Teddy Baldassarre
10 Of The Best Manual-Wind Watches for Every Budget
Our curated selection of 10 of the best manual wind watches with options ranging from Timex to Grand Seiko and Nomos.
2,547 articles · 25 videos found · page 9 of 86
1969-1985 industry collapse triggered by the Seiko Astron. Cost Swiss watchmaking two-thirds of its workforce; rebounded via Swatch Group consolidation and Biver's Blancpain.
Christmas Day 1969: Seiko launches the world\'s first quartz wristwatch and detonates the Swiss watch industry.
Eight thousand pieces. One very specific shade of yellow. Seiko and Honda celebrate the Motocompo's 45th anniversary with a watch that's hard to ignore.
Seiko's Prospex Turtle HBB002 marks PADI's 60th anniversary. Electric sunburst blue dial, ceramic bezel insert, 200m water resistance, an 8,000-piece run, and a €750 price tag that puts it squarely in the impulse-buy bracket for a real diver.
Teddy Baldassarre
Our curated selection of 10 of the best manual wind watches with options ranging from Timex to Grand Seiko and Nomos.
SJX Watches
At Watches & Wonders, Grand Seiko launched its best dive watch yet, the Evolution 9 Spring Drive Ultra Fine Accuracy (UFA) Ushio 300 Diver SLGB023 and SLGB025. As a product, it is both shocking and obvious, combining everything Grand Seiko collectors have longed for: a moderately sized case, an improved bracelet and clasp, and a 300 m depth rating. It all comes packaged in a titanium case and an enthusiast-favourite no-date format, and retails for slightly less than Grand Seiko’s existing premium dive watches. It’s a strong statement from a brand looking to gain traction in the luxury sports watch segment. Initial thoughts Seiko’s dive watch pedigree is one of the strongest in the industry, from their iconic saturation divers of the late 1960s to the gone but not forgotten SKX. Yet the flagship Grand Seiko brand has struggled to field a compelling dive watch. Bulky cases, strange proportions, odd depth ratings, and clumsy clasps held back past offerings. Fortunately, Grand Seiko has finally overcome these shortcomings and can finally boast a highly competitive diver’s watch. I made a wishlist for Watches & Wonders 2026 not long ago, at the top of which was my vision for a Grand Seiko UFA Spring Drive diver. To be clear, I’d already known a dive watch using the new cal. 9RBx family of Spring Drive movements was coming based on trademark filings, but I wished for something that many Grand Seiko collectors have wanted for years – a moderately sized dive watch, wit...
Revolution
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Find Seiko 5 GMT alternatives for collectors ready to spend more. Learn about wearability, travel function, design, durability, and more, and spend more wisely.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Seiko has been revisiting its 1968 Diver's platform for years now, and the Prospex Heritage family keeps getting more interesting with each wave of releases. The latest additions are the HBC001 and HBC002, two new references that bring a mechanical GMT complication to the lineage for the first time. Both watches reference the 1968 original while expanding what the modern Prospex Heritage line can do. Availability is set for May this year. The post The Iconic Seiko 1968 Diver Gets A New Automatic GMT Movement appeared first on Two Broke Watch Snobs.
Teddy Baldassarre
Straight from both the Grand Seiko & Credor booths at Watches & Wonders, we sit down with Joe Kirk to discuss what's new from each of these premiere Japanese Brands.
Hodinkee
A physician who finds joy in the pursuit of perfection tells us why Grand Seiko's philosophy resonates so deeply with him.
Hodinkee
A Swedish collector tells us how his love of design and passion for detail inevitably compelled him to become a die-hard Grand Seiko collector.
Hodinkee
For the first installment of our latest series, we look at how one New York City collector has made Grand Seiko an important part of his daily life.
This Australian schoolteacher’s obsession with simplicity eventually led him to Grand Seiko, where he found watches that spoke to his unique sensibility.
Hodinkee
A cyclist, athlete, and flower importer who finds endless enjoyment in nature shares why Grand Seiko is like no other.
Monochrome
Nature is a cornerstone of Japanese culture and a predominant theme at Grand Seiko. Even the settings of the Japanese brand’s manufactures are intentionally studied to inspire the takumi (artisans). Hailing from Grand Seiko’s haute horlogerie Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri, the Japanese brand releases a high-end Masterpiece SBGZ011 in platinum, in a hand-engraved 44GS case and […]
Deployant
DEPLOYANT - The watch magazine for collectors, by collectors Grand Seiko next and we got our hands-on session for WWG26. Here are the highlights from our session. First up, Heritage Collection “Sakura-wakaba” SBGH376. The movement is the Hi-Beat C. 9885 36000bph in a 38mm yellow gold case and a magnificent dial which is pressed with a wonderful texture. Developed at the Studio Shizukuishi, the [...] The post Live from WWG26: new release highlights from Grand Seiko appeared first on DEPLOYANT.
Worn & Wound
Deep in the heart of a primeval forest lies a waterfall whose fresh spring waters are unspoilt by man, and whose mystic beauty is an endless source of inspiration - for the band of artisans who quietly engrave by hand some of the most intricately detailed watches in the world. It’s not a Studio Ghibli movie: the Tateshina Falls are real, located in central Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, which is also home to Grand Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio. And at Watches and Wonders 2026, a limited release pays tribute to this serene locale with a Spring Drive model that, according to Grand Seiko, “conveys time’s eternal flow in nature.” The Masterpiece Collection SBGZ011 takes Grand Seiko’s sharp-edged 44GS case - rendered in platinum - and imbues it with hand-engraved lines from lug to lug, around the bezel, and entirely within the dial (save for a thin minute ring). These dashed silver lines flow in colliding swirls, bursting forth and blending into each other with seeming chaos; Grand Seiko suggests that they represent spring water bubbling forth from below the earth’s surface. On the bezel and the case’s flat surfaces and intersecting ridges, the patterns appear even more dramatic, resembling petals of a monochromatic flower. And on the dial, the white-gold hands and markers provide smooth, brilliant contrast, while the Grand Seiko and Spring Drive logos are carved and inset in their own boxes. The manual-winding Caliber 9R02 is Grand Seiko’s thinnest Spri...
Monochrome
The Grand Seiko Elegance Collection is home to some of the brand’s most restrained and poetic creations. Models such as the Omiwatari, Karasawa, and other hand-wound Spring Drive references demonstrate how minimalism, texture, and mechanical refinement can coexist. The new SBGY043 Iwao Blue keeps the successful, elegant formula that made earlier editions so attractive and […]
Worn & Wound
If Grand Seiko was once Seiko’s best-kept secret, as it was for decades, Credor was even more enigmatic. Once positioned above Grand Seiko and crafted exclusively from precious metals, it remains rare outside of Japan to this day. That changes now when Credor comes out from under its Seiko shadow to exhibit at Watches & Wonders for the first time with three novelties: two takes on the Goldfeather and a brighter, breezier dial on the Locomotive, one of Credor’s most significant watches - though in the 1970s you would have likely never heard of it. Credor Goldfeather Urushi Lacquer Dial Limited Edition GBBY967 The Seiko Goldfeather was hailed as a technological achievement when it was released in 1960 (still holding Seiko’s thinnest three-hand movement). Credor resurrected the Goldfeather name in 2023 with the same pursuit of mechanical thinness, plus beautifully detailed lacquer and enamel dials. On the new GBBY967, the dial’s urushi finish is lacquered and polished dozens of times, resulting in a stunningly smooth dark blue gradient that turns into black around the edges, as if peering into the ocean depths. The dial’s baton indices and the Credor and Goldfeather logos are hand-applied with platinum powder in the taka maki-e style: a lacquer art that produces a three-dimensional effect. The ultra-thin (just 1.98mm!) Caliber 6890 hand-wind movement underpins this special Goldfeather, which is limited to just 25 pieces and at $47,000 each. Credor Goldfe...
Monochrome
Grand Seiko is renowned for its nature-inspired, handcrafted dials that capture Japan’s seasonal landscapes. The annual flowering of the cherry blossom heralds the arrival of spring and inspires profound reverence in Japan as a symbol of life’s fleeting beauty and renewal. Grand Seiko captures the evanescent beauty of the cherry blossom for a lifetime on […]
Hodinkee
An homage to indigo-dyeing tradition in a clean, dressy format.
Hodinkee
A familiar 62GS, now in 18k yellow gold for the first time in the core lineup.
Worn & Wound
At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko’s newest addition to the Elegance Collection brings together the things it does best. Namely, intricately textured dials with a nod to Japanese artistry, and its flagship Caliber 9R Spring Drive. Engraved to resemble a weathered rock face, the SBGY043’s striking dial suggests the appearance of a mountain at dusk: Grand Seiko calls this pattern iwao, which translates to rock or crag. Depending on the angle it’s viewed from behind its domed sapphire crystal, different facets take on intermingling light and dark tones of blue, purple, and black. Its color is inspired by the tradition of katsuiro dyeing, a centuries-old technique and reportedly a favorite among the samurai class, which produces a deep indigo hue. Set against bright silver markers and hands - no blued seconds hand here, which is almost its own Grand Seiko tradition - it makes for an especially understated contrast. This Iwao Blue version runs on the Caliber 9R31, a manual-wind Spring Drive movement with a 72-hour power reserve and visible through a clear caseback. The case is among the slimmest in the Elegance Collection, with standard zaratsu polishing and soft, rounded lugs. A nine-row stainless steel bracelet is the only option, which reflects the craggy-faced dial’s aura of ruggedness. Grand Seiko enthusiasts, of which there are many, might remember this dial from 2021 - albeit in a sharp-angled Heritage case and with a Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive mov...
Monochrome
Last year was a watershed moment for Grand Seiko with its announcement of the world’s “most accurate mainspring-driven movement”. Crafted in the Shinshu Watch Studio, the brand’s groundbreaking Calibre 9RB2 – with an annual deviation of only ±20 seconds – debuted in Evolution 9 cases. True to Japanese reverence for nature and Grand Seiko’s talent […]
Fratello
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive family takes center stage at Watches and Wonders 2026 with three new releases. From the SBGY043, a relatively restrained daily wearer, to the SBGD228, a full-blown jewelry watch, this beloved Japanese brand covers a wide spectrum while sticking to its unique design ethos. What stands out this year is how […] Visit Three New Grand Seiko Spring Drive Models For Watches And Wonders 2026 - The SBGY043, SBGD228, And SBGZ011 to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Grand Seiko answers years of requests with two smaller Evolution 9 divers at 40.8mm, powered by the new Spring Drive 9RB1 U.F.A. in titanium.
Monochrome
While dive watches are fundamental to Seiko’s Prospex collection, the concept is slightly less natural for Grand Seiko. At first sight… Indeed, the higher-end brand of Seiko Corporation has been active in the field of purpose-built diving instruments since 2008, delivering impressive models, whether in terms of specs, looks or, unfortunately, size. One of the main complaints heard […]
Hodinkee
Higher specs, smaller measurements. It might be a perfect dive watch for Grand Seiko.
Fratello
During Watches and Wonders 2025, Grand Seiko unveiled two Spring Drive models powered by a new Ultra Fine Accuracy (U.F.A.) caliber. This year, the Japanese watchmaker follows up on last year’s novelties with two Ushio 300 divers housing a new U.F.A. movement. On top of that, the brand finally granted enthusiasts’ wishes for a smaller […] Visit Grand Seiko Unveils The New Evolution 9 Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Divers to read the full article.
Fratello
The only sense of nature you can experience when spending days on end in Geneva’s Palexpo event center is by handling Grand Seiko novelties. Yes, we sometimes joke about the plethora of nature-inspired dial designs that the Japanese brand releases. Still, they’re most welcome during Watches and Wonders. After a couple of steamy sessions in […] Visit Introducing: Grand Seiko’s 38mm 62GS SBGH376 “Sakura-Wakaba” And 37mm Evolution 9 SLGB006 “Ice Forest At Dawn” to read the full article.
Revolution
Worn & Wound
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...
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.