Are you familiar with the feeling when you first see a watch and are amazed by its beauty? I sincerely hope you are, because this feeling is what makes this hobby great. When I first took the Grand Seiko SBGJ249 'Shosho' Hi-Beat out of its box, I was in complete awe - and I had more than enough chances to get used to the unique aesthetics that only Grand Seiko watches exude. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to say that all Grand Seiko watches are positively impressive. In fact, some of them seem to struggle with the right proportions or color palette. Or both. But this model, the SBGJ249 'Shosho' (or 'high summer'), which is part of a seasonal collection of four watches, does not appear to be one of them.
The photograph above is my top choice because it's my best attempt to capture this stunning beauty that can only arise from perfect proportions. There are many good-looking and impressive watches, dozens if not hundreds, but achieving the exact proportions between surface sizes, between textures, between light and dark areas, and between different colors requires something special. Because all variations of these elements are proportional to each other, and this unusual 'WOW!' factor, at least for me, only occurs when everything matches precisely.
It feels strange to discuss overt beauty, as opposed to more objective merits of watchmaking such as technical details, finish quality, and legibility. At OneWatch, we rarely focus so much on the subjective beauty of a watch because it's exactly that: a subjective matter of taste, where your impressions may be completely opposite to the author's. But take my word for it, if you even slightly like this style of watch, or if you are in the market for a $5k-$7k watch of any other style, do yourself a favor and check out these watches. Why? Because they have what every watch asking for your hard-earned $5k-$10k should have. They may be in a different style, intended for a different purpose (diving, pilot, dress, or any other), but they should all possess the same magnificence.
'Inspired by the gentle ripples created by a warm breeze across thousands of lakes and ponds throughout Japan,' the SBGJ249 features a wave-patterned dial. Although up close it appears almost rough and volcanic with its grainy texture and sharp crests, from a normal distance it looks quite the opposite: soft, eerily reminiscent of a natural pond in a serene setting. The quality, as expected from Grand Seiko, is exceptional. The prints are sharper than one would expect on such surfaces, and the indices are installed precisely on the same plane, creating incredibly flat reflections with their perfectly flat top surfaces. Rough estimates suggest that 99% of European luxury watches under $10,000 USD fall short of Grand Seiko in terms of dial quality. It feels like most Swiss brands would charge you $6,800 just for such a dial.
Grand Seiko does not have the best track record when it comes to matching bracelets to designs - the SLGH003 model is a prime example with its odd matte steel bracelet, which only cheapened the look of an otherwise cool model. In contrast, the SBGJ249 'Shosho' excels at this task: The reflective capability of the Zaratsu polished steel case naturally extends to the bracelet and its polished inner links, link profiles, and beveled edges. It all looks very expensive. The folding clasp is designed as a tiny square that is subtly thicker than the surrounding links - the price of this neat integration and compact design is the lack of micro-adjustment, which I believe should be on every watch costing several thousand dollars.
Beneath the dial, but visible through the sapphire crystal case back, the Grand Seiko SBGJ249 'Shosho' houses the automatic 9S86 'Hi-Beat' movement, developed and manufactured by Grand Seiko, of course. It has a power reserve of 55 hours and a timekeeping accuracy (average daily rate) of -3 to +5 seconds per day. The fast-moving hour hand also allows for the date to be adjusted both forward and backward, and in the last position of the crown, all readings are set simultaneously, including the 24-hour GMT hand. Despite neat striping and an overall respectable finish, the movement isn't the most impressive: it is certainly overshadowed by the other elements of the SBGJ249 on the wrist.
Finally, let's return to the dial: depending on the lighting, as well as the color of the surface on which it reflects, the color of the Shosho wave dial changes dramatically from crisp silver through light blue to a blue with a purple hue. This play of color occurs with the flick of a wrist and covers a truly wide range, significantly enhancing the spectacle of the piece. It is simply stunning. The distortion-free Zaratsu polished bezel beautifully frames the dial, and the reflective edge of the box sapphire glass (with its relief surface) truly highlights these efforts to frame the dial.
An interesting detail is how the beveled edge on the lugs ends well before the tip of the lug, as the wide front face expands back to the edge, completely removing the bevel. When viewed from top down, this gives the lugs a concave appearance, which reminded me of Peter Speake-Marin, Boucheron, and some other independent watches I can't recall. The point is, it gives the watch an unusual look that is very refreshing after hundreds and thousands of the same old designs with beveled lugs. I wish the water resistance were more than 3 bar - I really don't see the reason why two of the four watches in this seasonal collection can be 10 bar (100 meters), while the other two, including this one, must be 3 bar. These are summer-themed watches that some might want to wear all the time - but a 3 bar rating will make some feel uneasy.
Setting aside the odd water resistance rating, the Grand Seiko SBGJ249 'Shosho' Hi-Beat is an absolutely stunning watch in every sense of the word. Priced at $6,800, they represent outstanding value among luxury GMT watches and are as striking and well-made as those GMTs you may already be in line for. You can learn more on the brand's website.