King Seiko SPB285 First Impressions and GS Comparison

Hey guys,
I had to get this out and chat about it a bit.
Hope you enjoy!
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[@inscriptionmail5185]

the watch is pretty amazing I would have not mind pay few more hundred to have the 6L35 he would have made the watch thinner and its a more refined mouvement

[@rage8kage]

It's a classic design. It deserved a higher movement. A proper high beat "special". Possibly with 70hr reserve. As it is it's barely worthy of the Lordmatic/ lord seiko name let alone ks

[@Itchyfeet4077]

I agree but like that this is a no date dial and would like them to bring out a 6L31 version for this watch.

[@bruceleroy8063]

Lol you're self awareness is refreshing my friend. One of the reasons I come here. We are infinitely valuable because of the price paid for us.

[@triniboy05]

Amen!

[@engineer_wannabe]

Amen indeed! Thanks Bruce! You are too kind!

[@swiss86watches]

I just subscribe I love your message in the beginning and thank you for loving SEIKO from Japan 🇯🇵🙏🙏🙏I also gifted myself this King SEIKO for my 38 birthday 🎉

[@rbcroosendaal7381]

Wonderful King Seiko

[@omara5079]

I heard the baby and thought it was my daughter :) congratulations! And congrats on the watch too

[@stimsonromano2258]

Great review big love from Australia 😊

[@timelesssneakersandwatches]

I think I want this one 😍

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha two thumbs up from me 😛

[@chia-mingyang5804]

Details are well designed and finished. I prefer this to the LE KSK except the movement (that's why I didn't pull the trigger, though I really like the burgundy dial one).

[@ronin7106]

I agree. 6R31 may be a deal breaker for others but apart from that, there may be nothing else to find fault about it..

[@carlito1777]

@@ronin7106 if they are all 1s/d like this one; I would have no complain about it. This dude as a cosc within certification standard is arch with a good finishing and a very good design for 1700€ vs 3000€ to 4000€ at least with a good movement. Le ksk is 3400€ with no bracelet, with 6L and entry level gs is 4500€ with the most basic movement from gs (no spring drive, no 36000 hi beat, and I am pretty sure it is handwinding movement), no bracelet and case don’t look any special (dial is amazing but pretty close of the ksk); the entry level quartz gs is 2200€ 37mm with bracelet; I am pretty sure seiko can offer a ksk high accuracy quartz for 1200€ using the 8j movement. For me ksk need to keep in that spot and in a spot far from grand seiko; With simpler dial designs (no snowflake, birch etc; nor artistic dials like credor), a lot of colours to choose the dial, great machine case finishing at a high level, saphir cristal with ar, great hands and indexes, smaller diameters, iconic bracelets and a lot of leather straps to custom it, nice wr at 100m for all if possible, not expensive movements but selected and regulated (6r for cheaper options, some thinner 6l and quartz options with 8j and why not Astron solar gps one to be the most accurate ksk). I would see it thinner at 10mm max. I have a yema superman armée de l’air that is a diver watch that is only 10,5mm thick.

[@jayon467]

Just got the king seiko 110th anniversary with the turtle shell dial!! It looks amazing! Good video

[@sandsoftime3248]

I like the red one a lot! Congrats on the KSK pick up

[@engineer_wannabe]

The red one is really nice!! Thanks so much Sam!

[@nikmansol]

Love the effort and I am looking at those 2 options at the moment really helpful. I like your style and effort

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thank you very much for watching and for your kind words 🙂

[@gmshadowtraders]

The King is back, back, back baby!

[@juanreyes7992]

Thank you Sanjay!

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much Juan 🙂

[@underachievingwatchcollect1878]

Looks great on your wrist Sanjay! You are infinitely valuable as well 😄.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha thanks so much UWC! 🙌❤️

[@Nefville]

I don't know if you saw it but Seiko made a purple gradient dial KS. Oddly its boutique only and goes for 1800 CHF (said the article) which seems absurd but it is very good looking. PS you're right, the finishing is fantastic, makes it worth the price IMO.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Nef! Thanks for the tip, that lavender dial is beautiful! 😍

[@Nefville]

@@engineer_wannabe No way, I recommended a Seiko Sanjay has never heard of? Hell hath frozen over! 😂😂

[@carlito1777]

Why is it more expensive? The dial looks that it is another material, enamel? Yeah, people focus on the movement but no mechanical movement is accurate. Most value is not in the movement and besides not being a handmade watch not an artistic watch, it has everything of a high end watch just like he showed, for a fraction of the price. Plus this one seems to be very accurate, probably a 6r selected especially and regulated. If all ksk are as accurate and has that look and finishing, this is a bargain compared to a rolex oyster perpetual 36mm. Both in same category 36-37mm no date sport watch with metal bracelet, at least 100m wr, at least 70h of power reserve, about the same accuracy, history and reckoned brands and looks. Op is better in wr with 150m and screw down crown and has 72h of power reserve plus white gold indexes. However 100m of wr are enough for this type of watch, and 70h are enough too and the rolex has only 2h more power reserve; the ksk indexes are very good and hands look way better on ksk. For 1700€ vs 5000€ at retail price for those who get the rolex at retail price; the difference is big imo. I would take the ksk everytime over the op even with the 6r31 if this one is selected and regulated. And I love the op.

[@carlito1777]

@@engineer_wannabe yeah I am looking into this one but don’t know if the colour isn’t too much for everyday use in the office (I have different colours of suits).

[@Nefville]

@@carlito1777 I agree 100% watches like this make a whole lot of luxury watches look ridiculous. This watch is very clearly luxury quality, the finishing is impeccable. Well worth the cost and I think I was wrong, the purple dial may be the same price, for some reason I thought the KS was $600ish USD. Not sure where I got that.

[@chazfromtheburg]

What a beauty! Looks amazing on wrist! Great job on the video! 🥳

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much for all your encouragement, Chaz! Need to catch up with you!

[@AZClayton]

That one is surprisingly nice. I just wish it was a 39-40mm diameter. You are infinitely valuable as well Sanjay.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much my friend! 😀

[@gianlucabassi8853]

Noooo noooo nooo...another bad 40mm beast???

[@carlito1777]

Only 1 seconde per day? That’s cool, maybe they select and regulate the 6r31 before putting it in a ksk. This colour looks amazing, thought it was brown but not, it is black with some gold dark brown tones. Looks good on your arm, not smal/not big. I love this new ksk.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much for watching, my friend! That would be interesting to know if they spend a bit more time on the movement with this one…though I’m still a bit skeptical. I’m looking forward to hearing from other owners if their pieces are accurate as well!

[@carlito1777]

@@engineer_wannabe yeah! That’s why i used « if »! But should be standard on a king seiko.

[@JaeWhite140]

I can’t wait till they drop the Seiko logo and just have the King Seiko logo at the top.👍

[@triniboy05]

I don’t think they would since the brand is still Seiko.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Maybe it'll end up being another Spinoff brand in 5 years 😛

[@JaeWhite140]

@@engineer_wannabe I hope so.👍

[@KRJoye]

Great looking Seiko timepiece. Luv the reimagined retro style case design and the finishing like you stated is amazing. Be careful with this one on your little wrist, those beefy wide lugs could be very vulnerable. Enjoy Sanjay, that retro brown dial is growing on me.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha thanks so much my friend. I'll be careful ;)

[@robcameron9351]

Love the brown dial, very nice! The movement gets me though, hopefully they upgrade it at some point!

[@Kevinx3]

Awesome watch! Can’t wait for the review

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks Kevin, Hope you're doing well!

[@PocketWatchTime]

Love the bracelet 😍

[@engineer_wannabe]

It's really nice. Thanks so much Patrick!

[@watchsixto]

Awesome king 🤴 seiko Sanjay I agree with you that images don't do it justice can't wait for your review

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much my friend! You're too kind!

[@EverydayWatchGuy]

Awesome watch! I'm guessing the SLA055 is a goner now....?

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha 😅

[@just-inedc2381]

Stunning 🤩! Now I want this watch even more!! Thanks 😊 lol 😆

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha Sorry! (You denitely need this watch 😉)

[@stargazer1059]

Thank you for the review. Do you think there is a way to add a microadjustment clasp on to the bracelet?

[@1968jpy]

Stunning 🤩 King 👑 Seiko. Your Grand Seiko is wow 🤩 amazing as well 👍🏻💯

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much!

[@AdamNegus]

Great video mam.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks so much Adam!

[@krenier]

Stunning wow

[@JimLecinski]

how is the legibility of the handset? looks like sometimes the hands totally disappear into the dial and seem hard to read?

[@engineer_wannabe]

The Legibility is quite good actually. Half of each hand is brushed. If it wasn't this might have been a hard watch to read

[@markusf6964]

Looks great and lot more comfortable compared to the SPB185. I have try on the silver dial version.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts when you do get around to trying it, Markus!

[@watchclubent.3956]

Hey bro great video, beautiful watches

[@XHobbiesPrime]

I know you eventually let this go. Was there anything about this that turned out to be an issue or dealbreaker?

[@snackyxchan]

The polishing you're talking about I'm sure they zaratsu polished as well like GS

[@LTTang]

Hi there 'EW', I noticed on several videos, you mentioned Artem sailcloth straps. I have a wrist size very similar to yours. Please do a quick vid about them. Thanks

[@engineer_wannabe]

Hey there, I've actually already done one 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKTPl5Svpsdmq6c Hope that helps!

[@LTTang]

@@engineer_wannabe Thanks. I just watched it. Does the spring bar hole fit the fat-bars from Seiko (your SLA055)?

[@ronin7106]

Thanks Saniay. Great pickup! I wonder if the bracelet on this would fit the KSK-LE.

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks for watching Ronin…that would be interesting to find out!

[@3ki3l]

can we get some different straps for spb185. 😊

[@challenger516]

What size is your wrist?

[@dototftvortic7708]

The only thing that I don’t like about this watch design is that the case edge around the dial is way too thick. I know seiko is trying to get a vintage king seiko vibe but it looks just too bulky

[@triniboy05]

Great video once again my friend! I think this illustrates one of the conundrums with Seiko for me, why would I spend the money on a GS, when this rivals it for a fraction of the price? How do they justify the delta?

[@chia-mingyang5804]

It's hard to objectively justify the difference between details and prices. But no doubt it will cost much more when you try to get closer to perfection. I own a 42k Credor, a 4k GS and a 400 dollars Seiko at the same time. Is the Credor 10 times better than the GS and 100 times better than the Seiko? For me it's a yes, but I am sure not for everyone.

[@triniboy05]

@@chia-mingyang5804 true, good point. I guess that luxury items in a nutshell. For me, Seiko blurs the lines within their own brands where I wouldn’t be compelled to get a $5,000 Seiko when I can get a GS for $7,000, or likely less.

[@chia-mingyang5804]

@@triniboy05 I don't have such rule. I really like Seiko LX series and would love to own one if I have a larger wrist.

[@triniboy05]

@@chia-mingyang5804 that’s cool, hope you end up enjoying it some day!

[@engineer_wannabe]

Thanks for watching, Jamal. Hope you’re keeping well 😀 Chia-Ming hit the nail on the head for my answer as well. The finishing quality on this KS is close but the quality upgrade is still tangible on the GS. Then there are the Spring Drive and Hi beat movements!

[@jlyt18]

whens the review?

[@davidb9531]

I prefer this to the limited edition King simply because it doesn’t have a shoe horned date window, people complaining about the movement on a £1500 piece finished better than a 5k Rolex 😂😂😂

[@engineer_wannabe]

Haha I too prefer this over the SJE083. This KS is just more interesting to me 🙂 Thanks for watching David!

[@jacktits2836]

Wrong movement in the piece deal breaker

[@TheCdM1981]

Beautiful 37mm ladies watch

[@PLBW81]

no microadjustment is a no go, you get it on a 400 Dollar Zelos...

[@samuellyon3511]

KS >>> gs

[@jimwashington860]

How is the fit with no micro adjustments? Is it difficult to size the bracelet?