Deployant
Review: Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA011 “Snowflake”
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA011 has been written about everywhere, so this is not our usual full review, but one seen through the eyes of a collector.
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Snowflake Grand Seiko
The 2010 Spring Drive reference with a dial textured like fresh Shinshu snow.
Dimensions · Guide
Case dimensions: Grand Seiko Snowflake (Spring Drive) Grand Seiko
41 mm × 12.8 mm, lug 21 mm, Cal. 9R65
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Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko Snowflake Review
The Grand Seiko “Snowflake” is not just a watch that helped define Grand Seiko as a luxury brand to be reckoned with in the 21st Century: it is also at the vanguard of an industry-wide movement toward making dials more beautiful, enticing, and unique - not only with the bold use of color, but with textures that play with the concept of 3D space and the interplay of light and shadow. Nearly every Grand Seiko model of note can claim a dial (and often a nickname) with a distinctly eye-catching motif, usually inspired by the breathtaking natural wonders of the company’s native Japan. Other luxury watch brands have noticed and followed suit - from luxury leaders like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, to attainable brands like little-brother Seiko and its main competitor, Citizen. The “Snowflake,” Grand Seiko’s first and still most famous textured dial, is arguably the OG of this trend; here is the story of how it came to be and where it stands today. As success stories for new watch brands go, it’s hard to find a better case study in the past decade than Grand Seiko. The Japanese high-luxury watchmaker has, in its relatively short stint in the international market, elevated itself in the eyes of many collectors to the upper echelon of watchmaking prestige and collectibility, competing for connoisseur attention and dollars with well-established maisons from Switzerland and Germany. This plaudit, of course, comes with a caveat: Grand Seiko is not ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Grand Seiko SBGX355 | Is The Snowflake Magic Still There?
Grand Seiko has released a new 9F-powered version of their famous "Snowflake" model for 2024. How does it stack up against the classic Spring Drive original?
Time+Tide
The new Grand Seiko SBGA497: when “Shunbun” meets “Snowflake”
Grand Seiko celebrates the 20th anniversary of their 9R Spring Drive movement with a new pink take on their flagship "Snowflake" dial.The post The new Grand Seiko SBGA497: when “Shunbun” meets “Snowflake” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGY007 may just be the pared back snowflake you’ve been waiting for
Whenever I discuss Grand Seiko with other collectors many express that they like the heritage Spring Drive models, but if the brand made a few minor layout changes they would absolutely love them. Personally, I have no qualms with the usual date and power reserve complications that are present, but I understand the purists’ sensibilities … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGY007 may just be the pared back snowflake you’ve been waiting for appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Snow. My. God. The Grand Seiko SBGR319 presents a different take on the Snowflake
Editor’s pick: The Grand Seiko SBGR319 limited edition for the Asian market presents a new take on the brand’s world-renowned snow-driven aesthetics. Almost a year ago, Felix did a video review of this incarnation of a winter-themed dial (along with a fetching red horizontally striped variant, the SBGH269) that presented a fresh new layer of snow … ContinuedThe post Snow. My. God. The Grand Seiko SBGR319 presents a different take on the Snowflake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: Grand Seiko’s SBGY002, a hot new hand-wound take on the Snowflake
It’s been an excellent crop of new releases for Grand Seiko, and hiding amidst a healthy assortment of models came this gem - the yellow gold SBGY002. Using a new hand-winding 9R31 Spring Drive movement with a power reserve of 72 hours, the new piece mates a variation of the brand’s iconic Snowflake dial with a … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Grand Seiko’s SBGY002, a hot new hand-wound take on the Snowflake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Golden Snowflake - Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive SBGA259
Grand Seiko’s Snowflake (the more evocative name for the SBGA211 née SBGA011) is undoubtedly one of the most popular watches in their line-up, and understandably so. With its titanium case, seductive Spring Drive movement and one of the best-loved dials in the business, it’s remained unchanged (reference number and dial naming convention) since 2010 (see … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Golden Snowflake – Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive SBGA259 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
This Watch Is INCREDIBLE - Grand Seiko SBGA413 Review - The Snowflake
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Final Moonshine MoonSwatch Of 2023: The 'Cold Moon' 'Snowflake'
Nitpicking nicknames for the final release of the second act of MoonSwatch.
Worn & Wound
Maen Jumps on the Stone Dial Bandwagon with New Versions of Its Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin
Ahead of the launch of the new stone dial editions of Maen’s Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin, I got to test drive the Obsidian Snowflake variation. This was my first time seeing one of the models from the collection in the metal in addition to previewing one of the new dial materials. While stone dials have been used in watchmaking for decades and aren’t an entirely novel trend, I do feel they’ve been a bit overdone. However, I tried to put aside my eye roll for yet another stone dial and appreciate what’s interesting about these particular executions. So, here are my hot takes after going hands on. First off, I have to give the brand credit for the choice of the stones for the collection, which are relatively unique. Instead of the typical trifecta of tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, and malachite, Maen has opted for onyx, golden swan, and obsidian snowflake. While onyx is another mainstay, you can’t go wrong with the classic look of an all-black dial, this time with a stone twist. Moving on, I’ll admit even as the resident woo-woo girl, I was not too familiar with golden swan. Even though I didn’t see this one in person, the photos look gorgeous – the mix of rust and black give the same versatile look as your go-to tortoise shell sunglasses. This variant seems like it would literally go with everything and make a great daily wear. Saving the obsidian snowflake for last, this stone is perhaps the most artful and offbeat of the lot. If you’re a person who loves neutr...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Grand Seiko “Hisen” SBGZ011
Grand Seiko’s excellent dive watches may have stolen the show Watches & Wonders, but the waterfall-inspired Masterpiece Collection “Hisen” SBGZ011 proves the brand hasn’t let its next-generation Spring Drive rollout outshine its fine watchmaking project — the Micro Artist Studio. While best known for the Credor Eichi II, and some of the finest chiming wristwatches yet made, the Micro Artist Studio’s work for Grand Seiko is perhaps even better, and though its resplendent movements can be found in more subtle watches, the “Hisen” is just as decadently decorated outside as it is within. Initial thoughts Last year, Grand Seiko kicked off a streak of hits, launching the compact and precise Spring Drive SLGB003, on a quick-adjust bracelet. This year the brand launched an even deadlier duo of mid-sized Spring Drive divers, and probably has another commercial success on deck for next year. But in the background, the Shinshu Watch Studio, where all Spring Drive watches are made, continues its fine watchmaking efforts with the stunning diamond and Mozambique garnet set “Red Lion” ref. SBGD228, and the “Hisen” SBGZ011 reviewed here. Aesthetically, it is my least favorite of the four engraved-case models the brand has produced in recent memory — my favourites being the SBGZ001 “Snowflake” the astral SBGZ007 — due to the dial being too busy. However, the engraved 44GS case is almost magical, reminding me of the Quartz VFA ref. 3823-7030 and 3820-6000. L...
WatchRider
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39: Did Tudor Just Fix the Chronograph’s Biggest Flaw?
For years, the watch-collecting corners of the internet have echoed with the same tragic lament: “The Tudor Black Bay Chrono is too big! It’s too thick! The sides are too flat!” Honestly, the complaining always cracks me up. I wear the 41mm Black Bay Chrono regularly, and as a woman who supposedly falls into the “needs a smaller watch” demographic, I’ve never once felt like I was lugging around a grandfather clock on my wrist. I think the 41mm wears beautifully. But apparently, enough guys shed tears in the comments sections over those few extra millimeters that Tudor finally decided to pass out the tissues and downsize. Let’s talk about the yellow elephant in the room. Enter the Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 (M79310N-0001). If you’re going to shrink a watch, you might as well make it loud enough that people still notice it. Tudor absolutely nailed the visual impact here. The watch has quickly earned the “Bumblebee” nickname thanks to its vibrant matte yellow dial heavily contrasted by two black snailed sub-counters. Complete with Tudor’s signature lumed Snowflake hands, a domed sapphire crystal, and a black anodized aluminum tachymeter bezel, it walks a perfect line between vintage motorsport heritage and modern swagger. While I will defend the bold, chunky stance of the 41mm all day long, I have to give credit where credit is due, the engineering on the 39mm case is undeniably impressive. Tudor didn’t just shave 2mm off the width; they completely ...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 'Bumblebee' Ref. 79310N
Among the ever-evolving sizes and colors of modern Tudor, we now have the latest (and smallest and most colorful) iteration of the brand's dive-inspired chronograph, the Black Bay Chronograph 39. Dubbed the "Bumblebee" for its bright yellow dial and black accents, it marks the progressive 39-ification of Tudor's core lineup and forms what I think will be a very appealing new offering for the brand. When Tudor returned to the American market in 2012, the brand's core offerings evolved around an initial 41mm footprint. This includes early hits like the Black Bay, the Heritage Chrono, and the Ranger. Then, in 2017, Tudor announced the Black Bay Chronograph 79350, a 41mm steel chronograph with 200 meters of water resistance and snowflake hands. Since then, the Black Bay Chronograph range has been tweaked, improved, and expanded considerably, with additional colors (including the recent pink and flamingo blue). But while we saw the Black Bay eventually offer the 39mm 58 range and the Ranger drop to 39mm (and later to 36mm), the Chronograph range remained steadfast at 41mm. While 41mm is within the range for a conventionally sized modern sports watch, the enthusiast taste has shifted toward the 39mm sweet spot (likely at least in part due to the success of the Black Bay 58 and the Pelagos 39). Additionally, as slightly smaller cases continue to be in vogue, more attention is (and was) being paid to case thickness. The 41mm spec of the Black Bay Chrono wears well, but it's not sm...
Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces the “Bumblebee” Black Bay Chrono 39 in a New Smaller Case
Coming out of Watches & Wonders, there was plenty of commentary that Tudor had an iterative, kind of “off” year with a confusing pseudo-heritage piece in the Monarch being an unexpected standard bearer. We, frankly, really enjoyed all the new stuff, and thought some of the reactions were a bit out of left field, but regardless, I think their announcement today should get many of the skeptics claiming Tudor has lost a step to rethink their takes. The new Tudor “Bumblebee” Black Bay Chrono 39 is not merely a fun new summer color for their flagship chronograph, but an entirely new case size for that watch that speaks directly to enthusiasts who have been asking for a scaled down version. Tudor is positioning the “Bumblebee” as a follow up to the Pink and Flamingo Blue chronographs that have appeared over the last few years. These brightly colored watches have been incredibly popular with collectors as alternatives to the standard black and white variants. Here we have a bright yellow dial with contrasting black subdials at 9 and 3 with a black tachymeter bezel in aluminum. The snowflake hands and hour markers are also outlined in black, and there’s a black minute track at the dial’s perimeter, all of which play up the “Bumblebee” theme. But the real news here is that new case. It measures 39mm in diameter in stainless steel, and 13.1mm in height. That’s down from 14.1mm tall on the larger 41mm chronograph, which is a meaningful difference. The lug to...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 "Bumblebee"
What We Know There's a new Tudor chronograph in town, and guess what, it's smaller. After kicking off the format in 41mm back in 2017, Tudor has now downsized the brand's dive/drive chronograph design to a new 39mm case width. The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 "Bumblebee" sports a bright and vivid yellow dial with black counters, giving the new reference (79310N) a link to the preceding Pink and Flamingo Blue versions of the Black Bay Chronograph. We can get to the dial in a moment, but for a smaller take on any Tudor, let's start with millimeters. The new Black Bay Chronograph 39 measures 39mm wide, 13.1mm thick, and 47mm lug-to-lug. Compare that to 41 x 14.4 x 49.9 of the current 41mm model, be it white, black, blue, black & gold, pink, or flamingo. Water resistance remains at 200m with screw-down crowns for the chronograph controls, and that bright yellow dial is framed by a fixed tachymeter scale rendered in black aluminum. On to the dial, which is colored a bright and punchy yellow as a nod to the brand's "Tiger" chronographs of the 1990s. The markers and hands have black surrounds, and the water resistance is shown in red (as it is on the Black Bay Chrono 39's larger counterparts). Tudor also notes that the snowflake hands have been redesigned to aid in chronograph legibility. While I have yet to measure more accurately, if you compare the reach of the hour hand toward the 60 marker on the running seconds subdial, it appears shorter than in the 41mm models. Tic...
Monochrome
Introducing - The New, More Compact Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Bumblebee
An important and yet slightly different member of the wide Black Bay family of dive watches, the Black Bay Chrono was released in 2017, not without some comments from the crowd. Indeed, the watch featured diving elements, the signature Snowflake hands, solid water-resistance, but also racing cues such as a tachymeter scale. Since its launch, […]
SJX Watches
Tudor’s F1 Season Begins with Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 26”
Continuing with a practice that began last year, Tudor has announced a limited edition as this year’s Formula 1 season kicks off. As with last year’s edition, the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 26” is modelled on the livery of the racing car of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB). It’s otherwise identical to last year’s model, which means it is lightweight, well priced, and equipped with the high-spec MT5813 movement. Initial thoughts The Carbon 26 is essentially last year’s watch with a new dial, but I like the new yellow and white livery than last year’s white and blue. The colours are subjective, but the value proposition of the watch remains objectively excellent (though the price has risen largely due to the strength of the Swiss franc). The Carbon 26 is still competitively priced next to its rivals. As an aside, I hope Tudor will eventually incorporate more design elements from its historical motor racing chronographs, like the Monte Carlo, into its modern-day F1 editions like the Carbon 26. The Carbon 26 is clearly a Black Bay – the “snowflake” hands are a giveaway – but the Black Bay is a dive watch rather than one for the road. Carbon inside and out The Carbon 26 gets its name from the carbon fibre composite case and bezel, which have a patterned surface typical of the material. The type of composite employed here is more subtle appearance-wise compared to other composites used in watchmaking, so at a distance the case appears a flat black. Thoug...
Worn & Wound
Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Finally Gives Us a Medium Sized Dive Watch, and it Includes a Spring Drive Powered U.F.A. Movement
If you were take a poll of Grand Seiko enthusiasts and collectors to ask them what they thought was missing from the brand’s catalog, I have a feeling a significant portion of respondents would tell you the same thing: a great dive watch. Grand Seiko has, of course, been making divers for years, and a lot of them have been objectively outstanding and well liked by certain pockets of the Grand Seiko community. But they’ve never had a diver that’s really caught fire in the way that something like the Snowflake has – there’s no icon in their dive watch range. I think most would agree that this is at least in part because to this point the brand’s dive watches have always been on the chunky side, and not really a viable competitor to the Submariners and Seamasters of the world in terms of their wearability. Grand Seiko seeks to change that at Watches & Wonders this year, with the rather ambitious release of the new Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver. This new 40.8mm High-Intensity Titanium dive watch uses a new Spring Drive movement featuring the same tech as last year’s 9RB2 Spring Drive caliber, which boasts an accuracy rate of plus or minus 20 seconds per year. There are really two notable things about this watch. First, there’s the movement, Caliber 9RB1, which has the same U.F.A (Ultra Fine Accuracy) designation as the 9RB2 introduced last year. The 20 second annual accuracy rate is, according to Grand Seiko, the most accurate wristwatch movement powe...
Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko White Birch Review: A Brand-Defining Future Classic
Grand Seiko is a brand that’s adept at making the intricate seem effortless. This talent for restraint is best demonstrated dial side, specifically with its play with textures that call for a second (or third, fourth, and so on) look. While the deceptively simple “Snowflake” dial is among the brand’s most renowned examples of its mastery of subtlety, today, I’m pulling focus to another iconic example of Grand Seiko’s dial mastery with the more dramatic White Birch variation. Down below, I’ll be breaking down the importance of the “White Birch” SLGH005 in Grand Seiko’s recent history, some of its guiding design philosophies, as well as all the necessary specs you need to know. [toc-section heading="History And Context"] Debuting in 2021, the SLGH005 with its “White Birch” dial marked a historic turning point for the brand, and in the years since, it has become regarded as an example of the brand’s strengths firing on all cylinders. Before its introduction, Grand Seiko had already become synonymous with intricately textural dials (which, of course, drew inspiration from the natural world), but the White Birch texture is really when the brand turned up the heat an extra notch. Before, the brand largely relied on radial and horizontal textures, and it isn’t a coincidence that the continuous series honoring the Japanese micro-seasons (most famous being the “Shun-bun”) was already in play before the White Birch hit the scene. Many of these dials...
Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGX359 and SBGX361, Featuring their Smallest and Thinnest Quartz Movement Yet
While design hallmarks have come and gone, few say “Grand Seiko” quite like the iconic Snowflake dial, first introduced in 2005. Inspired by the frosty Hotaka mountain range in the brand’s home prefecture, Nagano, light plays across the fine texture to emphasize the slight variations in depth on the surface of the dial. The result is nothing short of stunning, and helped shape Grand Seiko and their philosophy of the “Nature of Time”. So how do you build on an icon? You introduce tasteful variations. Easier said than done, of course, but Grand Seiko has done it successfully before, by introducing the Skyflake dial, a light blue version of the Snowflake. And now, we have two new Snowflake and Skyflake models to showcase the evolution of the icon: the SBGX359 and SBGX361, in a compact 33mm case, making them the smallest in the Grand Seiko 9F line yet. Even more impressive is the 9.1mm thickness, which is only possible thanks to the Caliber 9F51 quartz movement, which is the first new movement in the 9F line since 2020, and allows for an accuracy of ± 10 seconds a year. In natural Grand Seiko fashion, each movement is hand-assembled by watchmakers at the Shinshu Watch Studio at the brand’s Shiojiri facility and feature three-month aged quartz crystals and a manual regulation switch for accuracy fine-tuning during servicing. All of that is to say that this is not a basic quartz movement; it’s a Grand Seiko quartz movement, which is sure to excel in both function ...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Best Tudor Watches for Every Type of Enthusiast
What are the best Tudor watches in the current lineup? It really depends on what type of watch ticks all the stylistic boxes for you - whether it’s a classic diver, a dual-time travel companion, or a racetrack-ready chronograph; a sturdy, outdoorsy timekeeper you can wear on a nature hike, or something elegant and uncomplicated that you can wear to the symphony. Using as our starting point some of the style categories in which Tudor's parent brand Rolex has excelled, here we attempt to home in on the best Tudor watches for each taste. [toc-section heading="For The Casually Stylish Diver"] Tudor’s answer to big brother Rolex’s megapopular Submariner series is relatively easy to spot. The Black Bay collection is the undisputed flagship of the 21st-century Tudor lineup and has played a huge role in Tudor stepping out from under Rolex’s substantial shadow to establish an impressive identity all its own. Improbably, It did so by deftly combining elements from earlier Tudor dive watches, most of which were clearly inspired by the Rolex dive watches that preceded them to market. The so-called “snowflake” hour hand that is so emblematic now to the Black Bay family was drawn from the Tudor Submariner Ref. 7016 from 1969 that was famously supplied to the French Navy, whose divers found two distinctly different hands to be beneficial in reading the time underwater.) The large screw-down crown, with engraved Tudor rose emblem, was introduced on the 1958 "Big Crown" model...
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet
Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform. Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake). Initial thoughts While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos. Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake). Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line. A ...
Monochrome
First Look - The new Grand Seiko Elegance GMT SBGM255 Snowdrop and SBGM257 Moondrop
Even without going back to the roots of the brand, when it was founded in 1960, there are more than one emblematic model within the current Grand Seiko catalogue. You can, of course, think about the Snowflake, the SBGW231 and SBGW301 and, one that is all the more important to me, the GMT Elegance SBGM221. […]
Revolution
The Slow Burn: My Love Affair with Grand Seiko
60 years into Grand Seiko’s story, Revolution’s founder finally spends on a “Snowflake”, thus beginning a new chapter in his journey as a watch collector.
Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces the Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue”
If you’ve been paying attention to Tudor over the last few years, you know that a key component of their release strategy has been to drop unexpected dial colors into catalog staples at seemingly random intervals throughout the year. We’ve seen this play out with the Black Bay Chronograph multiple times, with pink and blue editions released unexpectedly and quickly allocated to collectors. Today, Tudor is trying something similar with the Black Bay 54, their most compact version of the Black Bay dive watch. The new Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” is more than just a dial variant, as it represents the first expansion of the Black Bay 54 line since it was introduced two years ago with a straightforward black dial. The first follow up after a hit watch is always an interesting bit of trivia for those of us who consider ourselves watch nerds. This release echos the blue dialed version of the Black Bay 58, which was perhaps even more of a sensation than the original when it saw a surprise release in the early days of the pandemic. Until this ywar’s Watches & Wonders, when a red 58 was launched, those two references somewhat surprisingly made up the entire Black Bay 58 collection. Time will tell if Tudor is quicker to produce new variants of the 54, but this version exists as a nice counterpoint to the debut. The “Lagoon Blue” dial has a light, almost turquoise-like tone, along with the familiar Snowflake handset and lume filled hour markers. The dial has what Tudor des...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Tudor Pelagos Ultra
Tudor has been busy expanding the Pelagos collection in recent years, focusing primarily on military and racing associations. But until now, none exceeded the 500 m depth rating of the debut model from 2012. Just launched at Watches & Wonders 2025, the Pelagos Ultra (ref. 2543C1A7NU) can dive to double that depth, making it the deepest diving watch in Tudor’s current collection. The Ultra is differentiated primarily by its headline 1,000 m depth rating and teal accents, and is otherwise a familiar mix of elements from the Pelagos range including the lumed ceramic bezel, a fully brushed grade 2 titanium case and bracelet, and legible snowflake hands. Initial thoughts I personally enjoy overbuilt dive watches, despite the fact that I don’t dive. Practicality aside, there’s just something fun and reassuring about wearing what feels like a vault on the wrist. And that’s what the Ultra feels like – it’s tangibly overbuilt but still wearable thanks to its titanium construction. The biggest, baddest Pelagos yet, the Ultra measures 43 mm and 14.5 mm thick. But it doesn’t look overly large thanks to its 22 mm lug width, which gives it the visual proportions of something a little smaller. That said, the sizing may be too much for some, who would likely find a better fit with the standard Pelagos or Pelagos 39. The dial design is similar to that of the Pelagos 39, with applied polymer-ceramic lume plots. But the Ultra is a little more extreme, with beefier hands and ma...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Best Grand Seiko Dials
If there’s one thing Grand Seiko is known for, it is its textured dials….and Spring Drive…and Zaratsu polishing... Okay, one of the things Grand Seiko is known for is its textured dials. Often inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape surrounding Grand Seiko's manufacture in Japan, these dials are now often imitated but never truly replicated. We asked our editorial team here at Teddy to choose their favorite GS dial and, unsurprisingly, we got some really stunning picks here. So, without further ado, here are our Editors’ Picks for favorite Grand Seiko dials. Bilal Khan: SBGA011/SBGA211 "Snowflake" The Grand Seiko SBGA211 (originally the SBGA011), aka the Snowflake, is where it all began. Back in 2004, the watchmakers at the dial workshop in the Shinshu watch studio were given a novel task: create a dial that would capture the beauty of the natural surroundings of where the Spring Drive movement was born. The answer was in front of their eyes when they gazed at the snow-capped mountains that commanded their views for half the year. Creating this dial was a challenge but they found inspiration from an old 56GS watch dating back to 1971, which had a texture similar to what the team wanted to achieve. It took some trial and error but they found success through a silver plating method that would go on to birth the now-iconic "Snowflake" dial. It might look somewhat demure and less dramatic than more recent textured dials, but this is the quintessential Grand Sei...
Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces a New Black Bay 58 in Red, with Some Surprises
Tudor returns to the Black Bay 58 in a major way at this year’s Watches & Wonders, with an update inspired by a 1990s prototype that had been nearly lost to time. The latest 58 comes in a bold burgundy colorway, with a bright red dial and matching bezel. It’s a decidedly different approach to the Black Bay 58, which has been, in our minds, a thoughtful reinterpretation of an old fashioned tool watch. This new version is significantly more extroverted in its personality and appearance – it has considerably more flash than your standard issue 58. The broad strokes of this Black Bay 58 are effectively in line with earlier versions of the watch. It maintains the 39mm case with the same mix of brushed and polished finishing. Circular and rectangular hour markers are generously filled with luminous material, and of course we have the “Snowflake” handset that is common to all Black Bays. But there are a number of small refinements and improvements to this 58 make it feel a bit more contemporaneous with other recent Tudor releases. First, bracelet selection. For the first time, the Black Bay is available on a five-link, Jubilee-style bracelet. It’s a natural fit for a watch like the 58 and immediately gives it a look that is a bit dressier and less tool oriented. It’s still available on a three-link bracelet as well, but this bracelet is now fitted with Tudor’s T-fit clasp (as is the five-link, and the optional rubber strap). Like the Black Bay 68 we covered ea...
Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces the Black Bay 68, the Biggest Black Bay Yet
It’s a big year, literally and figuratively, for the Black Bay. This year, Tudor has introduced the all new Black Bay 68, continuing with a naming convention that began with the Black Bay 58 all those years ago. The new Black Bay 68 fills out the range of vintage inspired Black Bays with an all new size for the range, coming in at 43mm. According to Tudur, the new size was created to meet demand from customers who wanted a dive watch with a larger footprint. After the Black 58 and Black Bay 54 (both under 40mm) and the longstanding “standard” Black Bay coming in at 41mm, the Black Bay 68 represents genuinely new ground for the collection in terms of size, and signals that the small watch trend that many say started with the Black Bay 58 might be coming to an end. If you’re familiar with the various forms of the Black Bay, there won’t be too many surprises here. The case is stainless steel with a unidirectional black bezel, with dial options in blue and silver. The dials are subtly domed and have a barely-there radially brushed finish, and are matched with large lume filled hour markers. The hands are the now familiar “Snowflake” style launched in 1969. While the case is 43mm, the important thing to note about these watches is that they are proportionally identical to the Black Bay 54 and Black Bay 58. So, in spite of the larger size, they wear in a way that feels quite familiar if you’ve spent any time at all with either of those earlier Black Bays. Accor...