Grand Seiko SBGC015 Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Showcase Review

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Greetings. I'm Tim of Govberg and welcome to the world of Grand Seiko. Today, I'll be your guide to the Grand Seiko SBGC015 Spring Drive Chronograph GMT. Now, this timepiece is one of 500 made. It's part of the Black Ceramic limited series. The best way to unpack all the technology in this watch, is to start with the case and the movement, the signatures of the series.

The case is an extraordinary piece. Beautifully faceted, it brings out the inherent reflective qualities of high polished ceramic. Again, fired so that it's nearly indelible. The black ceramic is almost like a black gem, faceted and honed. Again, it does not show scratches and scuffs, any more than a sapphire crystal does. Virtually indelible in daily use. It's also light and wieldy and agile on the wrist.

Now, the watch also features titanium elements. Most notably, the case back, so that the combination of the two is effectively a union of high-tech materials for a high-tech timepiece.

Now, the watch features Grand Seiko's signature Spring Drive technology. In this case, the Caliber 9R96. Spring Drive, as you'll note from the chronograph seconds hand in action, features the only continuously sweeping seconds hand in high horology. All others, no matter how high beat, feature an incremental step of the seconds hand. Here, it is truly continuous and unstinted.

The watch features an 72 hour power reserve, the discharge of which can be followed along the reserve to march indicator at seven o'clock. The watch also features a second time zone, denoted by the red-tipped hand. That one makes a single circuit of the dial, every 24 hours, and it's used as your reference time. That is the time where you are not, so you know whether you're looking, for instance, at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., so you won't make that midnight or late night wake up call to friends, family, or business associates in far flung places.

In addition to the two time zones and reserve to march indicator, the watch also features a sophisticated chronograph. The dial layout is logical, chronograph seconds at center with superimposed chronograph minute and hour counters on the three o'clock side of the dial. It makes for easy reference. Likewise, the watch features bold local time hands at center. Alternately faceted and dauphine shaped, they have perfect length, extending out to the periphery of the hour track and the periphery of the hash marks of the minute track. Easy to read. All of it scalloped into an inner dial that provides a change of plane or visual emphasis as you move from center to exterior and back.

On the case back, you can see the caliber. Built entirely by hand, by Grand Seiko's watchmakers. It has exceptional accuracy, one of the hallmarks of the Spring Drive technology. The watch is accurate to plus or minus 10 seconds per month. Of course, Grand Seiko, since its very first chronograph calibers automatic winding in 1969, have incorporated a vertical clutch mechanism, such that the chronograph, when engaged, always starts without a jump, stops without a stagger, and resets precisely to the index at 12 o'clock. That's the advantage of the column wheel, a traditional function selector, which is crisp in a tactile sense, and the vertical clutch. The vertical clutch, of course, ensuring smooth operation. The column wheel for selection, vertical clutch for engagement, the combination of the two for ultimate refinement.

The watch does feature 10 bar or 100 meter water resistance. While the chronograph is often associated with land sports, such as racing, this one is also suitable for aquatic use. Now, of course, swap to a textile or rubber strap before you do, but Grand Seiko rates 100 meter or 10 bar water resistant as sufficient for most aquatic activities, save professional diving.

The watch does feature a very substantial and shear cut crocodile leather strap with a monotone brown stitch and a stainless steel deployant folding buckle with twin triggers, such that it's not friction fit. It does require positive release to open, offering you ultimate security when the watch is on the wrist.

You can learn more about this and all Grand Seiko models, by visiting our website, govbergwatches.com.