely feel comfortable swimming with this one!


Congratulations!!! Love those GS iterations!!


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## Gravyboat6969 (Nov 14, 2019)

I tried on the black one at my AD. I love them (and am a huge GS fan boy). Really trying to get a sub date out of the other AD in town. If that doesn't end up happening within a reasonable timeframe, the SBGE255 is probably the next watch for me. Really just wish it had on the go clasp adjustment. Any micro adjust at all is still a step in the right direction though. Plus wish the bezel rotated. Not that I'd use it for timezone monitoring, just want to be able to fidget with it.


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## johnMcKlane (May 14, 2017)

That is absolutely beautiful!!!


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## Imagestreet (Apr 19, 2020)

That watch is gorgeous in black, really cool. Contemplating selling my SBGJ203 to pick one of these up instead, as it would definitely get more wrist time. Enjoy it in good health!


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## JesseBertone (Dec 24, 2019)

The contrast is awesome. Very nice piece. Good luck with it!


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## peterbright (Oct 9, 2019)

Another GS beauty. Congratulations! I have it on my wish list.


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## HaiovR (May 1, 2020)

Very cool)


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## Seddyspaghetti (Jun 22, 2020)

Yeah these are a win


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## BostonWatcher (Jun 28, 2012)

Congratulations, that's a beauty! 

I have no idea where I have been as I just discovered this 40.5 mm series today - and I've been watching video reviews and reading about them - and I'm blown away!

My only decision is going to be black or blue, but I am leaning black as that bezel and the contrast of the watch is winning me over. 

I've been looking at the Explorer II, but I think this just completely knocked it out of contention.


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

That is amazing and i love the date position great symmetry


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## LCrow (Jul 14, 2020)

Looks superb. Congratulations


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## x2046 (Jul 21, 2020)

I'm a big GS fan but i really think they should improve the bracelets.


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## Vicbittet (Oct 15, 2019)

Honestly, I thought there was some black coating on the watch. 

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk


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## dan360 (Jun 3, 2012)

How is the bracelet?


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## sticky (Apr 5, 2013)

Looks simply great. Enjoy wearing it.


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## Icelatte (Aug 24, 2016)

Awesome! You have me thinking about the green one.


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

southcarolina1801 said:


> Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's. Mine came in this morning and I was so happy to find the black dial/bezel variant. It's also my first Spring Drive piece and watching the perfectly smooth sweep is mesmerizing!
> 
> The 40.5mm diameter is perfect and is not too big or small. I find the thickness to be perfectly acceptable but I certainly would not call it a thin watch (I love chunky G-Shocks so this feels small to me).
> 
> Of course the Zaratsu finish is amazing and the ceramic bezel also has a wonderful look to it. I was also happy to finally have a GS buckle with multiple adjustment holes. The bracelet is wonderful and includes multiple half links so it is certain to fit any wrist. Finally, I was also surprised to see this model does have a screw down crown and 200m water resistance, will definitely feel comfortable swimming with this one!


Altho' it's a nice looking watch, wouldn't it have been better for GS to have put a 12-hour bezel? if 12-hour bezel then the user could have tracked a 3rd time zone. you already have a 24 hr dial along the chapter ring for your 2nd time zone & they have done a good job with silver at the bottom half & black on the top half - why do you need a 24 hr bezel? why didn't GS put a 12-hr bezel or no bezel?
someone correct me if i am wrong.....

[Edit] I have confirmed my suspicions - that 24-hr bezel is totally useless because of the 24 hr markings on the chapter ring.
I cannot believe that GS made this rookie mistake! For a company that is supposed to understand analog watches, this mistake is unacceptable.
And, they charged you how many thousands of dollars for this watch? OMG, this is totally unacceptable & asinine! 
I think by paying thousands of $ the user shows his/her ignorance & supports GS making this mistake. Why aren't we better watch consumers? How is it that GS can get away with everything?
I'm sorry to be harsh but it's really obvious - you can put a useless 24-hr bezel as a decoration on a cheap Seiko $300 watch but one cannot put this sort of decoration bezel on a thousands of dollars GS....


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## aalin13 (Apr 2, 2010)

bombaywalla said:


> Altho' it's a nice looking watch, wouldn't it have been better for GS to have put a 12-hour bezel? if 12-hour bezel then the user could have tracked a 3rd time zone. you already have a 24 hr dial along the chapter ring for your 2nd time zone & they have done a good job with silver at the bottom half & black on the top half - why do you need a 24 hr bezel? why didn't GS put a 12-hr bezel or no bezel?
> someone correct me if i am wrong.....
> 
> [Edit] I have confirmed my suspicions - that 24-hr bezel is totally useless because of the 24 hr markings on the chapter ring.
> ...


How would you use a 12 hours bezel with a GMT hand that goes around the dial once every 24 hours?

I think the real mistake here is not making the external bezel a rotating bezel. They got it right on the SBGE201, a rotating 24 hours bezel and a 24 hours chapter ring, so the GMT hand can track 2 additional time zones.


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

aalin13 said:


> How would you use a 12 hours bezel with a GMT hand that goes around the dial once every 24 hours?
> 
> I think the real mistake here is not making the external bezel a rotating bezel. They got it right on the SBGE201, a rotating 24 hours bezel and a 24 hours chapter ring, so the GMT hand can track 2 additional time zones.


The minute & hour hand give you 1 time. The GMT hand + the 24-hr markings on the chapter ring & the minute hand give you the 2nd time zone.
A 12-hour bezel & the hour hand of the 1st time zone give you the 3rd time zone.
On a GMT watch with a 24-hr hand & chapter ring you do not provide a 24-hr bezel.

Make the 24-hr bezel rotational on a GMT watch that has a 24-hr chapter ring - that would have been even more foolish letting the world know you really do not understand bezels & analog watches. It's a good thing that 24-hr bezel is not rotational - would have put their foot in their mouth. it's already half way in.....

Maybe I am missing something here - please explain to me how a 24 hr bezel can be used to track a time zone on a watch where the hour hand sweeps the clock face 2 times per day? I am always looking to be educated. Thanks.


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## aalin13 (Apr 2, 2010)

bombaywalla said:


> The minute & hour hand give you 1 time. The GMT hand + the 24-hr markings on the chapter ring & the minute hand give you the 2nd time zone.
> A 12-hour bezel & the hour hand of the 1st time zone give you the 3rd time zone.
> On a GMT watch with a 24-hr hand & chapter ring you do not provide a 24-hr bezel.
> 
> ...


In your example, if you are tracking the third time zone with a 12 hour bezel and the local hour hand, how would you know whether the indicated time is AM or PM in the third time zone?

With a 24 hours rotating bezel and a 24 hours chapter ring, you can track three time zones easily. The local time is indicated by the local hour hand, the second time zone is indicated by the GMT hand and the 24 hours chapter ring, then by rotating the bezel to the correct offset, you can read a third time with the GMT hand and the 24 hours bezel.

For example, GMT hand is tracking London time (GMT +1 now) with 24 hours chapter ring, if I rotate the 24 hours bezel to have the number 9 at the 12 o'clock position, I'll be tracking the time in Melbourne (my home time, GMT +10 now) by reading the time indicated by the GMT hand against the 24 hours bezel. This works, because the offset between London time and Melbourne time currently is 9 hours, so turning the bezel by 9 hours in the clockwise direction works.

My preferred use of a GMT watch is with the GMT hand set to UTC time, as that never changes due to daylight saving. Then I can track any time zone I want simply by rotating the bezel. E.g., Melbourne is GMT +10, so I rotate the bezel clockwise by 10 hours increments (10 displayed at 12 o'clock), or I can track Los Angeles time (currently GMT -7) by rotating the bezel anti-clockwise by 7 hours increment (17 displayed at 12 o'clock).


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

aalin13 said:


> In your example, if you are tracking the third time zone with a 12 hour bezel and the local hour hand, how would you know whether the indicated time is AM or PM in the third time zone?
> 
> With a 24 hours rotating bezel and a 24 hours chapter ring, you can track three time zones easily. The local time is indicated by the local hour hand, the second time zone is indicated by the GMT hand and the 24 hours chapter ring, then by rotating the bezel to the correct offset, you can read a third time with the GMT hand and the 24 hours bezel.
> 
> ...


For the 12-hr bezel you would have to do the calc in your mind about AM/PM - the bezel does not tell you.
yes, you are correct re. the 24 hr rotating bezel. 
(I went back & re-read your post #27 & I see you mentioned the 24 hr rotating bezel there - I missed that)


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## Ginseng108 (May 10, 2017)

bombaywalla said:


> For the 12-hr bezel you would have to do the calc in your mind about AM/PM


That's exactly what is avoided using a direct-read scale like a 24-hr bezel or reheat. When you're jet lagged, the last thing you want to have to do is mental calculations.
While it's possible to use any scale for any purpose, the goal in 24/24/12 is to have clear, direct read time sense.


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

Ginseng108 said:


> That's exactly what is avoided using a direct-read scale like a 24-hr bezel or reheat. When you're jet lagged, the last thing you want to have to do is mental calculations.
> While it's possible to use any scale for any purpose, the goal in 24/24/12 is to have clear, direct read time sense.


Agree.
Thus, the 24-hr bezel should be bidirectional in this watch & not stationary/decorative for this price point.


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## Ginseng108 (May 10, 2017)

bombaywalla said:


> Agree.
> Thus, the 24-hr bezel should be bidirectional in this watch & not stationary/decorative for this price point.


That is my feeling as well. Especially given the substantial thickness of this watch. As it is, the inner scale is redundant. Or the outer one is. But one for sure because of the non-rotation. 
I mean, it's the exact same thickness as my SNR033 and that watch has a bidirectional 24-hr scale on the sapphire-covered bezel. And being 44.8mm in diameter, the 033 looks more proportional rather than tall. 
I'm still hoping to see some down/up wrist shots to see how it stands up on the wrist.


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## wolfhead (May 20, 2018)

bombaywalla said:


> I think by paying thousands of $ the user shows his/her ignorance & supports GS making this mistake. Why aren't we better watch consumers?


Bombaywalla, I know you are very passionate about the hobby. But to judge a person as ignorant because he bought something?

And a rotating 24 hour bezel to track 3rd timezone is a common design, such as GMT Master II, and much more practical than a 12 hour bezel.

I have never seen a GMT watch with 12 hour bezel. Care to provide some examples so that we don't support ignorance?


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## drunken-gmt-master (Mar 29, 2018)

aalin13 said:


> How would you use a 12 hours bezel with a GMT hand that goes around the dial once every 24 hours?
> 
> I think the real mistake here is not making the external bezel a rotating bezel. They got it right on the SBGE201, a rotating 24 hours bezel and a 24 hours chapter ring, so the GMT hand can track 2 additional time zones.


Agreed that a rotating bezel would be more useful, but I think GS wanted to distinguish these new models from the larger SBGE201, like Rolex does w/the Explorer II v. GMT-Master. Perhaps they'll eventually introduce a slimmed-down SBGE201.


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

wolfhead said:


> Bombaywalla, I know you are very passionate about the hobby. But to judge a person as ignorant because he bought something?
> 
> And a rotating 24 hour bezel to track 3rd timezone is a common design, such as GMT Master II, and much more practical than a 12 hour bezel.
> 
> I have never seen a GMT watch with 12 hour bezel. Care to provide some examples so that we don't support ignorance?


Well, I have not either. It is very unusual - most GMT watches are 2 time zone. GS had the opportunity to make a unique & very useful piece by making a rotating 24-hr bezel & setting themselves apart from the Western brands. 
A 12-hr bezel would have worked with the main hour hand but one would need to use one's mind to calc AM/PM.
Alternatively, the rotating 24-hr bezel would also work. 
but having a stationary 24-hr bezel at this price point does not seem like the right thing to do.


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## IBJanky (Feb 22, 2010)

southcarolina1801 said:


> Grand Seiko has absolutely killed it with these new GMT's. Mine came in this morning and I was so happy to find the black dial/bezel variant. It's also my first Spring Drive piece and watching the perfectly smooth sweep is mesmerizing!
> 
> The 40.5mm diameter is perfect and is not too big or small. I find the thickness to be perfectly acceptable but I certainly would not call it a thin watch (I love chunky G-Shocks so this feels small to me).
> 
> Of course the Zaratsu finish is amazing and the ceramic bezel also has a wonderful look to it. I was also happy to finally have a GS buckle with multiple adjustment holes. The bracelet is wonderful and includes multiple half links so it is certain to fit any wrist. Finally, I was also surprised to see this model does have a screw down crown and 200m water resistance, will definitely feel comfortable swimming with this one!


That's a beautiful piece! Wear it in the best of health!


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

wolfhead said:


> Bombaywalla, I know you are very passionate about the hobby. But to judge a person as ignorant because he bought something?
> 
> And a rotating 24 hour bezel to track 3rd timezone is a common design, such as GMT Master II, and much more practical than a 12 hour bezel.
> 
> I have never seen a GMT watch with 12 hour bezel. Care to provide some examples so that we don't support ignorance?


hi wolfhead,
we agree that a GMT watch with 24-hr chapter ring & 12-hr bezel is an uncommon watch but i did find some examples as follows:


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## wolfhead (May 20, 2018)

bombaywalla said:


> hi wolfhead,
> we agree that a GMT watch with 24-hr chapter ring & 12-hr bezel is an uncommon watch but i did find some examples as follows:
> 
> View attachment 15422594
> ...


I wonder how does the 24 hr track work with single hour hand on the first 2 watches 🤔


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## smalleq (Jul 15, 2014)

bombaywalla said:


> hi wolfhead,
> we agree that a GMT watch with 24-hr chapter ring & 12-hr bezel is an uncommon watch but i did find some examples as follows:
> 
> View attachment 15422594
> ...


Only the last one does what you think it does. The first two just show you the equivalent of the 24 hr time for the normal 12 hr scale.


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## bombaywalla (Oct 8, 2011)

wolfhead said:


> I wonder how does the 24 hr track work with single hour hand on the first 2 watches 🤔





smalleq said:


> Only the last one does what you think it does. The first two just show you the equivalent of the 24 hr time for the normal 12 hr scale.


I agree with both of you - the 1st 2 watches do not have a GMT hand (it's as smalleq wrote). But I wanted to share anyway....


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## Juglans44 (Jul 13, 2019)

Do you know the MSRP on this beauty?


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

Juglans44 said:


> Do you know the MSRP on this beauty?


$6,200.


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## Z'ha'dum (Sep 16, 2008)

Very nice


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## EighthFret (Aug 19, 2016)

i adore these for so many reasons, but their size has kept me from pulling the trigger. i've always been a fan of smaller pieces, and these are just too big for my scrawny wrist


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## Contaygious (May 9, 2014)

You know I wasn't sure in stock pics. Once again real photos of a GS reveal the grand reality!


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## infinitejester (Mar 22, 2016)

Congrats, beautiful GS!


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## Dan GSR (Jun 28, 2011)

EighthFret said:


> i adore these for so many reasons, but their size has kept me from pulling the trigger. i've always been a fan of smaller pieces, and these are just too big for my scrawny wrist


40mm is too big?


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## Mbappe (May 13, 2020)

Dan GSR said:


> 40mm is too big?


Some people will never be satisfied.


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## Dan GSR (Jun 28, 2011)

people just make excuses, if they made it 38mm those same people would not put their money where their mouth is
this collection is a home run. GS will have trouble keeping these in stock


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

I tried these at my local AD yesterday. They are stunning and the size is spot on. I was initally concerned about the thickness, but they actually didnt feel thick on the wrist. I thought I would prefer the black dial, but in person the green dial became my new favorite. I tried on a bunch of other Grand Seiko models, e. g. Sbgh279, sbgk007, sbgh281, sbgj237, sbga375 etc. But I kept coming back to the new GMTs.


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## TheStuntDummy (Jul 21, 2019)

This is a beautiful pick up, congrats! I have wondered why GS has more simple handsets, but on this one that GMT hand pops and gives the watch a different personality against the black dial. Its really great.


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

I tried the new spring drive GMTs (SBGE253 and SBGE257) yesterday at my local GS AD. I initially thought I liked the black one after seeing pictures and videos of it. But the green dial is mesmerizing and it connected with me immediately. The thickness did not bother me at all. My heart says GS and my mind says Rolex OP41 (if I can get it, a big IF).


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## Mbappe (May 13, 2020)

wrxdev said:


> I tried the new spring drive GMTs (SBGE253 and SBGE257) yesterday at my local GS AD. I initially thought I liked the black one after seeing pictures and videos of it. But the green dial is mesmerizing and it connected with me immediately. The thickness did not bother me at all. My heart says GS and my mind says Rolex OP41 (if I can get it, a big IF).


The GS is the much better watch. Almost in every aspect. The only thing better about the Rolex is the thickness.


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## Dan GSR (Jun 28, 2011)

wrxdev said:


> My heart says GS and my mind says Rolex OP41 (if I can get it, a big IF).


depends if you are buying to keep, or to flip out of in the future


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## TheRedBaron (Dec 2, 2019)

wrxdev said:


> I tried the new spring drive GMTs (SBGE253 and SBGE257) yesterday at my local GS AD. I initially thought I liked the black one after seeing pictures and videos of it. But the green dial is mesmerizing and it connected with me immediately. The thickness did not bother me at all. My heart says GS and my mind says Rolex OP41 (if I can get it, a big IF).


Is the gree dial a darker forest green or a lighter green? The stock photos make it look pretty light, but all of the real photos make it look much darker. I haven't been able to get in to see it for myself, probably better because I'd end up buying it.


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## Dan GSR (Jun 28, 2011)

the green is a chameleon 
the color changes with the light


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

TheRedBaron said:


> Is the gree dial a darker forest green or a lighter green? The stock photos make it look pretty light, but all of the real photos make it look much darker. I haven't been able to get in to see it for myself, probably better because I'd end up buying it.


It's a darker forest green I'd say. Based on press photos I thought it looked a bit too green/glaring, but in real life it is actually a bit more subtile and muted, depending on the light. The black dial is beautiful as well for sure (very sporty) , but the green felt more unique whilst still being versatile. I'm sure the blue dial will probably end up being the most popular colour though.


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## mleok (Feb 16, 2010)

drunken-gmt-master said:


> Agreed that a rotating bezel would be more useful, but I think GS wanted to distinguish these new models from the larger SBGE201, like Rolex does w/the Explorer II v. GMT-Master. Perhaps they'll eventually introduce a slimmed-down SBGE201.


It's fine to have a fixed bezel, but then the 24 hour markings on the chapter ring are redundant.


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

TheRedBaron said:


> Is the gree dial a darker forest green or a lighter green? The stock photos make it look pretty light, but all of the real photos make it look much darker. I haven't been able to get in to see it for myself, probably better because I'd end up buying it.


It is definitely a darker shade of green, forest green. It plays really well with the light.


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

Dan GSR said:


> depends if you are buying to keep, or to flip out of in the future


I always buy to keep. Hence I take a real long time to make the purchase decision.


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## Dan GSR (Jun 28, 2011)

buy what moves you, don't buy hype or what has "value"


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

Dan GSR said:


> buy what moves you, don't buy hype or what has "value"


Agreed. 50% moves me + 40% reasonable value + 10% hype. Value to me means able to secure the watch with a reasonable discount.


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## infinitejester (Mar 22, 2016)

Dan GSR said:


> buy what moves you, don't buy hype or what has "value"


This, always.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## drunken-gmt-master (Mar 29, 2018)

mleok said:


> It's fine to have a fixed bezel, but then the 24 hour markings on the chapter ring are redundant.


True, though the markings on the chapter ring are the odd hours v. the even hours on the bezel.


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## mleok (Feb 16, 2010)

drunken-gmt-master said:


> True, though the markings on the chapter ring are the odd hours v. the even hours on the bezel.


Does Grand Seiko think their customers have difficulty figuring out what's between 2 and 4?


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## which watch next (Feb 13, 2014)

I have a dive watch but don't dive. I suspect most people have a watch that is a personal preference and not a tool watch. If you like it buy it and ignore all the put down comments here. The new GS GMT watches are very nice and I suspect that GS new exactly what they were doing when they designed them.


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## drunken-gmt-master (Mar 29, 2018)

mleok said:


> Does Grand Seiko think their customers have difficulty figuring out what's between 2 and 4?


Perhaps , though I would guess it was an aesthetic choice, along w/the dark v. light parts of the chapter ring.


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## mleok (Feb 16, 2010)

drunken-gmt-master said:


> Perhaps , though I would guess it was an aesthetic choice, along w/the dark v. light parts of the chapter ring.


Yes, fair enough, it seemed like an excuse to have the dual colors in the chapter ring.


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## alex_oz (Mar 2, 2020)

That black PVD and a black bezel leaves me think it looks a lot more rolex-ish , than the original GS design. But, maybe IRL this model will look and feel better.


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

I tried on the green, blue and black the other day and was absolutely smitten. Suprisingly they didn't feel overly thick on the wrist. However I can't quite decide which color to go for. I was initally most drawn to the black one, but in the store the green seemed like the more attractive option. But I am concerned that the green might not be versatile enough. In some pictures the green one looks very subdued (to my liking), but in others it looks too bright for my taste. Any opinions? Black or Green?


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## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

GS is barking so loud it's hard to ignore.

I'm making a space in collection for a GS purchase next year, so I'm glad to see this GMT, as I'm not normally a fan.

Great pickup!


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

Kakemonster said:


> I tried on the green, blue and black the other day and was absolutely smitten. Suprisingly they didn't feel overly thick on the wrist. However I can't quite decide which color to go for. I was initally most drawn to the black one, but in the store the green seemed like the more attractive option. But I am concerned that the green might not be versatile enough. In some pictures the green one looks very subdued (to my liking), but in others it looks too bright for my taste. Any opinions? Black or Green?


Green. I am in the same boat as you.


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## CRW161 (Feb 1, 2016)

Kakemonster said:


> I tried on the green, blue and black the other day and was absolutely smitten. Suprisingly they didn't feel overly thick on the wrist. However I can't quite decide which color to go for. I was initally most drawn to the black one, but in the store the green seemed like the more attractive option. But I am concerned that the green might not be versatile enough. In some pictures the green one looks very subdued (to my liking), but in others it looks too bright for my taste. Any opinions? Black or Green?


I am visiting the boutique this week and planning to try the green one (amongst a number of other watches). 
Based on the videos I have seen it looks like green would be my choice in the GMT, followed by the blue.


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## gumpy-au (Apr 25, 2013)

only if it was about 12.5mm thick at most. 

I do love the look of them.


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## Chuckyb (Feb 24, 2020)

Kakemonster said:


> I tried on the green, blue and black the other day and was absolutely smitten. Suprisingly they didn't feel overly thick on the wrist. However I can't quite decide which color to go for. I was initally most drawn to the black one, but in the store the green seemed like the more attractive option. But I am concerned that the green might not be versatile enough. In some pictures the green one looks very subdued (to my liking), but in others it looks too bright for my taste. Any opinions? Black or Green?


You cannot go wrong with the green.

Here's two images of mine which I got on Friday, one indoors and the other outdoors. It absolutely pops in the sun but it is not as bright as, for example, the old Seiko Alpinist's dial,


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## chucky75 (Feb 27, 2020)

Chuckyb said:


> You cannot go wrong with the green.
> 
> Here's two images of mine which I got on Friday, one indoors and the other outdoors. It absolutely pops in the sun but it is not as bright as, for example, the old Seiko Alpinist's dial,
> 
> ...


So this is your 6th GS this year?  nice one. Was told by my AD, green is the most sought after.


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## Chuckyb (Feb 24, 2020)

chucky75 said:


> So this is your 6th GS this year?  nice one. Was told by my AD, green is the most sought after.


Shhh - you shouldn't be counting - and don't tell my wife please


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

Chuckyb said:


> You cannot go wrong with the green.
> 
> Here's two images of mine which I got on Friday, one indoors and the other outdoors. It absolutely pops in the sun but it is not as bright as, for example, the old Seiko Alpinist's dial,
> 
> ...


Looks stunning, both indoor and outdoor lighting , which is not always a given in my experience. The yellow hue chosen for the gmt hand is very nice, not too flashy.

Certaintly more unique than the black model.


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## cigamodnalro (Sep 23, 2020)

Wish the bezel rotated on these 


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

cigamodnalro said:


> Wish the bezel rotated on these
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed. That is the single biggest gripe for me. However, I can definitely live with this.


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## lwustenb (Jun 18, 2018)

Absolutely killed it is an understatement...


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## mg512 (Jun 1, 2020)

Beautiful watch. Bet it looks better in person. how is the thickness with regards to fitting under a sleeve


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## ugo-daniele (May 14, 2018)

the new gmt are what gs needed. sport watches with regular size (40mm). I hope they will continue in that way and give more and more interest in buyer


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## kritameth (Oct 11, 2015)

Can't wait to check them out at the AD next month.


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## cigamodnalro (Sep 23, 2020)

ugo-daniele said:


> the new gmt are what gs needed. sport watches with regular size (40mm). I hope they will continue in that way and give more and more interest in buyer


Agree 100%. And reduced case thickness is the next frontier for GS

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## aramingo_venango (Sep 17, 2017)

I had the opportunity to try on the blue one over the weekend. I love Spring Drive, it has a great dial and bezel, and felt good on my wrist. Very shiny! However, it is way too tall for the kind of watch it is.

I was surprised that it had spring bar-based microadjust in the clasp, just like 5 digit Rolexes. A nice gesture, but it kinda seems like an afterthought.


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## bigbombula (Sep 10, 2010)

I checked out green variant this weekend and is very beautiful in the flesh. The ceramic bezel looks very nice in person. As others have stated, it is bit too thick. If they can get it down to about 13mm that would be perfect. Even though I give GS props for going smaller in diameter, the watch seems a bit out of proportion. The near 15mm thickness (even though generally too thick) looks better on a larger diameter watch due to the proportions.


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

I agree the thickness might be dealbreaker, but when I tried the watches on in person they didnt look nor feel too thick. I think it might be because the case doesn't have the slab type look to it.

It seems like these have started to appear regularly on the pre-owned market now. Could be a coincidence, but it looks like the green is most the prevalent model on the pre-owned market, whilst the black and blue appears more scarce. Curious to hear some thought on why the green model is seemingly flipped the most? Could be that it is simply the most popular model I guess.


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## cadomniel (Nov 20, 2010)

Wow hopefully they will make a spring drive diver in the same size, but this looks nice


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## AngelDeVille (May 13, 2019)

For absolutely no good reason, I want a gmt...


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## POP3Y3 (Feb 15, 2017)

AngelDeVille said:


> For absolutely no good reason, I want a gmt...


You're bound to have a reason sooner or later. My GS is not a GMT, but I have one from another brand, and I LOVE IT! It was purchased just prior to a Euro trip last Fall, and fit the bill quite nicely. I've used it stateside, though, when I have traveled to a different time zone, and even if I'm just looking to quickly reference what time it is in another country where I have friends I speak with or whatever. Aside from all the functional and utilitarian reasons, they just look really good, too, ESPECIALLY these GS GMTs! As a born-and-raised West Virginian, the SBGN009 is my top choice.


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## therealcbar (Feb 5, 2018)

So is this _not_ the SBGE201? That piece is 44 mm....can't find the smaller one on the Canadian GS site...

....never mind - quick Google search showed me what these are.....


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## feline (Mar 22, 2020)

That looks amazing!


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## LosAngelesTimer (Aug 24, 2017)

Picked up the blue yesterday, my first GS. I'll try to put together some detailed observations and impressions in a week or two but after 36 hours with the watch, I'm impressed. The colorway is beautiful. At first, I wasn't sure about the dark/light blue but now I really dig it. The second hand is mesmerizing of course. Crown operation is positive, with well executed HMI. Dial and indices are some of the best I've seen on a sports watch. Finishing is precise as you'd expect from the brand. I have no issue with the fixed bezel or inner/outer 24-hour scales. Most importantly, I love looking at the watch. The aesthetics appeal to me.

The watch is thick but Seiko employs flared polished case flanks to mask some of this height. It's not an issue for me and I just moved watches out of my collection because they were _too_ thick.

As for negatives, GS were stingy with the lume, limiting it to the hour, minute and GMT hands and the cardinal points on the dial. This is a bummer but by no means a deal breaker for me. The bracelet and clasp are good when they should be great. I mean, the bracelet _looks_ great but it's not an especially impressive piece of engineering. It's not fully articulated and the clasp... we all know the deal. For comparison, the bracelet and clasp on my sub-$2k Monta Atlas absolutely crush the GS in execution if not bling factor.

Curious to see how these initial feelings change over the coming weeks and months.

Overall, I'd say I did very well. This one will get lots of wrist time.


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## VextoR (Jan 3, 2011)

I couldn't decided which one to get - green or blue. It took me an hour. But in the end - decided to go with the blue. They are both so beautiful and unique in own way


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## gmjungbluth (Nov 12, 2020)

VextoR said:


> I couldn't decided which one to get - green or blue. It took me an hour. But in the end - decided to go with the blue. They are both so beautiful and unique in own way
> 
> View attachment 15537084


Wow, those blue dials are amazing! Is it always this prominent, or more of a black when it's not catching the light?


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## LosAngelesTimer (Aug 24, 2017)

gmjungbluth said:


> Wow, those blue dials are amazing! Is it always this prominent, or more of a black when it's not catching the light?


At no point does the dial read as black - it ranges between a silver/blue to almost purplish. It's far from garish but it's most definitely _vivid_.
@VextoR's pic almost looks like the dial was juiced up in photoshop. I have yet to see mine in a situation where it looks so intensely royal blue.


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## BtBaMrocks (Oct 1, 2017)

Just got my green last week. Not as in love with it as i had hoped


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

BtBaMrocks said:


> Just got my green last week. Not as in love with it as i had hoped
> 
> View attachment 15576420


What are your biggest qualms with the watch? I am considering picking up one. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts/experiences.


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## Cheverian (Sep 27, 2017)

Green is such a hit or miss color.

I’d love to see GS try one of these GMTs in a color scheme that draws inspiration from the Polar Explorer but stays true to Grand Seiko.


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## BtBaMrocks (Oct 1, 2017)

Kakemonster said:


> What are your biggest qualms with the watch? I am considering picking up one. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts/experiences.


I was hoping the green would pop a bit more than it does. It is darker than I figured it would be.

Other than that it is a beautiful watch. I'm thoroughly impressed with the craftsmanship and feel of the case and bracelet.


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## BtBaMrocks (Oct 1, 2017)

Kakemonster said:


> What are your biggest qualms with the watch? I am considering picking up one. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts/experiences.


And in no way am I knocking the watch. Its just about as nice as it could be. There is just a lack in my connection to it if that makes sense.


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## Kakemonster (Mar 20, 2019)

BtBaMrocks said:


> I was hoping the green would pop a bit more than it does. It is darker than I figured it would be.
> 
> Other than that it is a beautiful watch. I'm thoroughly impressed with the craftsmanship and feel of the case and bracelet.


Interesting to hear your thoughts. I actually like the fact that it is a darker, more subtle green, though I understand that it might come across as too muted for some.


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## BGBC (Apr 24, 2017)

LosAngelesTimer said:


> Picked up the blue yesterday, my first GS. I'll try to put together some detailed observations and impressions in a week or two but after 36 hours with the watch, I'm impressed. The colorway is beautiful. At first, I wasn't sure about the dark/light blue but now I really dig it. The second hand is mesmerizing of course. Crown operation is positive, with well executed HMI. Dial and indices are some of the best I've seen on a sports watch. Finishing is precise as you'd expect from the brand. I have no issue with the fixed bezel or inner/outer 24-hour scales. Most importantly, I love looking at the watch. The aesthetics appeal to me.
> 
> The watch is thick but Seiko employs flared polished case flanks to mask some of this height. It's not an issue for me and I just moved watches out of my collection because they were _too_ thick.
> 
> ...





VextoR said:


> I couldn't decided which one to get - green or blue. It took me an hour. But in the end - decided to go with the blue. They are both so beautiful and unique in own way
> 
> View attachment 15537084


Curious if either of you have updated thoughts after having these for a couple months


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## JumpJ37 (Nov 11, 2017)

Just picked up the green from my AD yesterday as a Christmas gift to myself for surviving 2020. I was a little worried about the thickness, but as others have said, it's a total nonissue on the wrist. I debated between black (very sleek and versatile) and the green (never had a green watch before). My only hesitation with the green was that it would be less versatile when traveling with a single watch. After trying them both on several times, I decided to go for the green.

Interestingly, as soon as I left, it turned to a subtle shade of black in the natural light. A big difference from the brighter green inside the AD. Over the past day I've noticed it looks black most of the time. Only in bright light or sunlight does the green pop, and it definitely pops! So I'm very pleased with the green. It's got the sleek and versatile look of a black watch much of the time, and you get to enjoy the green dial and bezel when they pop in brighter light.

My first impressions are very positive for this watch. It's very comfortable and the bracelet is great. The microadjust in the clasp is a huge improvement from my other GS bracelets. I actually like the fixed bezel and it'll serve my purposes when traveling. I also don't mind the date and crown position. It adds a little GS touch to the watch, IMO. The only thing that I don't like so much is the limited lume. While I like having more polished surfaces during the day, lume on all the indices would be nice at night. One interesting observation is that the four lumed indices generate enough light for the polished indices to show up slightly in the dark, which is a testament to the amazing finishing of these watches.


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## dwboston (Dec 1, 2020)

JumpJ37 said:


> Just picked up the green from my AD yesterday as a Christmas gift to myself for surviving 2020. I was a little worried about the thickness, but as others have said, it's a total nonissue on the wrist. I debated between black (very sleek and versatile) and the green (never had a green watch before). My only hesitation with the green was that it would be less versatile when traveling with a single watch. After trying them both on several times, I decided to go for the green.
> 
> Interestingly, as soon as I left, it turned to a subtle shade of black in the natural light. A big difference from the brighter green inside the AD. Over the past day I've noticed it looks black most of the time. Only in bright light or sunlight does the green pop, and it definitely pops! So I'm very pleased with the green. It's got the sleek and versatile look of a black watch much of the time, and you get to enjoy the green dial and bezel when they pop in brighter light.
> 
> My first impressions are very positive for this watch. It's very comfortable and the bracelet is great. The microadjust in the clasp is a huge improvement from my other GS bracelets. I actually like the fixed bezel and it'll serve my purposes when traveling. I also don't mind the date and crown position. It adds a little GS touch to the watch, IMO. The only thing that I don't like so much is the limited lume. While I like having more polished surfaces during the day, lume on all the indices would be nice at night. One interesting observation is that the four lumed indices generate enough light for the polished indices to show up slightly in the dark, which is a testament to the amazing finishing of these watches.


I agree completely. I picked up the blue version and I'm really impressed with it. Very comfortable watch and bracelet - it definitely wears thinner on the wrist. Agreed on the lume as well - more would have been better but the lume that's there is well-done, and brighter than my Omega watches.


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## ChrisWMT (Dec 4, 2018)

Not mine, yet. Will definitely be a 2021 purchase!


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## Always Forward (Nov 16, 2020)

This may be a silly question but are these readily available at AD’s or is there a wait/back order? They are just stunning watches and I love the 40.5 size. 


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## wrxdev (May 28, 2020)

Always Forward said:


> This may be a silly question but are these readily available at AD's or is there a wait/back order? They are just stunning watches and I love the 40.5 size.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


They are readily available. If not, you can get them fairly quickly.


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## JumpJ37 (Nov 11, 2017)

Always Forward said:


> This may be a silly question but are these readily available at AD's or is there a wait/back order? They are just stunning watches and I love the 40.5 size.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


They are most likely easy to find. If you've run into trouble finding the one you want, let me know. My AD has plenty.


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## busch12 (Jun 29, 2013)

They're available from Seiya though they're closed for the new year until Jan 4-5th I believe. 


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