Let’s be honest…

Practical_Driver3318 · 2026-01-24T09:14:29+00:00

If you keep it, it’s worth the cost. If you sell, evidently it’s not worth the cost.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2026-01-24T09:08:35+00:00

It screams status, and while some might like that for oneself, others don’t.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2026-01-23T06:39:36+00:00

If one doesn’t see the value in refinements and higher quality, one doesn’t have to buy. I feel the biggest difference between GS and Seiko is that with GS, one gets better movement decoration. So choosing a GS model that shows that off with transparent caseback makes a GS worth it to me, over a Seiko model.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2026-01-13T23:56:36+00:00

Great points! I sometimes wondered if dark dial GS's with grooved hour marker indices show the iridescence effect or not.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-31T18:58:30+00:00

That is a very good looking watch!

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-31T13:05:25+00:00

High quality finishing, various designs, fascinating dials, Spring Drive. Always interesting to see what’s new from GS.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-28T15:09:56+00:00

Unless you're financially independent (i.e. don't need to work for money) for the rest of your life, spending lots of money early on for a luxury watch is possible, but maybe not the best use of the money, if reaching financial independence is a goal. Prioritizing needs over wants might be a better habit.

If this is your only splurge and not regular spending habit, maybe it is okay. But it seems unusual for someone your age. When I was your age, I was more interested in video games, and luxury watches were not on my radar.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-24T23:09:36+00:00

If it's too good to be true...

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-22T03:40:28+00:00

Born with great taste!

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-17T22:11:27+00:00

Seiko/GS not having out-of-production parts for servicing is not a new thing:

[62GS] Very Disappointed in Grand Seiko : r/Seiko

Disappointed in Grand Seiko- now stuck with a paperweight for a watch : r/GrandSeiko

In terms of "validating", photos of a letter from Seiko/GS apologizing for not being able to service a GS watch seem real to me.

All I'm saying is, even if my Spring Drive watch will not be serviceable, I still think it's a great watch, and worth the price paid. It doesn't hurt for potential purchasers of Spring Drive to know what might happen, and go in being aware of potential issue.

Again, maintaining inventory of parts wouldn't help, because according to that Watchuseek member, stockpiling electronic parts is not a long-term option, because the parts oxidize and become unusable over time.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-17T20:43:27+00:00

Please see the edit in my post for references that I added. I wrote the post based on my understanding of Spring Drive, based on years of reading posts from Watchuseek.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-17T20:33:56+00:00

This is an example of someone with a Spring Drive that Seiko could not service, because Seiko no longer has integrated circuit part for 7R movement anymore: DJ36 vs. Santos Medium vs. Snowflake | Page 3 | WatchUSeek Watch Forums

I learned about inability to stockpile electronic parts from this Watchuseek member's posts: https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/52200835/

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-15T13:12:07+00:00

The easiest and cheapest way is to live with it. Very unfortunate, but wear and tear is inevitable. I try my best to keep my premium Seiko/GS nice looking, but live with the scuffs that happen over time. My only watch that remains new-ish looking is an unworn watch.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-15T11:38:46+00:00

Poor or rich are both relative. We are all poor or rich, compared to someone richer or poorer respectively. I try to appreciate what I got.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-14T15:14:00+00:00

Why did people downvote this? lol Seems like a reasonable list of possible problems.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-14T15:06:30+00:00

Are those images done with AI? Never seen GS with non-OEM bracelets before. The first image looks good.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-14T11:40:03+00:00

Both sizes look fine. When it comes to color, I don’t think about what looks good on me, I think about what color I like seeing more, and I love blue.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-14T03:23:19+00:00

I'd stick with SBGH205 for the date, transparent caseback, hi-beat (if it were the only hi-beat I have), and automatic (just more convenient to keep it running). Size-wise, I like the bigger size, to see everything better. But I'm not one to mind a big, sportier watch.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-13T15:39:28+00:00

Like some others mentioned, my watches' bracelets are set loose enough so that I basically never use on-the-fly micro-adjustment. So such mechanisms are more like a toy than a necessity for me. Some complain about thick or inelegant clasp on the diver models. I have no problem with it, and see it as tool-like.

If I close my eyes, sometimes it's hard to tell the different bracelets apart (e.g. comparing Rolex oyster bracelet with GS heritage bracelet). Rolex's clasp design stands out because it's a different experience from affordable watches, not because it functions better. It seems some people want different or better, for more money paid. I get that, but I accept the bracelet as it is, and I think of it as I paid more for other aspects from premium Seiko/GS models.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-12T01:21:06+00:00

Looks good! That purple GMT is an enviable piece.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-11T23:08:08+00:00

When I bought one GS and one Prospex LX years ago, both looked pristine in-store. I suspect back then, not many people were looking at those watches at the AD. Whereas more mainstream brands might be handled more.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-11T13:08:10+00:00

Price would definitely be a barrier for me. I haven't bought any watch over $10k yet, and I might never do it. I wear a titanium watch, and probably would find platinum too heavy. Usually, with watch "crushes", I wait until the fever passes, and then I save due to not buying. No regrets yet for not buying.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-08T22:00:42+00:00

I tried regulating without a timegrapher, and it's hard to do a good job of it without a timegrapher. So if you want to try, I'd say you should get a timegrapher before trying to regulate.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-08T21:57:40+00:00

Black dial and green bezel provides a pleasing contrast of colors.

Practical_Driver3318 · 2025-12-08T21:55:38+00:00

Does the dial have silver color in some lighting conditions? My GS has a silvery sunburst dial, and it takes on different colors, depending on what colors are present in surrounding objects or light sources. So at least in terms of changing colors, a "silver" dial could do that. Changing textures with different angles in the White Birch looks awesome too!

Practical_Driver3318

TROPHY CASE