Quentin R. Bufogle has always been a Swiss watch snob. Yeah, I know Grand Seiko turns out some truly excellent timepieces. But for all of Grand Seiko’s lofty achievements, impeccable engineering, and craftsmanship, for this watch enthusiast, the brand has always lacked something in spirit. Until he discovered the Kumakawa Worldtimer GMT Limited Edition.
To celebrate its enduring legacy, Grand Seiko has re-created the original Grand Seiko model from December of 1960, and it is all the right kinds of vintage Japanese minimalist design that any self-respecting WIS would appreciate. The Grand Seiko 1960 Re-Creations are the essence of Grand Seiko.
The Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon is a full manifestation of the precision excellence one finds at Grand Seiko. It is also a tacit indication that there should be no doubt in any aficionado’s mind whether Grand Seiko belongs in the top tier of haute horology.
After a week on the wrist, Chris Malburg had some issues with Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Reference SBGA407. Even so, he pulled the trigger. Here Chris explains how he fixed those issues and why this watch just might deserve a place in your collection too.
The first association for many on hearing the word “Seiko” is likely to be affordable quartz watches or automatic divers. However, Seiko offers much more, particularly in terms of luxury timepieces. Grand Seiko, which became its own brand under the Seiko Group in 2017, produces some of the most competitive luxury watches on the market, rivaling the best Swiss brands at prices that are still (somewhat) attainable.
When starting out on a watch journey, one of the first questions to consider is the choice between quartz and automatic watches, with the perception that mechanical watches are “better” and more expensive, while quartz watches are entry-level and lower quality. While this may hold some truth, luxury brands also produce high-end quartz pieces that are equally impressive from a technological standpoint.
A few brands and watches stand high above the rest. They are known to almost everyone and have become icons. Watches of this stature are not cheap, however, there are alternatives out there that are as compelling in their own right for a fraction of the price.
The “good ol’ days” aren’t over yet – at least in the world of mechanical watches, where the appreciation of traditions and the creation of lasting values are as essential as the balance wheel and the escapement. Here, Sabine Zwettler takes a look at five of her favorite modern retro-styled watches from Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Breitling, and Seiko.
In case you need a reason for watch shopping – a watch certainly would help navigate through stores to find everything on time. Here are five wallet-friendly suggestions that might just be the ultimate “tra la la la.”
Professional watchmakers have specialist machinery for testing the water resistance of their watches, but Colin Alexander Smith does not. So after servicing his Seiko SKX013 he was on the lookout for an opportunity to take it down deep. And he found the perfect opportunity while summer holiday diving at Aiguablava cove on Spain’s Costa Brava. But it didn’t go quite to plan and his Seiko came out of the experience a tad better than he did.