Grand Seiko's SBGW283 And SBGW285

April 01, 2022

Although technically separate from Grand Seiko's Watches & Wonders Geneva 2022 releases (which we covered here, here, and here), we've just received word from the Japanese watchmaker about a pair of new additions to the company's Elegance collection. The two new watches feature textured light blue or dark green dials, 37.3mm 11.7mm stainless steel cases, and the manual-wind caliber 9S63 inside. You could consider them to be spiritual, serially produced successors to last year's green-dial US-exclusive limited edition SBGW- releases that sold out in the blink of an eye. Part of Grand Seiko's growing "Seasonal" collection of watches, the new SBGW283 "Kishun" and the SBGW285 "Byo?ka" both recall transitional periods set between spring and summer, and from summer to autumn, respectively. Kishun is a Japanese term that describes the gradual warmth and clear skies that increase as the spring months change over to summer; it's represented on the SBGW283 by a lovely light blue dial color with a soft texture.? The SBGW285, on the other hand, is named after Byo?ka, a period when the late summer months start to shift into autumn. It has a deep, rich green dial that specifically references the conclusion of the summer season in Japan's Iwate Prefecture, a time when the surrounding vegetation is its most mature.? The Grand Seiko SBGW285 Building off the success of last year's limited edition watches, themselves a colorful evolution of the cult classic Grand Seiko SBGW231, the new SBGW283 (blue dial) and SBGW285 (green dial) are non-limited releases with zero geographic exclusivity. Plus, they're available immediately, starting today, for $4,800 each.? What We Think To begin with, I think it's absolutely worth highlighting the fact that Grand Seiko continues to offer watches like the SBGW283/285 for under $5,000. These watches include in-house movements and all the characteristic polishing and decoration you'd find on a Grand Seiko that's double the MSRP of these watches. We shouldn't take that for granted. The The Grand Seiko SBGW283 Second, I think these watches look just great. There's clearly a lot to like here and really not much to quibble over. I'd be genuinely surprised if this pair ended up being anything other than enthusiast catnip.?You can pick from on-trend dial options in green and blue, and they even incorporate details like drilled lugs and no date window. Seriously, what more could you ask for? Grand Seiko has soared in popularity over the last decade. At the same time, the Japanese operation has advanced its watchmaking capabilities and continued to tinker with and smartly evolve its design language. As a result of both of these evolutions, in general name recognition and overall watchmaking ability, the company's average price point has trended upward year after year, to the point where many Grand Seiko watches don't represent the value proposition that the company was once well-known for. Thankfully, Grand Seiko hasn't forgotten its roots C watches like the new SBGW283 and SBGW285 should continue to help endear the brand to value-driven watch collectors.? The Basics Brand: Grand Seiko Reference Number: SBGW283G; SBGW285GDiameter: 37.3mmThickness: 11.7mmCase Material: Stainless steelDial Color: Blue; greenIndexes: Applied baton hour markersLume: N/AWater Resistance: 30 metersStrap/Bracelet: Blue crocodile leather strap, with pin buckle; green crocodile leather strap, with pin buckle The Movement Caliber: 9S64Functions: Hours, minutes, secondsDiameter: 28.4mmPower Reserve: 72 hoursWinding: ManualFrequency: 28,800 vph / 4 HzJewels: 23Chronometer Certified: N/AAdditional Details: Accuracy spec to +5/-3 seconds per day, when static Pricing & Availability Price: $4,800Availability: ImmediatelyLimited Edition: N/A All photos by Tiffany Wade Shop this story The HODINKEE Shop is an Authorized Retailer of Grand Seiko watches; explore our collection?here.?Learn more about Grand Seiko?here.