Reply With QuoteSnowflake. I think I'm going to have to scratch that itch one day....
A nice surprise in Knightsbridge today, the new Seiko boutique is already open, a 'soft launch' leading up to their official launch on the 10th. All the Seiko ranges are present, with more than half the store given over to Grand Seiko. I was told more models were likely to arrive in a month or so, but there's already a good selection of all movements, though not in huge quantities at present - they have two SD Snowflakes, for instance.
This deserves better pictures than a few dodgy phone snaps, but here we go anyway.
Just up from Harrods, carefully placed in amongst stores selling Rolex, Patek Philippe, Porsche Design etc., the intention is clear.
GS seven days are in the window, the various Seiko ranges in the front, GS gets the nice carpet...
A rubbish picture of some beautiful watches, the recent first GS historical. Sadly the £30k precious metal one is noticeably more appealing than the SS model.
And no shortage of watches to try, finally in the U.K.
You can work out the price differential from these. Sadly, it's still going to be cheaper to import them, but you can at least see them now!
Finally, they had a couple of these on show. There's been a lot of discussion about the new branding and how it would compare to the old Snowflake. Having finally seen it, I'd say it looks great in real life with the new look. The basic 9Fs like the SBGX261 (replacing 061) look very minimal with nothing else on the dial, which is a very different feel. But overall it works well and feels so natural I hardly noticed the change.
I left wanting to take a few with me, but not necessarily the ones I expected - it's great to be able to see them in person and know for sure. Hopefully someone will be along shortly with some better photos...
Snowflake. I think I'm going to have to scratch that itch one day....
Thanks for this. Looks very tempting, doesn't it.
Great news, thanks for the photos. Really looking forward to seeing the range in person, especially the Snowflake.
Is that the supposed limited edition GS (9S64 manual wind, 136 pieces) on the first pic for the London store? Always fancied a manual wind GS.
That snowflake looks really nice!
SBGW253 & 251 I think, in stainless steel and platinum, see here.Originally Posted by KingKitega
I somehow had assumed this was a Grand Seiko boutique, aimed at distinguishing the brand from Seiko itself. Obviously not. Mixing GS up in the same store with Seiko is surely not the way to go....
As we frequently observe here, Seiko is not ashamed of their main brand name.
I don't think the care that this might not be the best approach for the west (and especially not for the UK). If anything, they are playing a very long game.
Wonder if the lost price is high but then they discount at point of sale is asked etc. Otherwise some people will go there to try on and then import anyway.
They have a similar approach with other boutiques around the world, as far as I have seen.
Indeed, in fact compared to the Amsterdam boutique, this one is very GS focused, with upmarket pieces in the window, as you would expect in this location.
Last edited by Itsguy; 3rd August 2017 at 19:42.
Yes in going tomorrow lunch, boss is out
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My conclusions after the visit were that the dark faced GMT is a beauty, but is very thick, as with a few of the mechanicals - same story as current Omegas, the recipe for thin watches seems to have been lost in time. I found myself enjoying the 9F quartz in the similar shaped case, which wore much flatter on the wrist, and looked great on, also with the black dial (this picture exaggerates the size slightly and does it no justice at all). I'm missing it slightly now I'm back, there's nothing else in my collection that hits that particular spot, like something very refined from the future, instead of from the past like most of my watches. Hopefully I'll get over it!
So, why redesign the dials to remove 'Seiko' ? They really do need to work-out what they are trying to say.
First they complain for years that it has Seiko on the dial and isn't differentiated enough, then they complain that it doesn't ;-)
Though actually, it does say Seiko on the dial, but once instead of three times, and the watches are easier to differentiate from cheaper lines. Perhaps it will always seem odd in the west though - I'm still a little uncomfortable with highly priced non-GS Seiko, even though the SLA017 is a stunner. I guess some react against the logo and some don't in the end.
Yep. Had a chance to look in detail at both the old and new style logos in the Seiko boutique in Frankfurt. I think that, for the dials that already have a fair bit of text (e.g. GMT Hi Beat), the new style works well and removes a bit of clutter. For something like the Snowflake, which is probably the most pared back, austere dial of all, it's swings and roundabouts - the new style makes the dial even more austere but then, arguably, this is even truer to the GS philosophy of clarity and minimalism. I wouldn't be too upset with either ...
I think what's missing on photos of the Snowflake is the 3D texture of the dial itself, so there's a tendency to focus on the layout of power reserve and the text and miss the real point. All I can say is, in person it looks great and what you notice is the dial texture. But when I see my own picture of the very same watch I was looking this afternoon, you don't quite get the same impression and you're back to looking at the text.
The watches that feel the most different are the 9F quartz models like the SBGX261 that now have just the logo and nothing else at all. This is a big change and they feel like a completely different watch, a different concept entirely making a different statement, and in this case even more so than the pictures would suggest. They lose their connection wth traditional watches and historical GS a little. On the SBGV207 pictured earlier it felt quite fresh and modern, but I couldn't make my mind up about the smaller SBGX261, maybe as an owner I'm simply too used to the old one.
Agreed. The quartz models now feel very different, and a little bare for my taste tbh, but maybe it's just a question of getting accustomed to it. Am I right in thinking Seiko have never put "Quartz" on their GS models? If I were them, with their enormous electronic engineering heritage, and producing perhaps the highest quality quartz watches in the world, I'd state it loud and proud on the dial.
As for the Snowflake, you're right of course, it's all about the textured dial. It is lovely and unique but, after spending about an hour on and off with it and other models in the shop, looking at them all under a variety of lighting, I couldn't quite fall in love with it. The dial's matt/textured surface means it doesn't have the dynamism of the classic sun-bursts so, at least for me, it didn't have the same ability to surprise from/under different angles/lighting. Not that I'd exactly need a gun to my head to wear one.
Do they also do models like the MM300 / MM600 in there?
That's exactly what I'm wondering! Hopefully yes.
Fantabbydosy
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Thanks for sharing the shots from the new store. I look at the image of those beautiful heads and ask myself why don't they offer a wider variety of bracelets, say oyster, jubilee or those they do come with but tapered? IMO that would look more refined. I may be in London in Oct, hope they have a black faced Spring Drive to look at.
OOhhh Tunas?
Was really nice to finally see some Grand Seiko's in person, the Spring drives in particular.
Had kind of been hoping for some kind of opening sale, but that was perhaps a little optimistic!
Great news and I'm happy to see they are finally in London. Looking forward to having a look when and if I get back.
Yes this, and do they have models other than the dept store watches that people know Seiko for in the UK?
Have to get into London some time. Excellent news. Saw some GS Spring Drive in a shop in Reading about 10 years ago. I think Beaverbrooks used to sell them in some stores. They were around the £2k mark at that time.
Last edited by Tiny; 9th August 2017 at 08:32.
I'm afraid I don't know the Seiko range well enough to spot the interesting ones, though I did see some cocktail time style dials, and I didn't see a SLA017, which I would have noticed. They did have displays for all the ranges though and it looked pretty comprehensive. I suggest just calling them and reporting back, they'll be happy to help.
As nice as it is to have such a collection in the city.
For the price of any one model new, I could purchase two of them 2nd hand and have loads of spare parts...
Not with the new GS branded dials you can't, though importing is still clearly cheaper.
oh yeah good point, though i much prefer the old dials with the big proud 'SEIKO' at 12. :)
Then you can expect to save a little by buying an old dial model while both are available, though currently I'm not seeing any huge bargains on the outgoing models.
£30,000!
Is the strap made from unicorn leather?
On the whole I think GS's are wonderful watches, the photographs very rarely do them justice. Does this mean servicing will now be done in the U.K? As they have to be sent back to Japan at present don't they?
Hopefully they have Turtles and other choice selections from their cheaper lines.
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No but the case is made from platinum. It's competitive with Rolex for platinum case watches, I think.
Servicing on GS and SD has been done in the UK for some time now.
But not refinishing I believe.
Yes, so I understand.
Yes, I was in this afternoon and they have a good selection across the range - I saw a PADI turtle and the Red / Black variant on rubber. Also a nice Presage selection and a very full Grand Seiko display. They even have one SARB Alpinist in and I think some JDM models were available.
Saw at least one snowflake and they also had a 62MAS Re-Issue when I was in there. Alas I was after the new Samurai which is not in stock yet.
Staff were also very friendly and helpful - happy to let me try knowing I wasn't buying today.
I see a lot of GS online but have never seen one in person. Looking forward to having a nosy around
Wow thanks for heads up I'd love to try on a GS!
Been in there today. Nice little shop with quite a few models that you don't see anywhere else in London.
Silly prices though. I didn't take a proper look, so I might well be wrong but they were asking £3k for a MM300, or something looking a lot like a MM300
That's great news, thanks for reporting back.
Will have to pop in when I can.
Went today. Nice shop with plenty on display. Prices however...
At least I proved myself right about the new GS dials. New logo is very wrong imho.
They had the discontinued 9F diver SBGX117, which didn't feel big at all. £4500 though. Think these could be had for half that in 2014.
Tried SBGX293 as well. Fantastic watch. Hope I can still find the older logo model!
I asked them why is Seiko UK always most expensive in the world, but the girls didn't know :)
So who thinks they'll fit and adjust my MM300 bracelet as a goodwill gesture if I take it in?
Found myself passing by this place just now so popped in for a look. The different ranges are laid out quite sensibly, the staff very friendly (especially considering I had timewaster written all over me.)
I did feel sorry the staff with such a wide range of price points to cover. Someone came in and said simply "womens watches" and the member of staff was having to calculate where to start.
I often think that the lighting in watch shop displays make some watches look horrible. In this instance it make all the light dialled Grand Seiko dials look rather flat, and the two grand of white enamel almost tatty.
The cumulative impression, from the cheapest to the most expensive, was that Seiko do like making fat watches.
£3k for the sbdx017 !! No thanks
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Is the SBGJ227 (grand seiko gmt peacock dial) available?
Thanks in advance.
There wasn't one last time I was in there about a month ago. They emailed me about it in November I think but think their allocation has sold out now. Could be wrong though
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Ah right, is there a waiting list for it then? Might give them a holla in any case.
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