Grand Seiko movements

[jctrolex]

Does anyone know if Grand Seiko movements are hand finished or machine finished? I have heard both but cannot find anything that is definitive even the official web site is silent on it. I would think they are machine finished given the price.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by jctrolex

Does anyone know if Grand Seiko movements are hand finished or machine finished? I have heard both but cannot find anything that is definitive even the official web site is silent on it. I would think they are machine finished given the price.

Machine finished except the 8 Days series (Platinum and gold).

[jctrolex]

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by jctrolex

But on the dial side it’s as good as any out there, if you can bring yourself to stomach the Seiko name.

[PJ S]

Hand finishing can be a bit deceptive — it depends on whether you accept something akin to a handheld Dremel being used or only a bit of wood.
The former is commonly used by haute hologerie brands.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by PJ S

Hand finishing can be a bit deceptive — it depends on whether you accept something akin to a handheld Dremel being used or only a bit of wood.
The former is commonly used by haute hologerie brands.

Lol, yeah I didn't want to get into it.

Many of those HH brands nowadays use machine tools masquerading as hand finish. But those tools are still held by hand, so I suppose one can still call it "hand finished".

I read an article where Romaine Gauthier said using those machine tools one can do beveling in under 5 minutes.

[GB-man]

Machine but still damn decent for the price and the side you look at most is punching way above weight.

[jctrolex]

Originally Posted by tom2517

But on the dial side it’s as good as any out there, if you can bring yourself to stomach the Seiko name.

That's the reason it took me 2 years to pull the trigger on the SBGA211. Like you said though the dial side finishing is amazing, I have been looking at it with a 10x loupe every other day, it almost make the Rolex dials look sloppy. The movement finishing is actually very decent for the price machine finished or not.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by jctrolex

That's the reason it took me 2 years to pull the trigger on the SBGA211. Like you said though the dial side finishing is amazing, I have been looking at it with a 10x loupe every other day, it almost make the Rolex dials look sloppy. The movement finishing is actually very decent for the price machine finished or not.

It's normal to take a while, not easy to get over the Seiko name. Frankly most here in this Rolex forum will still not buy a GS, regardless of the finishing.