[ianmedium]

 


 
 I went to the site in the link and my jaw dropped with those prices!! Who would pay over $8,000 for a Seiko that looks like a Rolex Submariner when you can get the Rolex for that money or less???
http://www.seiyajapan.com/product/S-SBGA031/Grand-Seiko-Spring-Drive-200m-Diver-SBGA031-Titanium.html

First you have to get your head around the fact that the Swiss are not the only folks who make fine wristwatches. Then there is the numbers. I love Rolex, have owned two and will again, won't hear a bad word against them. They have perfected the art of mass manufacture whilst maintaining superb quality, they make around a million watches each year. Now, I don't know how many grand Seiko's are made each year but you can bet it is a tiny fraction of that amount.

Also Grand seiko is made to much higher timekeeping tolerances, I believe +/-3-4 seconds a day where as Rolex like all other Swiss chronometers are +/-4-6 a day. The level of finish on the Grand Seikos I have seen is considerably better as well, the movements are more like Patek or VC in standard of finish, likewise the dials.

So when you take that into consideration the cost of them is actually not bad, especially if you don't pay the premium that is being charged by the US/Canadian importers and instead buy direct from someone like Higuchi san, and authorized dealer in Japan. I have know several folks go this route and have had no extra problems in doing so whilst saving quite a bit.


I think one needs to realize that the Grand Seiko relationship to the normal Seiko is a bit like AMG's is with Mercedes. Whilst they look the same they are very different beasts entirly.

 

[r1n7r4h]

This GS for me is the pinnacle of modern Grand Seiko's. This or the Hi-beat 36000. I love the textured dial on this particular model though.
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/grand-seiko-sbga011-non-omega-picture-intensive-423620.html#post3163953
 
There was also another model, I think it was an anniversary or limited addition, that I placed in my most wanted list. It had a tiny GS lion on the 5 o'clock marker I think. I can't find that one though.

 

[music_man]

the grand seiko is actually a bargain when you consider it is the quality of a patek. there is a guy in airazona that can get you a good price. still not cheap. i have a s65 and trust me the grand seiko is built better. in the merc some of the fit/finish in places seems cheap. nothing at all cheap feeling about a grand seiko. personally i feel it is more elite than the highest swiss watches. most people just don't know. i have heard a million times "is that a real rolex" duh. i never heard is that a real grand seiko because most people do not even recognize what it is. rolex builds a good watch but it is ubiquitous. probably why i find myself with more rolex than anything else.

which reminds me, i need the exterior of a yachtmaster to have a heavy duty cleaning. the jeweler wants too much in my opinion. i am not sure how i would do it myself though. there is like total gunk stuck between the markers on the bezel. probably better just to get a new bezel. the braclet i am not afraid to clean myself. then i need a link and they are being unfair about the price of that as well. this is because my long time jeweler passed away and his grandson thinks everyone is stupid.

 

[floydfan33]

 
My daily watch, a gift, and a pretty good copy.
 
I thought it would last a week, and still looks like new 2 years later. and keeps phenomenal time. The automatic movement keeps it's wind, and runs perfect.

 

[Redcarmoose]

 
http://www.shopbot.com.au/ps-seiko-mechanical-automatic-watch-sarb033-35038521.html
 
 
This is a SARB033 for sale. This place is dangerous as I will make a SARB033 a goal this year.

 

[music_man]

well i was taken for a ride. i said i thought the new fossil's were so great. sorry, i stand corrected. their current automatic "twist" is not an automatic at all! it is a quartz with a fake automatic escapement just for looks. shame on you fossil! they did used to build a real automatic watch with a sea-gul for slightly over $100. had i known this i would have had nothing good to say about them! man oh man. it is still well built for less than a bill but it is not an automatic watch as advertised! that simply blows imo. still, it is a nice quartz watch afaik so far. of course until it stops working. which is not to say it is horrible besides that it is a faker. since for instance there are $25,000 quartz concords if thats what floats your boat. i am positive the fossil is no concord but no real reason to be ashamed by having a quartz. of course once again besides the fact it is a fake automatic duh. now, if it were eco or kinetic and said so clearly that would be completely alright for the person that wants that. that is not what it is though. the automatic wheel is solely for looks. the entire drive is quartz. how lame. what did i expect for $45 at the fossil outlet though? ok i was taken. at least i am helping others to know this.

edit: the fossil outlet's do have some decent beater/newb real automatics. fossil is not currently making these. they are just old stock. at the outlet prices i cannot see anyone getting a better automatic if they have less than a bill to spend. i mean like way less than a bill lol. who shops for fossil retail anyhow? i got the me9020 for when i am thinking i may damage something. it is a decent watch although the silicone strap has a buckle. not that big a deal though. there was an armani from the absurd retail of $545 to $99. at $99 i also think it was the best anyone is going to do for that money. $50 ebay watches are not always a safe bet. here you see what you are getting. i would steer very clear of the twist though. it is for one thing a faker. the other issue is hardly anyone can replace the battery in this "automatic". one thing i will hand to them is the 11 year warranty. that is unheard of on 100 grand watches!

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

My Casio ProTrek PRW-2000 (with fingerprint) for the outdoors. Radiocontrolled, solarpowered and with triple sensor. I really like this watch.
 

I have the Casio Pathfinder PAW 1300 and it looks almost exactly alike.
 
 

 
If I'm going to buy a watch that costs $1.5 mil, it got look like it's worth that (although I can't imagine how that could be accomplished).
 

 

[jwhairybob]

Here's a couple photos I took of my small collection:
 


 
Panerai 297 GMT, Rolex Milgauss, Panerai 1950, Bell&Ross 03-92

 

[music_man]

immtbiker, maybe they could shape it like a little mansion lol! i wonder if anyone actually owns that one. i mean i have never even seen the top 10 richest people in the world wearing it!

as far as the fossil me9020, which is actually me9023. fossil is so cheap they tend to stamp the wrong number on their cases.... anyways it is a nice watch at the outlet price. the band is silicone which kind of sucks but overall i expected less for $60. i am hard pressed to change the band since it costs half the watch. i have way better watches but you can feel good about spending $60 on a mechanical watch that actually works haha. the fake rolex's and such for that price usually work about a day if you are lucky. then there is the fossil armani line. even at the outlet prices i see that as a huge ripoff. it is an italian name for a chinese watch. aren't the good ones supposed to be swiss anyhow(joke).

edith,jwhairybob nice avatar! nice watches too. do you own those headphones? my favorite ones(so shoot me).

 

[music_man]

i just got a $145 timex automatic for $25. it looks nice. i feel good about buying cheap watches. not so good when i drop thousands. i still like my better watches but many times i shake my head at what i spent on them. when something halfway decent costs less than lunch that is a deal to me. the other thing is i will wear a patek/ap anywhere or a fossil/timex etc. to any of the same places. i don't have anything for the purpose of impressing others. so i will wear that timex with pride! other than the crummy strap it seems an even better deal than the fossil from yesterday. i hope i am not boring people with cheap watches. i think they are just fine for what they cost. they do work. which is actually pretty impressive1 ahh, china.

 

[rasmushorn]

Quote:

Here's a couple photos I took of my small collection:
 


 
Panerai 297 GMT, Rolex Milgauss, Panerai 1950, Bell&Ross 03-92

Wow - what a great collection! 
 

 

[bhd812]

Quote:

I have the Casio Pathfinder PAW 1300 and it looks almost exactly alike.
 
 

 
If I'm going to buy a watch that costs $1.5 mil, it got look like it's wort that (although I can't imagine how that could be accomplished).
 

Even if you had the 1.5 you still have to be approved to buy one from the president of Patek also. I heard you have to go to two separate interviews and make it past each of them to be put on a waiting list to even buy a $1.5 million dollar watch...I don't want to imagine how many years you will have to wait after all that..
 

 

[ianmedium]

Even if you had the 1.5 you still have to be approved to buy one from the president of Patek also. I heard you have to go to two separate interviews and make it past each of them to be put on a waiting list to even buy a $1.5 million dollar watch...I don't want to imagine how many years you will have to wait after all that..
 

Your quite right on this and also I can add a little more info in what is involved as I actually have a friend who is working towards being approved for this model.

You also have to have purchased at least four of Patek's grand complications as well and not all in one go. He went to get another a few weeks ago and Patek said he had been purchasing watches too close together so has to wait a few months.

I think the intention is for the watch to go to true Patek enthusiasts and thus hopefully it then does not go onto the grey market so easily.

I was fortunate to see this watch in person a short while ago. I have to be honest. If I had that sort of money To spare on a watch purchase I would have it in a heartbeat! When one thinks here in Vancouver for instance the price of this watch will only get you a shoddily built condo that will never appreciate in value like this watch will I would rather have the watch.

Think of this watch as fine art, an old master and you then get close to why this watch costs what it does. It truly is exquisite.

 

[zzzxtreme]

never wear watches in my life, but 2 years ago I found one that I really like, wearing it still
 
 

 

[music_man]

i was under the impression you could add it to your cart on that site. i take it i was wrong then. not that it matters to me haha. i also just realized i posted a link to a 1.5 mil watch and in the two following days preceded to purchase a fossil and timex, i even humor myself sometimes