Post by carl on Oct 9, 2016 1:16:02 GMT -6
SBGV019
Movement: 9F82 Quartz
3 years battery life
Accuracy +/-5secs/year
Functions: Date
Case: SS
Bracelet: SS
Lug Width: 19mm
Water Resistance: 10ATM/100m/330ft
Dial: Champagne
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10mm
Tonight, I looked back to February this year, when I first spotted this model online. At the time I found it very controversial, as did most of us on the forums, due to the fact that it is a quartz watch with a sapphire display case back. It was not until just over six weeks ago, when I saw the watch in real life, that I totally changed my opinion. The watch is a total masterpiece. There is not one single thing about it that I would change.
At 38mm it wears a fair bit larger than it's dimensions would dictate, especially in comparison to the slightly smaller 37mm SBGX063. This is due mainly to the larger dial, thinner bezel and the pronounced crown guards. The markers are also quite long and thin. The crown guards, larger crown and display case back all contribute to it's uniqueness in the world of quartz watches. Among other characteristics, it's uniqueness is what I find most appealing.
Here the crown guards and generous crown size are most apparent:
I am as proud to own this watch with it's exceptional movement, as Grand Seiko is to display it:
The champagne sunburst dial is sublime, and the blued second hand adds greatly to the aesthetics. It seems that each day I look at or wear the watch, I discover something interesting about it. Today, I was doing some more research, and found out that although it shares the champagne sunburst dial with the 40mm SBGV005 and the 37mm SBGX063, and they all have a date function, the SBGV019 is the only one to have a silver date wheel. The other two have white. Being very OCD about date functions on watches in general, this fact makes the watch even more outstanding to me. I tried to find a photo where the silver date wheel is most apparent:
I won't go into detail, only to say that I find the profile of the watch to be very unique as well, even within the realm of Grand Seiko. Perhaps that can be said about almost each and every Grand Seiko model, though:
The Zaratsu polishing technique is most evident where the case extends into the crown guards. And this is the only Grand Seiko I own which has all polished hands, for legibility. Most other models have hands brushed on top, and polished at the sides :
Lastly, here is a comparison shot with my SBGX059 which has the Polar White dial. The readability of the date is slightly better on the SBGV019 due to the slightly larger date window, and larger font. A very nice touch is the use of an actual applied marker, or partial marker, beside the date window:
The SBGV019 uses the slightly more accurate 9F82 movement, the SBGX models use the 9F62 movement. Both offer exceptional accuracy, one to +/-5secs/year and the other to +/-10secs/year. Grand Seiko grows it's own quartz, and I gather the difference in accuracy is due to the higher quality of quartz used in the 9F82 movement.
This is a beautiful and fascinating watch, and possible the one I would choose out of my four Grand Seikos if I could only have one.
Cheers,
Carl
Movement: 9F82 Quartz
3 years battery life
Accuracy +/-5secs/year
Functions: Date
Case: SS
Bracelet: SS
Lug Width: 19mm
Water Resistance: 10ATM/100m/330ft
Dial: Champagne
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10mm
Tonight, I looked back to February this year, when I first spotted this model online. At the time I found it very controversial, as did most of us on the forums, due to the fact that it is a quartz watch with a sapphire display case back. It was not until just over six weeks ago, when I saw the watch in real life, that I totally changed my opinion. The watch is a total masterpiece. There is not one single thing about it that I would change.
At 38mm it wears a fair bit larger than it's dimensions would dictate, especially in comparison to the slightly smaller 37mm SBGX063. This is due mainly to the larger dial, thinner bezel and the pronounced crown guards. The markers are also quite long and thin. The crown guards, larger crown and display case back all contribute to it's uniqueness in the world of quartz watches. Among other characteristics, it's uniqueness is what I find most appealing.
Here the crown guards and generous crown size are most apparent:
I am as proud to own this watch with it's exceptional movement, as Grand Seiko is to display it:
The champagne sunburst dial is sublime, and the blued second hand adds greatly to the aesthetics. It seems that each day I look at or wear the watch, I discover something interesting about it. Today, I was doing some more research, and found out that although it shares the champagne sunburst dial with the 40mm SBGV005 and the 37mm SBGX063, and they all have a date function, the SBGV019 is the only one to have a silver date wheel. The other two have white. Being very OCD about date functions on watches in general, this fact makes the watch even more outstanding to me. I tried to find a photo where the silver date wheel is most apparent:
I won't go into detail, only to say that I find the profile of the watch to be very unique as well, even within the realm of Grand Seiko. Perhaps that can be said about almost each and every Grand Seiko model, though:
The Zaratsu polishing technique is most evident where the case extends into the crown guards. And this is the only Grand Seiko I own which has all polished hands, for legibility. Most other models have hands brushed on top, and polished at the sides :
Lastly, here is a comparison shot with my SBGX059 which has the Polar White dial. The readability of the date is slightly better on the SBGV019 due to the slightly larger date window, and larger font. A very nice touch is the use of an actual applied marker, or partial marker, beside the date window:
The SBGV019 uses the slightly more accurate 9F82 movement, the SBGX models use the 9F62 movement. Both offer exceptional accuracy, one to +/-5secs/year and the other to +/-10secs/year. Grand Seiko grows it's own quartz, and I gather the difference in accuracy is due to the higher quality of quartz used in the 9F82 movement.
This is a beautiful and fascinating watch, and possible the one I would choose out of my four Grand Seikos if I could only have one.
Cheers,
Carl
