Two years ago, Grand Seiko celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 9S movement, by releasing the Grand Seiko SBGR311. At the time, some thought it was just a recolour of the limited-edition blue dial SBGH267, but with different specs inside and out, the Grand Seiko SBGR311 has proved that it is so much more.
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The Grand Seiko SBGR311, also known as SBGR311G, boasts a new movement as well as an attractive Sapphire crystal backplate. This limited-edition timepiece has clearly had hours upon hours of love and care poured into it by the master watchmakers at Seiko.
The Grand Seiko series started in the 1960s as a campaign to put Japanese watches on par with the giants of the industry, the Swiss. Ever since then, Seiko has been innovating this line of watches, paying incredible attention to detail during the manufacturing process. They have yet to reach the popularity of Rolex, but are still an incredibly successful company, putting out stylish, functional, and masterfully crafted watches like the Grand Seiko SBGR311.
Watchmaking has become far more international as time has gone on, so how have Seiko managed to stay relevant when competing against the whole world? It seems to be the reliability of the brand.
Whether you are looking at their high-end luxury goods like the Grand Seiko, or their more affordable watches right down to the £300, or lower, price range, you will still be receiving a quality product.
The Dial
The dial is the key feature for this model. It’s an interesting shade of brown, that some might find boring, but Seiko has done their best to spice things up. They describe it as “reminiscent of the local traditional blacksmiths working iron with flames.” That fantastic description had me sold, though I have always enjoyed tan colours.
The Spiral radial pattern is intriguing, but it can seem a little gaudy at first. In the right light, the design shines bronze, highlighting a complex vortex of symbols that is amazing once you get your eye in.
The pattern on the dial is made up of 80 spiralling lines. The G and the S obviously stand for Grand Seiko, matching up with the signature at the top of the watch face. The other symbol is a second S but in a different font. It is the symbol of Daini Seikosha, currently known as Seiko Instruments Inc, the manufactures in Morioka. You might recognise this S from other Seiko watches, regularly appearing below the signature.
The Hands
The hands showcase Seiko’s reputation for craftsmanship. The three sets of hands reportedly look great even under a microscope. The hour markers are also sculpted to levels of detail beyond the human eye.
This is an awe-inspiring achievement of precision and craftsmanship by the manufacturers, yet it is lost on many customers. The reason that watchmakers such as Omega or Breguet do not manufacture to this level of detail is that not everyone owns a microscope. You are paying for something that you will probably never seen. It is a fine work of expert artistry, but sadly one that is imperceivable to most people.
The Case
The stainless-steel case of the Grand Seiko SBGR311 is 42mm in diameter, making it one of the largest Grand Seiko out there. Despite this, It is comfortably light and fits snuggly on the wrist, not appearing to cumbersome or flashy, thanks to its narrowed lugs.
Grand Seiko regularly designs sleek and stylish cases, and the Grand Seiko SBGR311 is no exception. Its main body is beautifully curved with reflective surfaces and no harsh edges. The crown has GS etched into it, making sure that you know that detail has gone into each and every component. It isn’t too stiff either, being easy to grasp and manipulate when changing the time.
The Bracelet
The bracelet is an area where many watches often fall short. I am a hard man to please when it comes to bracelets, especially metallic ones. The SBGR311’s bracelet is fine, leaving little to be improved upon.
The double buttons on the clasp are satisfying to push, and the etching of GS on the clasp makes it stand out from the crowd.
The 9268 Automatic Movement
The whole reason for releasing this watch was of course to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 9S movement. Inside the Grand Seiko SBGR311, you will find the 9S68 movement.
It is larger than the previous 9S65. Unfortunately, this increase in size does not mean an increase in power reserve as the SBGR311 still only has 72 hours. This is a fine amount of battery life for a modern Grand Seiko, it’s just frustrating that that movement is now more cumbersome.
The 9S68 movement ticks at 28,800vph with 35 jewels. Fans of Seiko will know that they do not go in for chronometer certification as they believe that the ranking system doesn’t go far enough. Seiko holds themselves to a higher standard, still hoping to overtake the Swiss brands as they set out to do sixty years ago. It has a daily average deviation between -5 and +3 seconds.
The main plate is dappled with masterfully crafted perlage. The rotor and bridges have been finished with stripes, as well as engraved with a gold-filled Grand Seiko logo.
The Grand Seiko SBGR311 back has a sapphire crystal that allows you to see the movement working away. As part of the 20th-anniversary celebration for the 9S Movement, Grand Seiko added their golden Lion logo to the crystal, with the words “Calibre 9S 20th Anniversary since 1998” along with the unique number of that particular watch. As this was a limited-edition piece, only 1300 were made.
The Grand Seiko SBGR311 is also water-resistant to 10bar, or 100 metres. It’s not really a dive watch, and I wouldn’t advise anyone to go for a swim whilst wearing one, but you have the option if you like to live dangerously. If you do decide to test the watches’ water resistance then I recommend taking it in to be serviced a bit more regularly, you never know how badly water, especially saltwater, can affect a timepiece.
What’s Unique?
The main attraction to the Grand Seiko SBGR311, other than its looks, is its scarcity. Being limited edition, it’s quite the collector’s item but functionality wise it brings nothing new to the table.
Visually the SBGR311 is stunning. That vortex of symbols on the face really catches the eye and the “blacksmiths working iron with flames” colour is very appealing. The golden etching on the crystal on the back is a little much, but the individual numbers do make your watch totally unique.
Functionality
Grand Seiko make good watches, they always have. All their releases, just like this one, look stylish, run smoothly and are made with immense attention to detail.
The 9S68 movement works great, but so do Grand Seiko’s previous movements. The Grand Seiko SBGR311 is an excellent timepiece for someone who values reliability and the work that goes into a Grand Seiko.
Price
With prices of around £4900, the Grand Seiko SBGR311 is a bit tricky to get a hold of but far from the most expensive Grand Seiko out there. What you are paying for here is the level of skill and the hours of hard work required to make something of this quality.
This model being a collector’s item as well means that it is likely to increase in value. The Grand Seiko SBGR311 is not revolutionary, but the limited availability of it, and the unique number on the back of each watch adds a certain uniqueness.
Grand Seiko advises getting your watch serviced every 3 to 4 years. Luckily one of the Grand Seiko Service centres is in the UK but watches often have to be shipped back to Japan. If you live outside of the UK, or in a remote area it might be easier to visit a Seiko boutique and have them advise you on where to send your watch. Any competent watchmaker should be able to perform maintenance work on a Grand Seiko, but none are likely to have original replacement parts.
Conclusion
The limited-edition Grand Seiko SBGR311 is a fine watch that is only worth buying if you are dazzled by its dial. That Blacksmith brown and whirlpool of GS and S, is impressive to be sure, as is the technical precision, but there are cheaper Seiko models and ones with more impressive components if you’re willing to spend more. The great thing about Seiko is that they have a wide range of watches and if this one isn’t perfect for you, then you have a massive selection of other options to choose from
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