Grand Seiko Heritage Quartz 40mm - 1 Year Review

Anthony shares his experience of owning a Grand Seiko quartz watch and explains why he loves his Heritage edition watch so much.
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Model Wrist Size: 6.5 inch
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[@watchgecko]

Thank you to everyone who spotted the wrong reference number. I've passed on the information to Anthony and next time we'll triple check the references, we really appreciate your feedback! - Mario

[@konbonwa]

So.. what is the reference number for the watch in this video?

[@dannycph]

@@konbonwaSBGP013

[@josesaurooo]

@@konbonwa SBGP013

[@lx95020]

Quartz is far superior, it's all about perception; the romance, the engineering and the heartbeat that an automatic has. I wish more high-end companies such as Omega would have (bring back) a few quartz models. Thanks for your opinion and video, much appreciated!

[@stephengarratt8027]

Have the 37mm black version and its amazing. The quality of the finishing, tremendous accuracy and a strap monster. Certainly not just another quartz watch.

[@NOLASkaGuitarist]

Me too! The SBGX261 has a matte black finish that's almost grey in bright light, but when the light is more natural it is one of the deepest blacks I've seen. Really lets the hands and markers shine, they seem to float above the dial.

[@carlmoulton5719]

What size wrist do you have and does it wear small! I have a 7inch wrist and have a 36mm datejust but 40mm seems to be my sweet spot?

[@nocturnalag7695]

Absolutely love, and I mean, really really really love, how smooth that second hand ticks. It just glides, not flicks over. It’s just so beautiful to watch. I so want this watch.

[@ronlysons6750]

I bought one of these in Jan this years. By far my favourite watch. It’s just lovely to wear. The blue dial is stunning and it is really comfortable on the wrist.

[@manavpandey1175]

This is truly spectacular. I love this review. For the longest I wanted to get my first seiko prong drive. But I’ll for sure get a gs quartz

[@watchenthusiastlondon]

You touch on something that I don’t find enough people remarking upon: the ‘thinness’ (or thickness) of this watch. So many of the Grand Seiko watches I have seen are just that little bit too thick… Lovely review.

[@Digital_Ken]

GS 9F Quartz was my first introduction to owning a GS watch that completely changed my view and opinions about a quartz watch, especially with its high quailty and standards with their quartz movement.

[@paulvon2378]

I just purchased this watch while in Japan for $2400 USD and duty free.

[@pradohealey3000]

Got a similar one in Tokyo this past March. Absolute banger of a timepiece.

[@paulvon2378]

@@pradohealey3000 I was told that to change the battery you need to send back to GS or have their AD do it to maintain the warranty.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Got to love an uncluttered simple elegant watch, especially one without an essay on the dial, made to the high standards of GS. I’ve owned a GS Quartz and a Spring Drive and both are fantastic movements. I love mechanical watches, but quartz definitely has its place in high end watches.

[@iandelrosario6076]

I have a similar watch and I absolutely love it!

[@gg.komorebi]

this watch is not the sbgp005 it is the sbgp013 😉 but it is a very nice watch with an awesome movement!!!

[@aussie8114]

Quartz watches are great. Anyone says different they get a 👊🏼 in the nose.

[@Engineersoldinterstingstuff]

Dont say that. They just dont care about keeping good time.

[@isaaclwarren]

do you think its really worth 3k?

[@aussie8114]

@@isaaclwarren many watches are overpriced.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

@@Engineersoldinterstingstuffwhilst I agree Quartz is great there’s a lot more to a watch than it being very accurate, if all I care about is accuracy I’ll look at my phone🤷‍♂️ putting money aside I’d take a high end mechanical like an A Lange and Sohne over any Quartz watch🤷‍♂️ even a Grand Seiko, and I’ve owned a Quartz GS.

[@Engineersoldinterstingstuff]

@@Jabber-ig3iw OK- I do not. To me even a low quality quartz accuracy of about 15s a month drives me crazy.

[@johnkidd797]

I have the presage GMT sharp edge and i love it. I also have a spring drive GMT chronoraph by Grand Seiko and it is truly a thing of beauty.

[@oes2546]

This watch is pure class. Elegant. Understated, not show off like Rolex. Beautifully crafted and engineered. The 9F quartz movement is actually a smart choice. Shows you know your stuff so to say.

[@loevhagen6984]

The SBGP005 has a 44GS case. The watch in this video has no 44GS case - because the reference in the video is in fact the SBGP013

[@henrywest7217]

GS Quartz is not only quartz watch that I'd like to have but it is the one that I want the most.

[@n.tfisho6491]

I've never owned or wore a watch, but over the last twelve months, I've been looking for a nice watch, and i do believe that i will buy this watch for my 40th just around the corner.

[@ge48421]

I've been wearing the SBGN013G for the last year. This is a very similar model with an added GMT hand. It's a great watch. I don't wear it on the bracelet, adjusting it for the swelling of my wrist caused by the desert heat in summer (43˚C) is a royal pain. When traveling this watch, 2-3 straps, and a small steel case G-Shock (GM-S2100) for water activities is all I need to carry for all occasions.

[@matteovrizzi]

thank you for your review. i have been thinking of getting one for some time now!

[@watchgecko]

Thank you for watching!

[@ihartmovies2885]

I'm considering buying one. The quality is tremendous

[@chowda4u]

There are quartz watches and then there are Grand Seiko quartz watches. They apply the same level of care and attention to detail as all of their mechanical offerings.

[@greenerick]

Nobody is going to stab you or hurt you for the watch because in Their Eyes, it's just a Seiko Yes, stealth wealth

[@etsmith176]

Classic design, perfectly executed.

[@MrKkramme]

Good video - and watch!! Love Grand Seiko - mechanical, Spring Drive and Quartz!!

[@watchgecko]

Thank you for watching!

[@BobLorrimer]

I too have this watch although my Grand Seiko (SBGX261G) has a dial which is jet black and is 37mm. I love it (however I feel a pang of desire for your blue!)and I also enjoy the silky bracelet, it's reassuring in it's weight and I prefer the neat clasp to the less attractive Rolex clasp. The quartz models are slimmer and the curved lugs extend down beyond the watch back plate which allows the watch to hug the wrist. The mechanical GS watches are a little bulky on my wrist. Try before you buy is the Mantra when it comes to watches !

[@benediktcaestecker]

-- the way you appraise GS sounds like music in my ears. Even more than the recent GS’s I LOVE historical GS’s from ‘60-‘75. I invite you to join the club … -------

[@exif6839]

This is definitely the best quartz watch available. Thanks to battery power, this watch will work also in 20 years too. My Quartz „Superstar“ from Casio, the Oceanus Mants S5000 is now 6 years old and suffers from solar power weakness and the knobs are not working well as new. Next quartz watch will be a GS!

[@TozTauze]

So what do you think about the "baby GS" Seiko Sur309?

[@jeeperspeepers8323]

Grand Seiko sbgx261 (37mm, not 40mm), Rolex Explorer 1, and Omega Speedmaster. The perfect 3 watch collection (for me, that is)

[@jojena_imm]

my watch as well! great review, agree to all points made. I had the chance to get an explorer 1 directly a few days ago. which is indeed comparable from a design and feel perspective and the most understated rolex there is. but I kept my sbgv 013 instead. exactly because its even more understated/under the radar. but a tough decision keeping in mind what a true legend the explorer is. well, the price points helps too...

[@watchgecko]

Thank you for watching!

[@LnFAdventures]

What is that white seiko you compare here?

[@Dialandhands]

I absolutely love this watch. I prefer the 37mm because it’s such a nice size. The only problem is that it has a 19mm lug width.

[@ImOothman]

Why’s that a problem?

[@theguywithcoolpens6466]

@@ImOothmanI guess because there wouldn’t be a lot of good strap options. As most straps at 19mm are made for seiko 5s

[@user-ik5mn8qv5z]

Plenty of good strap options if you just take the time and look around online. If your closest store don’t have 19mm then that store is not a up to date store. 19mm is quite common now days.

[@paulhaig2467]

I use 20mm straps and nato's on my 19mm GS without any problems at all.

[@mxvera1]

Great point! In fact, I am wearing a 20mm Bond NATO on my Rolex Explorer with 19mm lugs now.

[@carlashcroft6652]

Unsung heroes are quite often the bravest ones.

[@tiokusumarahman]

What’s the reference number of seiko presage?

[@borishuys]

I believe it's the SBGP013.

[@fatihylmaz1624]

Has end of battery life indicator?

[@georgeginel8932]

Excellent review.

[@watchgecko]

Thank you for watching!

[@georgeginel8932]

@@watchgecko is it better than Cartier quartz watches?

[@sebastiannowakowski5084]

I hate cheap quartz because mostly of the general misalignment and jittery ticking but this one just is so smooth and accurate. It’s less than a second a month, 10 seconds a year accurate and the machining and polishing is just great.

[@yoddeb]

Isn't that the SBGP013???

[@jhrodriguez08]

I’m not going to lie that I find myself among those who say quartz hell no….but this GS hand finished quartz movement is so refined and well engineered that I have to have one of them 37 mm is my preference though

[@MbrBuy]

Great, but I can't understand why GS has no lume?

[@oes2546]

The Titanium version of this is my dream watch. Its bracelet is a bit more sporty, which I like over this. It has my dream movement. And the extreme lightness (even for a Ti watch) and curvature of the lugs is likely to make it just about the most comfortable bracelet watch in existence. However, they don't produce them any more, and they're getting harder to find new by every week or month passing by. (And I won't be buying one anytime soon right now.) So I guess I'm out of luck. Hopefully they'll release an upgraded version of this 40mm classic 9F piece in Titanium as well, just as they've done with the steel version. For which just upgraded the movement in it and gave it a new model number basically. But I really hope the Ti version comes back on the market, with the same bracelet it used to have.

[@animarku570]

Whats the reference number ?

[@oes2546]

@@animarku570 SBGV231 (black), 229 (champagne) and 233 (blue)

[@M_MTsc]

As close to perfection as you get at any price point

[@user-ik5mn8qv5z]

The thing is that Citizen has +-1sec a year watch on their line but they are not in anybody’s topic when talking about high accuracy quartz movement. Grand Seikonis great and they are getting there with their “name value” but if you are buying a quartz watch, check out citizen too.

[@Alexpress81]

acura and honda came to my mind :)

[@gnirujan]

Small correction, this is not SBGP005, it's actually SBGP013

[@Dominik-dp7ww]

What is your wrist in mm?

[@watchgecko]

Hi Dominik, we have modelled this watch on a 6.5 inch wrist.

[@petermartin9494]

The Citizen Chronomaster is arguably better. More refined movement with annual calendar and the ability to move the time back and forth in hour increments. A fantastic titanium case and bracelet. The GS is is course excellent, I have one. You should be able to pick one up for a little more than 2000 pounds.

[@tiggxtreme]

I have the SBGP013 and AQ4000 (steel) Chronomaster which isn’t the latest and greatest, but I thought I’d compare them anyway. The Citizen has solar, perpetual calendar, nicer date window, more modern date change mechanism, better AR coating, better scratch resistance on the case and unique touches like how the logo and indices seem to float off the dial. GS has better finishing on the case and hands, keeps better time despite the movement being rated for half the accuracy (seems GS is conservative with their accuracy claims whereas Citizen expects ideal conditions to hit 5 spy), 9F85 movement does have jumping hour hand, and it includes a trimmer to regulate if it ever drifts, Chronomaster does not. I also like the design and wrist presence of the GS, very cohesive, bigger indices, the 9F ‘twin pulse’ tick of the seconds hand, and the deep blue dial with fewer layers looks stunning and feels more versatile than Citizen’s blue dials. Bracelets for these are identical except for lug width, harder to find 19mm straps for the Citizen. It’s hard to pick a winner, I lean towards the design of the GS for most occasions but the Citizen feels more fun, unique, modern and practical. The AQ6100 is the definitive Chronomaster I would pick over GS if accuracy is a priority, it seems almost perfect although very different price range.

[@rbrb288]

🐑🐑🐑

[@thegorn]

How is the lum, and the bracelet microadjustmenr?

[@schinza]

No lume

[@paulvon2378]

I would say Grand Seiko is comparable to Omega and Rolex.

[@stoic900]

Why is the date wheel not black?

[@lx95020]

The SBGP011 comes with black date wheel and is available.

[@gardnerfish5361]

It’s a blue watch

[@Aggnog]

Its strange that this has a capped stem on the seconds hand, it looks like the same one seiko uses on the Dolce SACM171, however most automatic grand seikos don't have this despite being a high end feature, and instead have a somewhat generic and ugly open top.

[@Bs-pe7kd]

Взял Casio Oceanus t 200 , чем то схожи.

[@kunalkunde7744]

A watch review should have its focus on the watch: dial, hands, date window, indices, specifications, belt/bracelet/strap, movement etc. Its focus on the reviewer should be de minimis, if not zero.

[@Nicool333]

I love this watch but it’s so hard to justify this kind of money for a quartz watch.

[@jamesmcdonald240]

I just received my SBP005. And for the price it was a little dissapointing. With no lume at all, Holes through the lugs and no screw down crown. Come on Seiko for the price you can do better. You can get a lot more watch for less with other brands

[@gregsmith7821]

Japan is where horology has been at for the last 50 years. Many of the features that they have pioneered, are completely unappreciated, by the Swiss dominated West.

[@d3xmeister]

Honestly I think the movement leaves a lot to be desired. No perpetual calendar, only 2-3 years battery life, compared with the old non-GS 8F which I prefer.

[@tiagovaz5965]

This is just one of the best quartz movement you can find today. Complications doesn’t mean reliability by any means, just look at Rolex. This 9F85 has +10s a year, service interval rumored to be 40-50yrs, hairspring mechanism that allows the seconds hand to tick exactly at each second index, the dauphine hands were normally too heavy for a normal quartz battery, so they engineered a solution so that the second hand actually ticks twice per second to power the abnormally heavy handset. This thing is "thermo-regulated" - it checks the ambient temperature 540 times a day and uses this info to adjust the frequency of the crystal to compensate (temperature is one of the biggest variables affecting the rate of quartz. Thus, it has a looot to be desired my friend.

[@PanSearedRibeye68]

So you pop a new battery in every 3 years? Not a big deal.

[@tomasinacovell4293]

SEIKO should called "Grand Seiko", "Seiko Grand", and any of the Seiko GS that aren't mechanical should be called Astron.

[@vvanced99]

The original first generation omega aqua Terra quartz is a similar excellent watch ref 2517.50 I believe

[@auforu]

Seiko - Grand Seiko - Credor . Credor is the pinnacle of dress watches

[@patrickol4300]

"unashamedly"!... wtf am I watching and trusting..ffs !!???