The Grand Seiko SBGA413 ("Cherry Blossom")

It's a Sunday morning and it has definitely gotten chilly early mornings in Flagstaff, AZ. Today was just another lazy morning and for me it just had something a little special in the air. I just picked up two new watches yesterday and they both are unique in their own ways. Two more Grand Seikos to add to my already existing SBGW253. So I wore one of the watches and made my way to the coffee shop to write this article.

It really started out about 2 months ago when I started trying to shortlist my next watch to acquire. This was an important one for me cause after a few years of planning and sacrifice we (my wife and I) had achieved what we set out to do and we both wanted to celebrate in our own ways. After weeks of relentlessly searching for the next acquisition, reading blogs, watching you tube videos and a ton of research I arrive at the Rolex GMT Master 2, BLRO, more well known as the Batman, the first blue black version on the oyster bracelet. It was exciting to just have arrived at that decision. I might share more at a later date on why this was my watch choice and how I arrived at it. But for now a choice was made, I was at peace, and the hunt was on to find the watch, preferably with box and papers at the best price possible. But this is 2019, the sports Rolex market has been on fire this year and even pieces such as the more common steel explorer or the submariner cannot be found just walking into a boutique. This is a complete shame because the premium on my next great acquisition was almost 30-50% over retail, how ridiculous, how unfair……..but maybe just maybe I can look at it at an investment, maybe it will appreciate even more and I would feel good about over spending and blowing my budget on this one watch. The flood gates had opened and all these thoughts started to cloud my judgement, making me rationalize my choice, wearing me down and making it harder and harder to resist the urge to pull the trigger. I know this feeling……..I have felt it before. What typically follows is buying the piece, a momentary sense of confused joy followed by remorse and guilt because I just made a choice that cost me something else. I live in guilt overtime the piece wraps my wrist and swallow the pill of bitter sweet choices. Aaah the cycle of the middle class - aspire, save, over reach, regret, remorse, let time heal the soul, rinse and repeat. Anyway, it was all about finding a deal now…..ebay, Chrono24, the watch was there everywhere…..it actually is not even a rare piece, Chrono24 had 24 pages of the model of watch for sale but all well above retail, each seller hoping to make a killing on their item. How many of these people are genuine watch collectors, dealers or flippers is anyones guess. But the search and the anxiousness to get this piece finally took its toll. I told myself, I will get this piece but directly from a dealer and will definitely not pay above retail for it. I was a little disgusted with the Rolex market. Granted they are fantastic tool watches and I put my Tudor through the ringer when I wear it but the madness around the market, demand and pricing is so artificially bloated that I felt it did not warrant my further attention. It was right around this time that I saw a video on a new watch announcement on youtube, the Grand Seiko SBxxxxx.

Yup….I know those are “xxxxx” and that is not a typo. More on that piece for a later article. Now for those of you who don't know Grand Seiko is the luxury brand under the Seiko banner and had been around since the 1960s. The entire product is hand finished and parts of the products including aspects of the moments and dial work are made by famed micro artisans and they have gained incredible reputation lately for the fantastic creations. Additionally as per the dealer Grand Seiko’s production numbers are in the high 30,000s, of which 80% of the inventory never leaves Japan. Which means there are 6000 pieces for the rest of the world to share. Compare that to the over 800,000s inventory of Rolex watches made every year which is hyped up and stifled by an artificial lack of inventory, you definitely get a ton more exclusivity with the Grand Seiko creations. I am well aware of this feeling again because sometimes the thought occurs to trade my SBGW253 either for a Patek or any other Calatrava-esque piece, and I cannot find a product that would give me a better finished or a better quality movement than that of the Grand Sieko. 

During me researching this cryptic SBxxxxx (which I had more or less made up my mind to buy), there was another watch announcement that vied for my attention. This watch was the SPGA413, the spring watch in the seasons collection that was launched exclusive for the USA. Like Grand Seiko's of the past that have been dubbed “Snowflake”, “Peacock” etc. due to the unique patterns on their dials, this one seems to have the name “Cherry Blossom” catching on due to the light pink dial color and pattern that seem to resemble the petals of the flower as they dress the ground during the spring season in Japan during the final weeks. I believe the collection (watches representing all four seasons) was launched a little earlier in the year. Of the set of watches that make the collection, the Cherry Blossom is of course the star and seems to be selling out at a lot of locations. In addition to the other mystery Grand Seiko SBxxxxx I was interested in, I really wanted to see this Cherry Blossom watch in person, on the wrist to know what it looked and felt like and if it really was as beautiful as it seemed. Additionally the idea of a male pink dial watch might be odd to some and I was definitely one of them so I really had to clear some issues. But nothing really prepared me for the reaction when I saw this watch. First of all the pink in the dial quickly fade into the subconscious as the texture of the cherry blossom representing petals takes over providing you with a depth-drawing you in and evoking an emotion, a sense of serenity like none other. The dial feels more like a canvas on your wrist and less of a pink dial. Couple this with the shock of picking up the titanium case and I was is disbelief. I even told the dealer that the strap felt so light it reminded me of old rolex watch band with the hollow end links. But it this case there was nothing hollow here, this was Grand Seiko’s high intensity Titanium. A material that other prefer not to machine cause the powders are extremely flammable. Suddenly in comparison the Pelagos on my wrist  (also made of Titanium) felt like a boat anchor. This watch weirdly spoke to me at so many levels. The case has a combination of brushed and mirror polished finishes and polishing Titanium to this degree is no joke. The raised dual curved sapphire crystal actually looks a bit like acrylic crystal in the way it catches the light which adds to the sensation of lightness like the rest of the story being told here. The spring drive movement was naturally the only way to go for this piece as the gentle sweep of the second hand evokes the passing of seasons. All together, this attempt of me evaluating the piece landed up ending with a full blown obsession of wanting to own the piece right there. I did NOT see this coming. Is there anything I don’t like about this watch? well its the way the bracelet clasp does not fit flush when locked. Feels like a bit of oversight on perfection. But that did not dissuade me from making a choice. 

The SPGA413 on my wrist on a beautiful sunny day

Long story short I landed up walking out with this watch and I truly enjoy wearing it and looking at it. It fits in nicely with my watch collection and what I admire in watches. This watch is unique, a total knockout and the absolute star of the seasons collection. If you have been on the fence, considering it or even just heard about it and brushed it off, do yourself a favor and go look at this piece in person. 

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Paul Riggs at Hydepark Jewelers for sharing some of the details and specifics related to the Grand Seiko brand.