I was looking for a watch to mark an event, Grand Seiko was not on the "short list" but there you go, when I put it on my wrist, I said to myself: "this is it". There is always a subjective side to choosing a watch, specific to each person, then there is the objective side and when you look at it closely, this GS is wow! An incredible dial with a Mount Iwate motif, indexes, dauphine hands and a "multi-faceted" date window, a case shaped by the incredible Zaratsu polishing, a movement whose heart beats at 36,000 vibrations with a 55-hour power reserve, etc. So why isn't it perfect? It's probably a little too "clean", "clinical", its bracelet has no fine adjustment (not very practical in summer) and finally no quick date adjustment and that's a pain!! In conclusion, Grand Seiko is very serious, and I love it! Moreover, they have not increased their prices for several years, which is very very rare, isn't it...

Here is a very special Grand Seiko, which shows the other face of the famous manufacturer. A watch reserved for the rare Japanese "Master Shop". Here the elegance that characterizes the brand's consumer models is replaced by another DNA, that of performance and 21st century technology. We start with the materials used, with a titanium and blue ceramic case, just like the two-tone bracelet, for a unique rendering, a featherweight, and a solidity without equal in modern watchmaking. Then we lay our eyes on the dial, and there, new surprise. Large Arabic numerals in a very geometric font, a embossed pattern full of relief, large indices with a lot of luminescence. We are definitely on a sporty model without compromise. Then we notice the dauphine hands, very thin and slender, with the usual charm of Grand Seiko and an immaculate polish, and we breathe a little more tranquility. The 44mm diameter GMT bezel seems to belong directly to the rest of the case and fits superbly into this very light and readable sports watch. The crown benefits from a very special treatment with a recess in a particularly ergonomic titanium support that moves it away from the wrist for increased comfort and protection. The whole thing is enhanced by a 5Hz high-frequency movement whose components have been manufactured using proprietary MEMS technology guaranteeing tiny tolerances. This is what Grand Seiko can offer at its best, it is simply incomparable to the rest of modern watchmaking productions. I add that the watch goes very well with different types of bracelets, it has very rarely left my wrist since its acquisition.

This Grand Seiko is comparable to a masterpiece. I have always been attracted to GS dials, but here they have surpassed themselves every time I look at it I discover new MAGNIFICENT details I am lucky to have Grand Seikos like the Shunbun, but I have always regretted the luminous in the hands, here I have the solution at night it is a different watch the crown turns on both sides it is my biggest watch yet I have small wrists but it works great I let you judge! Oh yes I forgot, 2000 pieces including one in France for sure

First of all, Grand Seiko is the only brand in my collection that is not Swiss, is it the fault of the marketing of the big watchmaking houses? Probably. After some time of reflection on less "classic" brands and in search of something exceptional, my interest had initially turned to brands like Glashütte Original and Blancpain, without having a specific model in mind, although the idea of a green dial had remained in my head. So I decided to broaden my field of vision to Japan (probably helped by a famous episode of Duel Time!). A bit by chance, I came across this model, and there was no room for doubt! It was the right one! Refined, silent, subtle, with an unmatched level of interior and exterior finishes, this watch ticks all the boxes that interest me today in my watchmaking journey. Nothing is left to chance, without falling into the superfluous. This watch has all the characteristics of a dress watch, but offers such a range of colors that we are tempted to wear it in a more sporty version. There is no doubt, the emotion is there; having a Grand Seiko on the wrist is truly exceptional. One question remains: does the Grand Seiko brand suffer from the brand image associated with its sister brand? Or is it a deliberate and assumed choice of the Japanese brand which thus, targets above all the "connoisseurs"? In the end it does not matter, with its finishes close to fine watchmaking, Grand Seiko outperforms the brands that are placed in the same price range. We cannot therefore speak of competition...