brandon.c
161
Nice watch! ;)
I wasn't sure if I would post this reply, but why not. I am the owner of this watch (the real one) and received it towards the end of 2022 after about a 12 month process. Wako asked me if I would give permission for them to put a prototype of my model on display and I agreed to do so happily. The final product came out far better than I was expecting (keep in mind I was expecting a lot given the price 
and the process of producing the watch was very enjoyable - it wasn't just waiting for 12 months.
For me the primary motivator of commissioning this watch is that it was made by the Micro Artist Studio. It is my opinion that the work done by MAS is at a peer level with the very best independents, so having the opportunity for them to customize a watch to my tastes was very exciting.
There is a lot I could write about this watch, and maybe I will sometime in the future. Until then, here are some interesting notes about my experience with commissioning this watch.
- The process started with me providing some high-level ideas about the dial and the strap (more on this below). Grand Seiko designers then took those ideas and came back with a few recommendations. These recommendations included renders and even a nature-related theme as you would expect from Grand Seiko . Overall, the designers' recommendations were always spot-on and from what I recall I always followed their recommendations when design options appeared.
- After deciding on the lake Suwa dial pattern, the next step was to determine the specific dial color and how it should be applied. The first step was to nail down the color, so Seiko produced several dial-blanks with the variations we were considering. Afterwards different variations were produced: with or without sunray finish, with or without black gradation, and what pattern to use for the black color gradation. This took a few months and was a very important step as I was able to base my decisions on seeing a real dial rather than just a render.
- I was able to visit the new Grand Seiko Shizukuishi studio as well as the Micro Artist Studio at Seiko Epson in Shiojiri. I got to spend a day with Moteki-san and his team and it was a fantastic experience. However, I don't think there is any guarantee that a MAS visit is guaranteed. That being said, I do know that they give factory tours more generally so I'm sure there is a way to schedule a visit with Seiko - but I do not know how to do so myself.
- The watch strap is made by Grand Seiko with leather from Kyoto Leather. I first saw straps made by Kyoto Leather on some Credor limited editions and I thought they were fantastic. Unfortunately, I could not order such a strap from Seiko and Kyoto Leather themselves makes leather and not final products. When I provided the initial concept, I made sure to specify I wanted straps using leather from Kyoto Leather. Ultimately I received 1 standard blue croc strap and 3 straps using Kyoto Leather (I wanted some backups). The strap making process was also interesting as Seiko picked out a few leather sheets and I got to decide which specific areas of the leather to turn into a strap. (The leather has an organic design on it, so the different straps do look quite different). There is a very interesting video on YouTube showing some of the processes Kyoto Leather uses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvLCglBiSE8
- The final watch has its own reference number - SBGD211
- The caseback does indicate it is a unique piece. (No, it does not have anything printed on the rear crystal)
- There are some very special aspects to the watch that are not present on the display model at Wako. I don't want to encourage anyone to replicate them so I will keep the details to myself for the time being.
- Semi-related: Painting the dial of an Eichi II is quite difficult...
How hard could it be...
When I was told ”just use the tip", that meant the tip of only a single hair - not the group of hairs at the tip of the brush.
Bespoked
Stopped by Wako the other day and had a look at this gorgeous piece… it was displayed as a sample of their bespoke watch offering. What caught my eye was the amazing dial inspired by the ocean. What a lovely texture and special blue. Would love to strap o...
Supremely beautiful.
Thank you for posting the images here for us to 'drool' over. Cheers, Filip
Yes it is
But think the bespoke process is quite intricate and complicated to arrange from a long distance considering the many personalizations being made… and perhaps they do not have the resources to do so…
Very lovely indeed.
Thanks for sharing. I will plan to stop by the Wako next time in Ginza. I am looking forward to seeing these in persion.
Nice watch! ;)
I wasn't sure if I would post this reply, but why not. I am the owner of this watch (the real one) and received it towards the end of 2022 after about a 12 month process. Wako asked me if I would give permission for them to put a prototype of my model on ...
Wowowow
Brandon thank you ever so much for this amazing generosity to share! It positively impacts my perception of this piece considerably. It was gorgeous to begin with but now the level of specialness deepens. What a treat to read your spectacular experience. ...
Oh, one other thing
Thanks for the kind words. One other thing, I've seen Tim Mosso's recent video on the 8-day Spring Drive series and wanted to add that the mountain-shaped bridge is definitely Mt Fuji! I cannot be certain that you can see Fuji from the Seiko Epson buildin...
what an amazing detail!
your watch is nothing but spectacular, hope to see it appear here once in a while!
Good to know, but I also jest a bit.
I wanted to throw some local character into the review with the Japanese "Alps" mention. But the actual profile of this bridge is 100% that of Fuji. Aside from the blasted slope of Mount St. Helens, Fuji's probably the most distinctive volcano peak in the...
You are fortunate indeed!
I wasn’t aware of that GS had a bespoke program, do you mind sharing the price? If not, no worries.
Wow
Lovely piece. May I ask how you find it to wear? My initial impression was it wears quite well despite its 43mm and platinum case. Would have thought it was more too heavy for that reason but the short lugs made for a good impression but I was merely in t...
Thank you very much. Actually it
wears very comfortably and I don’t notice the weight much. It doesn’t feel top heavy at all. Really doesn’t even feel that big once you have it on. The watch amazes me. 8 day power reserve! Also the Spring Drive is mesmerizing and it’s deadly accurate. It...
Arghh
I posted initially as I was enamored with the dial of the bespoke piece… however I noticed how well it wore once against the wrist despite the 43mm and pt case… as you note it does not wear top heavy at all, felt quite balanced to me with a lovely heft I ...
Truly stunning
What a unique dial color, it looks great on you! Spring Drive is a Bonus!
Wow super cool thank you for sharing
And beautiful end product with the watch, congrats
Very nice look from this distance
but virtually anything platinum from Seiko is stratospheric in price, sadly. I would hope it's not due to what we call "shrinkage". I remember once on a Swiss manufacture tour the guide said, "It's not just the material cost that drives up the price of th...