4 new GS seasons - October 2021

[Cru Jones]

Stretching the seasons concept a bit thin IMHO with these dials, but still nice watches nicely priced.

SBGA437, SBGA439, SBGA465, and SBGA467

[sinkholeninja]

Saw the announcement this morning on the GS9 Club. I personally think that they are overdoing it with so many variations. Too much choice leads to consumer confusion and could lead to brand devaluation in the long run. Add to that a strange pricing strategy across both Seiko and GS brands and you end up with what what their CEO recently described in the FT interview as:

"Seiko has become a brand of no clear identity,” he says. “‘Everything for everybody’ ended up being ‘everything for nobody’."

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

Saw the announcement this morning on the GS9 Club. I personally think that they are overdoing it with so many variations. Too much choice leads to consumer confusion and could lead to brand devaluation in the long run. Add to that a strange pricing strategy across both Seiko and GS brands and you end up with what what their CEO recently described in the FT interview as:

"Seiko has become a brand of no clear identity,” he says. “‘Everything for everybody’ ended up being ‘everything for nobody’."

No one says that about dozens and dozens of DateJust dials, do they?

[brandrea]

I really like that silver dial

[alllexandru]

First one on the left, white dial, nice.
When too many is too many?

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I really like that silver dial

Yes, it's a beauty for sure.

Originally Posted by alllexandru

First one on the left, white dial, nice.
When too many is too many?

Well, there are 24 Sekki (the traditional way of expressing seasons in Japan). So, looks like there quite a few GS models still to long forward to. At least 12, I think?

[1William]

Nice watches. I prefer the silver dial if I was to get one. So many choices.

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

No one says that about dozens and dozens of DateJust dials, do they?

Rolex aren't making a song and dance about every DJ dial iteration. GS on the other hand are. Maybe it's to do with the fact that I see GS in a different light, especially when it comes to their dials, which are certainly one of their core USPs. They should keep them more limited imo.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

Rolex aren't making a song and dance about every DJ dial iteration. GS on the other hand are. Maybe it's to do with the fact that I see GS in a different light, especially when it comes to their dials, which are certainly one of their core USPs. They should keep them more limited imo.

Yes, to be fair, I hear you. GS is a bit heavy-handed with the backstories of their dials. Than again, I think that's part of the charm, IMO.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

Rolex aren't making a song and dance about every DJ dial iteration. GS on the other hand are. Maybe it's to do with the fact that I see GS in a different light, especially when it comes to their dials, which are certainly one of their core USPs. They should keep them more limited imo.

But everyone makes a song and dance when Rolex does five flat colour dials for the OP and a palm frond wallpaper pattern for the DJ. Grand Seiko has been doing speciality dials for quite sometime, and they do them maybe better than anyone else. Let them churn out dozens a year if they want to. They are already special, they don't need to be limited to make them more so.

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

But everyone makes a song and dance when Rolex does five flat colour dials for the OP and a palm frond wallpaper pattern for the DJ. Grand Seiko has been doing speciality dials for quite sometime, and they do them maybe better than anyone else. Let them churn out dozens a year if they want to. They are already special, they don't need to be limited to make them more so.

Everyone hyping Rolex (any and all references) is a separate issue that's caused by crazy market conditions surrounding the brand these days (speculative investing, FOMO, supply/demand imbalance etc.).

Anyhow, I'm not taking away from GS's dial quality & aesthetics, in fact I think they are great, but I question the need for constant iterations.

At the end of the day we all have different opinions

[sinkholeninja]

I just noticed the following, which is even a bigger issue for the brand:

The USA-Exclusive "Seasons" collection, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273 are now also available for purchase in the UK:

https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/collections/heritage

Not so USA-Exclusive after all. How's this ok?

[DJ2020]

I'm in! But would like the black dial switched to a nice green for spring.

[bibbi]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

I just noticed the following, which is even a bigger issue for the brand:

The USA-Exclusive "Seasons" collection, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273 are now also available for purchase in the UK:

https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/collections/heritage

Not so USA-Exclusive after all. How's this ok?

It is at least a quarter-old and broadly discussed info (unofficial before today).

Those in the US who managed to get 413 and thought they had great luck in getting „the scarce like Sub one” are probably .

Europe, Australia and Asia, on the other hand, go like .

This aside, of course such a spread of availability outside of US is not nice. Imagine that GS decides in 1-year time that SBGW273-5-7 are no longe 140-pcs limited US edition but decide to sell thousands of these around the Globe. That would suck…

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by bibbi

It is at least a quarter-old and broadly discussed info (unofficial before today).

Those in the US who managed to get 413 and thought they had great luck in getting „the scarce like Sub one” are probably .

Europe, Australia and Asia, on the other hand, go like .

This aside, of course such a spread of availability outside of US is not nice. Imagine that GS decides in 1-year time that SBGW273-5-7 are no longe 140-pcs limited US edition but decide to sell thousands of these around the Globe. That would suck…

Releasing a range of watches as US-Exclusive only to make them available outside the US a year later is false advertising plain and simple. In fact, their USA website still states "Model Exclusive to the United States" for SBGA413 :

[bibbi]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

Releasing a range of watches as US-Exclusive only to make them available outside the US a year later is false advertising plain and simple. In fact, their USA website still states "Model Exclusive to the United States" for SBGA413 :

Fully agree, just as I mentioned above (pardon if my non-native language skills are insufficient to convey meaning).

[Jackie Daytona]

I kind of had the feeling GS would do that. I was looking at the GS site the other day while I await my 413, and the original 4 seasons video from GS states the 24 (?) recognized seasons within Japan, and then cite the 4 initial releases of the series.

It feels like they may do this for some time, I’m just curious if they will discontinue older variants as they go. I would imagine at a rate of 24 seasons.

[alllexandru]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Well, there are 24 Sekki (the traditional way of expressing seasons in Japan).

Didn't know that, interesting, looking forward for the full season flavour

[Parapraxis]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

I just noticed the following, which is even a bigger issue for the brand:

The USA-Exclusive "Seasons" collection, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273 are now also available for purchase in the UK:

https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/collections/heritage

Not so USA-Exclusive after all. How's this ok?

Wow, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I was planning on buying a 413 but now that they aren't exclusive anymore, I will not.

I keep trying to like GS as a brand, and not just as a product value proposition, but man it's getting more and more difficult.

[JR16]

The website doesn’t say anything about these being part of the “seasons” collection - they are just new dials on spring drives


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by JR16

The website doesn’t say anything about these being part of the “seasons” collection - they are just new dials on spring drives


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Omg.

You are totally right!

I guess this morning I read the GS club email too quickly.

My bad.

They’re new Spring Drive models. Not new Seasons models….

Ooops…….

Sorry all.

[JR16]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Omg.

You are totally right!

I guess this morning I read the GS club email too quickly.

My bad.

They’re new Spring Drive models. Not new Seasons models….

Ooops…….

Sorry all.

No worries!
Glad my Winter is “safe”




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

No one says that about dozens and dozens of DateJust dials, do they?

There aren't dozen of datejust dials, try again perhaps. Even throughout the years a lot have stayed the same. GS has too many similar looking models, every year a new 'special' release. No one even knows the names.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by JR16

No worries!
Glad my Winter is “safe”

Such a nice watch.

[pkrussel]

So they did GS just change the power reserve indicators on these dials?

[duquephart]

Cheaper than Snowflake?

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

I just noticed the following, which is even a bigger issue for the brand:

The USA-Exclusive "Seasons" collection, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273 are now also available for purchase in the UK:

https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/collections/heritage

Not so USA-Exclusive after all. How's this ok?

How's it not ok ?

Is it really important enough to stop you liking a watch ?

Numerous dial options don't cause me any confusion - Do you get befuddled by the array of watch dial options, walking around WOS or Tourneau ? No, because if you like the way one looks, then you can buy it, and if you don't, you simply move along.
It's like raging that there're too many crockery patterns in Williams-Sonoma when you have no intention of buying anything from there anyway.

All that said, they're attractive, but not as arresting as the prior collection.

EDIT- and then I read your correction. So not Seasons.

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by asiparks

How's it not ok ?

Is it really important enough to stop you liking a watch ?

Numerous dial options don't cause me any confusion - Do you get befuddled by the array of watch dial options, walking around WOS or Tourneau ? No, because if you like the way one looks, then you can buy it, and if you don't, you simply move along.
It's like raging that there're too many crockery patterns in Williams-Sonoma when you have no intention of buying anything from there anyway.

All that said, they're attractive, but not as arresting as the prior collection.

EDIT- and then I read your correction. So not Seasons.

You’re missing the point. These four references, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273, were initially released as US-Exclusive. In fact if you head over to GS’ USA website, SBGA413 for example is still listed as “Model Exclusive to the United States”, which it clearly isn’t since these references are now available globally. So no, it’s not ok and it’s false advertising.

[LARufCTR]

GS remains the most underrated horological brand. The hand-built quality is just stunning and the mechanical accuracy on par and with some references exceeds anything Swiss. Yes they make a lot of versions...and I'm ok with that as quality and accuracy are consistently exceptional.

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

You’re missing the point. These four references, SBGA413, SBGA415, SBGH271 and SBGH273, were initially released as US-Exclusive. In fact if you head over to GS’ USA website, SBGA413 for example is still listed as “Model Exclusive to the United States”, which it clearly isn’t since these references are now available globally. So no, it’s not ok and it’s false advertising.

I'm not missing the point at all, I just think it matters not, that literally a handful more people will be able to buy one should they like it.
I would have imagined, that being in London, this would good for you, unless this has scuppered your plan to source one from the States, then brag about it's uniqueness and unavailability to your British friends.

But go ahead, rage away at this horrific injustice...