Two Broke Watch Snobs
The New 33mm Grand Seiko Snowflake Is “Small.” I’d Still Rock It.
The Grand Seiko Snowflake gets smaller with new 33mm quartz models featuring the newly developed 9F51 movement.
93 articles · 20 videos found · page 1 of 4
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Grand Seiko Snowflake gets smaller with new 33mm quartz models featuring the newly developed 9F51 movement.
Time+Tide
Our resident Grand Seiko superfan Zach Blass goes in-depth into why the Grand Seiko Snowflake is such a historically significant watch.The post Why the Grand Seiko Snowflake was the watch that turned GS into a worldwide phenomenon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
After a week on the wrist, Chris Malburg had some issues with Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Reference SBGA407. Even so, he pulled the trigger. Here Chris explains how he fixed those issues and why this watch just might deserve a place in your collection too.
Welcome to episode 74 of A Week in Watches! Another solid week of releases, this one is dominated by one brand that just can’t stop, and the most noble of metals – titanium. There’s a new brutish military diver from the mil-spec nerds over at Tornek-Rayville, some crystallized dress watches from Baltic, a simply handsome titanium chronograph from Zenith, and a ton of stuff from Grand Seiko. Like, a ton. Check it out below, and please like and subscribe if you haven’t already! This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop and the new Formex x Worn & Wound Essence Sector 39 Chronometer Limited Edition. The first collaboration between the two brands, its sci-fi-inspired style will stand out in any collection. Head over to WindupWatchShop.com to check them out, as well as accessories, EDC, clocks, and more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 74 – A Great Week for Fans of Titanium (and the Grand Seiko Snowflake) appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko expands its range of signature white "Snowflake" dial watches with two new quartz models.The post Grand Seiko’s two new “Snowflake” models incite an interesting discussion appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Fratello
Quartz is having something of a quiet comeback. After decades of scorn and contempt, many have come to appreciate the ease of use that quartz provides. Furthermore, not all quartz watches are the same. Today’s new Grand Seiko SBGX355, already nicknamed “Snowflake Quartz,” uses the brand’s famed 9F62 movement and comes in a highly wearable […] Visit Introducing: The Grand Seiko SBGX355 “Snowflake Quartz” to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
After a week on the wrist, Chris Malburg had some issues with Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Reference SBGA407. Even so, he pulled the trigger. Here Chris explains how he fixed those issues and why this watch just might deserve a place in your collection too.
Time+Tide
What’s cooler than being cool? Well, if you’re Outkast, the answer is “ice cold!” (alright, alright, alright), but if you’re a watch collector, there’s a good chance the answer is the Grand Seiko ‘Snowflake’. When first introduced, watch fans were dazzled by the ultra-fine finishing of the titanium case, wowed by the technological prowess of … ContinuedThe post Why the Grand Seiko “Snowflake” captivated the watch world appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko has been around for over 60 years, but within the last decade the brand is slowly (yet exponentially) growing its presence throughout the watch community and the world. The brand is known by enthusiasts for their high-value craftsmanship, offering more black polished components than most Swiss brands – and at a fraction of … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko Snowflake versus White Birch: the battle between the classic and contender appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: When people talk about the Grand Seiko Snowflake as being one watch, they are in fact forgoing the many and varied shades of snow that Grand Seiko has showered us with since the OG became almost a pillar in itself. Here, we choose a Snowflake for every season, to show the nuance and … ContinuedThe post Which Grand Seiko Snowflake is right for you? Four models that show the stunning dial’s diversity appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
SJX Watches
One of the all-time best-selling Grand Seiko watches is the Spring Drive “Snowflake”, which gets the name from the its distinctive textured dial. And until recently, the snowflake dial was only available on models with bracelets, save for a few pricey limited editions with gold cases. That changed last year when Grand Seiko debuted the Spring Drive “Blue Snowflake” SBGA407. It combines the famous dial with a more classical case, and a good deal of practicality – date, Spring Drive accuracy, and a surprising 100 m water resistance. On the wrist While most Grand Seiko watches are pretty discreet on the wrist, the “Blue Snowflake” makes a statement due to its colour. The styling is most definitely old school, but the pale-blue dial is both modern and unusual; it’s an unorthodox colour for a man’s watch, especially one that leans towards the dress-watch category, but it works. And the “Blue Snowflake” is also a manageable but modern size. The case is a bit over 40 mm in diameter, and fairly thick, while the bezel is narrow. The result is a watch that wears well and has a good presence on the wrist (with one caveat that is common to Grand Seiko watches on straps: the band has odd proportions, with one side being unnecessarily long). The snowflake story The original “Snowflake” was the Grand Seiko Spring Drive ref. SBGA011 (now known as the SBGA211) that made its debut in 2005. While it did have a titanium case and bracelet, which was fairly uncommon a...
Quill & Pad
Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Spring Drive has pushed the venerable Japanese watchmaker to the top of Chris Malburg's horology charts. After spending considerable time with this timepiece, Chris relates the Snowflake’s triumphs and reveals its shortcomings.
Time+Tide
USP – the acronym for “unique selling point”. A watchmaker’s USP is paramount to their success, and if you look at the general consensus of what’s considered the best brands out there, they’ve all got it - they each excel at something that puts them a cut above the rest. Whether it’s Rolex and their storied … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGA407 Snowflake blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Seiko SARX055 is referred to by some as the baby Grand Seiko Snowflake due to its similarity to the Grand Seiko SBGA011. However, at approximately 1/5th the price of the Grand Seiko, the SARX055 is a much more obtainable watch. However, is the price still worth it?
Time+Tide
The Snowflake looms large in the minds (and on the wrists) of Grand Seiko fans - the 10-year-old titanium watch is an undisputed champion, and deservedly so. But now there’s a phalanx of other Snowflakes in the family – the dial comes with gold highlights and even in dressier cases. But one Snowflake that stands … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Grand Seiko’s “Snowflake blue” SBGA407 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Time+Tide
Look, full disclosure. We did not know (or indeed pay) Sherwood to give us this particular answer. But having said that, it’s quite nice to hear someone say they bought a watch off your review. And honestly, of the many (many) watches I’ve reviewed over the years, you could do a whole lot worse than … ContinuedThe post Sherwood’s Grand Seiko Snowflake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: It’s one of the most well-loved Japanese watches out there, and a legend in its own right. Only question - what’s cooler, the movement or the dial? You decide. Read on for our review of the Grand Seiko SBGA211 Snowflake. Grand Seiko’s famous ‘Snowflake’ has been with us for quite some time now … ContinuedThe post Pure as the driven snow, the Grand Seiko SBGA211 Snowflake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One of Grand Seiko’s most in-demand and instantly identifiable watches is the Snowflake, AKA the SBGA211. For many, this pure, and deceptively simple, watch epitomises the high-end Japanese maker, and it certainly exhibits all the Grand Seiko hallmarks: exceptional casework, precise finishing techniques, and those glimmering hands and hour markers. And then, of course, there’s … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The purity of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Snowflake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
With all the recent vintage chatter on our site, this was inevitable. You may be the sort to draw the line at using a 40-year-old Tudor “Snowflake” Submariner to go diving, but at Revolution we believe that you should allow a watch to live a little.
Monochrome
Even though its development started during the 1970s, it took some years for Seiko and Grand Seiko to finally present their first movement equipped with the Spring Drive technology (the very first was a Seiko in 1999). In 2004, after more than 2 decades of research, the first generation of Grand Seiko Spring Drive was […]
Video
Deployant
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.
Teddy Baldassarre
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 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
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.
Hodinkee
The Spring Drive Snowflake is a major Seiko fan favorite for a reason.
Video
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