RECOMMENDED WATCHING: A beginner’s guide to Grand Seiko

James Robinson

Editor’s note: Ever wanted to know why Grand Seiko is so revered in the horological hemisphere? Well, this video perfectly sums up why the doyen of Japanese watchmaking is considered the crème de la crème on so many levels. So, if you’ve got the time, sit back and enjoy an explanation as to why Grand Seiko’s movements, cases and dials are some of the best on the market, regardless of price.

For years, Grand Seiko was a very underground, for-those-in-the-know type brand; its visibility outside of Japan was limited, and its passionate supporters revelled in the arcana of cryptic reference numbers, nicknames and shorthand galore. All that changed a few years ago when Grand Seiko went global, but there’s still an air of mystique around the Japanese brand.

So, to help clear a few things up, I decided to run through a short explainer, providing a flying overview of some of the key details, covering off the basics around movements, cases and dials. So, if you don’t know your Snowflakes from your Spring Drives, aren’t too sure if you’re team 9S or 9F, or have ever wondered just what Zaratsu actually is, this video is for you. We can’t explain it all in just a few minutes, but if it clears a few things up or serves as the first step down the Grand Seiko rabbit hole, we’ll claim it as a win.