Grand Seiko opens a luxurious new Melbourne boutique, a statement of intent from the Japanese brand

Jamie Weiss

As dyed-in-the-wool watch enthusiasts, we take for granted that everyone likes Grand Seiko. But the Japanese watchmaker has always enjoyed a particularly strong following in Australia, ever since Seiko launched the label outside of Japan in 2010. Perhaps that’s a reflection of Australia’s proximity to Asia, or our multicultural, upwardly mobile population. I think it’s also a reflection of how Aussie watch collectors are more open-minded than most; willing to expand their horizons and invest in a wide range of brands. In any case, Grand Seiko is well and truly part of the mainstream watch conversation here in Oz, which is why we’ve been so hotly anticipating the opening of a Melbourne boutique, a development confirmed by Seiko Watch Corporation President Akio Naito late last year.

In 2019, Grand Seiko opened its first boutique in Australia in Sydney, on the intersection of Pitt and Market Streets in the heart of the Harbour City’s luxury shopping district. An ultra-modern store with a large dark blue facade, its positioning is a massive statement of intent: located next to TAG Heuer’s Sydney flagship, for years the #1 TAG Heuer boutique globally, and opposite the largest Rolex boutique in the Southern Hemisphere, Grand Seiko’s Sydney home is a very literal manifestation of how GS has muscled its way into the forefront of watch culture, standing shoulder to shoulder with Switzerland’s most successful watchmakers.

However, the Melbourne watch community has long been crying out for a Grand Seiko boutique of its own… And now here we are in 2025, with GS having opened its second boutique Down Under, in a similarly prominent location: at the entrance to The Block Arcade on Melbourne’s Collins Street, the main vein of watch culture in the Victorian capital (and also where you can find our Melbourne Watch Discovery Studio, which is just up the hill past the Town Hall).

It’s interesting how the Sydney and Melbourne Grand Seiko boutiques are quite different, and represent different aspects of the Grand Seiko brand. The Sydney store is contemporary and angular, reflective of GS’ maverick character in how they’ve disrupted the European luxury watchmaking status quo. The Melbourne store, however, finds itself in one of the country’s most historically significant heritage buildings – nodding to how GS’ creations are the culmination of centuries of Japanese craftsmanship – and features softer, more circular design cues. This makes each watch shopping experience meaningfully distinct.

Constructing a boutique in a heritage building like The Block Arcade is a challenge, but GS has risen to the occasion, blending elements of the brand’s distinct aesthetic with the 19th-century fixtures of the space. Spanning three storeys, light wood tones abound – a nod to the white birch tree forests near the brand’s Studio Shizukuishi, the manufacture where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are crafted – as well as bright whites and royal blues. A private bar nook stocking fine Japanese whiskies evokes a Tokyo omakase restaurant, with a spiral staircase leading up to a private lounge, ideal for getting hands-on with high-end boutique exclusives.

“We are delighted to open the first Grand Seiko Melbourne boutique,” Vincent Cuche, Head of Grand Seiko Australia and New Zealand, shares with Time+Tide. “The Block Arcade, with its historic significance as a luxury shopping precinct, is the perfect location to introduce Grand Seiko’s exquisite timepieces to a discerning Australian audience.”

Grand Seiko’s Melbourne boutique is located on the ground floor of The Block Arcade at 286 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, and is now open seven days a week. For opening hours, more details and to book an appointment, head to Grand Seiko’s Australian website.