(Grand) Seiko Watches: The Best And Worst Of Japan's Leading Watchmaker

Grand Seiko launched in 1960 as an early attempt by Japanese watchmaking to answer the challenge of Swiss watch brands. Today, Grand Seiko is the best known Japanese luxury watch brand and distributes to all major markets. Alongside Switzerland's Rolex, Omega, and Breitling, Grand Seiko stands as one of the finest mainstream luxury watchmakers in the $5,000-$15,000 price range. Today's show examines the strengths and weaknesses of the Grand Seiko watch brand. Grand Seiko's strengths as a watchmaker are many. The company's dial quality is a standout that warrants comparison to Rolex. Both brands represent the highest level of materials, detailing, and design imagination luxury watch brands that produce dials in-house. From Grand Seiko's SBGA211 "Snowflake" to the SLGH005 "White Birch" to the new SLGH017 "Night Birch," there's no lack of quality in the lineup of Seiko's senior brand. Other dials have channeled the spirit of Japan's cherry blossoms, Genbi Valley, and Lake Suwa. Hands, hour indices, logos, date apertures, and more dial features are immaculately hand finished and set into place on Grand Seiko watches. While Rolex dials are clinically perfect, they lack the charm and cultural grounding of Grand Seiko's watch faces. Grand Seiko movements are technical tours de force. The Spring Drive system remains one of the marvels of modern watchmaking with its combination of mechanical and quartz mechanisms that retain the best features of both. The new Grand Seiko 9RA2 sp