Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Grand Seiko Watches Of All Time

Choosing a favorite Grand Seiko was bound to be one of the more difficult prompts we could give to the Teddy editorial team. One of the most beloved watch brands out there, Grand Seiko has been around since 1960 but only began distributing internationally in 2010 and didn’t become a truly independent brand until 2017. Old-timers will recall the days when it was truly difficult to get your hands on what is now the Japanese luxury watch giant. Ironically the SBGA211, aka the "Snowflake," didn’t make the list here, which actually says a lot about the sheer volume of excellent pieces Grand Seiko has released over the years. So let us get to our editors’ picks for their favorite Grand Seiko of all time and, as usual, make sure to share your own pick.

Oh, and for the first time since we started doing these editors' picks, two team members individually landed on the same watch...

Mark Bernardo: Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition

Unlike many other choices for these Editor’s Picks lists, my favorite Grand Seiko timepiece was relatively easy to identify — because it is the watch with the most intriguing backstory as well as the type of pop-cultural, collaborative piece that the luxury brand is unlikely to ever make again. The Grand Seiko Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition, released in 2019, commemorated a pair of seemingly unrelated anniversaries that occurred that year: 65 years since the release of the original, iconic Godzilla movie by Toho Ltd. in 1954, and 20 years since Seiko’s invention of the revolutionary Spring Drive movement. (Grand Seiko, of course, started out as a product family of Seiko and had at this point been an independent brand for a scant two years). Both are milestones for Japan, of course, but what’s the other connection? Well, as sharp-eyed movie buffs may know, Seiko’s famous clock tower atop its Ginza-based Wako retail store makes a brief appearance in the film, only to be destroyed by the titular King of Monsters during his climactic rampage through Tokyo. (In real life, the tower survived the bombing of Tokyo during World War II and still stands as an icon of the city’s skyline.)

Despite this watch’s decidedly nerdy appeal, it is as stylish in its execution as any Grand Seiko you’ve ever seen. Its 44.5mm case is made from the watchmaker’s “high-intensity” titanium, with strongly angled lines meant to evoke the majesty of the world’s most famous kaiju monster. The dark crimson-colored dial has a radiating wave pattern inspired by Godzilla’s fiery-red heat breath, and the sharkskin leather strap was chosen to evoke the rough texture of the creature’s dinosaur hide. The Japanese watchmaker’s special connection to Godzilla is displayed — a bit less subtly, to be sure — on the sapphire exhibition caseback, which is etched with a rendering of the monster destroying Seiko’s Wako clock tower. In the 650 pieces in this limited run, the image replaces the traditional Grand Seiko Lion motif on the caseback crystal — yes, essentially swapping out the King of the Jungle for the King of Monsters. Behind that caseback is (you guessed it) a Spring Drive movement, the Caliber 9R15/65, with a 72-hour power reserve, a magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m, and a daily accuracy of +/- 0.5 seconds. 

As alluded to above, Grand Seiko has, in the years since this release, embraced more nature-inspired themes for its special editions, tending to leave the pop-culture partnerships to “regular” Seiko and its much more accessible product families. So this tribute piece to one of Japan’s most legendary contributions to the cultural zeitgeist is likely a “one and done” deal. But I would love it if Grand Seiko were to surprise us with another purely fun piece like this in the future.

Danny Milton: SBGM221

I like a good GMT and I like a watch that manages to create a fresh design motif around the complication. I own a GS GMT as well, just not the SBGM221. I wish I owned it, though. There is something about the ivory-colored dial, the blue GMT hand, the polished steel hour and minute hand, and the fully polished case that speaks to what Grand Seiko is all about as a brand. I particularly love the old-school serif numerals and the way they play against the dial surface. The brown strap adds a touch of dressiness to an otherwise utilitarian watch but also it only has 30 meters of water resistance (my only gripe) so it may as well be a dress watch? Either way, I find the SBGM221 to be an original take on a tired design format.

Erin Wilborn: 19GS S400

Rather than going with something that aligns with Grand Seiko’s contemporary identity, for my pick, I’m choosing to lean into the esoteric. This V.F.A ladies' model debuted in 1972 in the brand’s Special Luxury catalog. At its release, this piece had the most sophisticated mechanical movement in a watch marketed towards women that Grand Seiko had to offer, with an accuracy of ± two minutes per month. 

This model with its faceted, rectangular case shape feels novel, given the incongruence in its shape and size with any of the models in Grand Seiko’s current repertoire. The acronym V.F.A stands for “Very Finely Adjusted,” and was used by the brand throughout the 1970s for various models equipped with its highly accurate movements. Admittedly, there’s not much out there about this particular reference, as the ladies' model was exclusively available in Japan, and the only information on it lies in the aforementioned 1972 catalog. Still, Grand Seiko released other similar rectangular styles, often paired with dressy leather straps, in this era, often with muted, jewel-toned color palettes. Though I like everything the modern Grand Seiko has going on, I think it would be interesting for the company to revive this case shape, and maybe pair it with the intricate nature-inspired dials and Zaratsu polishing that have become the core of the brand’s identity. 

Jonathan McWhorter: SBGP007

My favorite Grand Seiko might be an unexpected one. It’s not a Spring Drive model, or even mechanical for that matter. It’s a reference that, for me, made clear that the Japanese manufacture is not just a one-trick pony. Believe it or not, it’s a quartz watch. The model in question is the SBGP007, a 60th anniversary limited-edition piece with incredible accuracy. For context: the typical 9F85 movement is accurate to an already astonishing +/-10 seconds a year. The SBGP007 takes this a step further with a specially adjusted version to cut that in half to a remarkable +/-5 seconds- a year. So as not to jeopardize that amazing accuracy, the watch also incorporates an independent hour hand to adjust the time without stopping timekeeping. Because, when you’ve gone through all that trouble to achieve that sort of precision, you really don’t want to lose it.

The watch is classic Grand Seiko with all the usual Zaratsu hallmarks and high level of finish. A perfect choice that I truly believe can “do it all” and be a real one-watch collection.  The SBGP007 is everything that I believe Grand Seiko stands for: high quality, commitment to high-end watchmaking, and value. When it was released in 2020, it could be bought for under $4,000 and these days can be found for less than $3,000. A steal, if you ask me. Considering the quality we’ve come to know from Grand Seiko, the limited nature (2,500 pieces), and superlative (ahem) timekeeping; that’s a lot of watch for the money and an easy favorite. 

Blake Buettner: Evolution 9 SLGH017 ‘Night Birch’ 

Grand Seiko released the SLGH005 "White Birch" in 2021 to raving reviews, thanks to the stunning dial texture and the innovative dual-impulse escapement set within the brand's own high-beat Caliber 9SA5. The watch proved to be a watershed release for the brand, paving the way for its entry into the U.S. market with plenty of well earned hype. I’ve always found the White Birch to be a captivating watch, but when Grand Seiko released the Reference SLGH017, aka the Night Birch, building on the same themes with a black dial and a titanium case and bracelet, it pushed things over the top.

The Night Birch is at once a celebration of Grand Seiko’s ability to draw inspiration from a distinctly Japanese landscape in the form of textures, and of its mastery of interesting mechanical solutions to bring a greater level of precision to the movements. The 9SA5 is a revelation, and housed in the confines of a lightweight titanium case, it makes for the perfect pairing. My only complaint here is with the bracelet design, which feels slightly dated, but overall, the Night Birch is a stunning example of what Grand Seiko is capable of. 

D.C. Hannay: ...also the SLGH017 "Night Birch"

I’ll be honest: as a longtime Seiko enjoyer, I’ve been pretty happy with my own modest collection, one that spans from vintage to contemporary models, including basic time-only pieces, iconic divers, and assorted oddballs that are very much of their time. But for whatever reason, Grand Seiko had never really pinged my radar, even after its reintroduction to the Western marketplace. That all changed when I acquired a vintage 1969 61GS in a trade with a good friend, and buddy, it’s been off to the races ever since. 

I finally get it. The clean and crisp “grammar of design” aesthetic that still looks futuristic today, the incredible finishing that rivals anything the Swiss have to offer, and the groundbreaking movements that see the brand still continuing to push the bleeding edge: all of it now has its hooks firmly in me, and I’m helpless to resist. So now that this little mechanical jewel sits proudly as part of the collection, where to go? I’m itching to add a modern-day GS to the watch box, but given the vast expanse of the current catalog, I find myself struck by a serious case of paralysis of choice.

At first, the way forward seemed to be a look back. The SLGW005 is certainly a contender, a cutting-edge re-creation of those drop-dead gorgeous vintage 45GS models. This present-day doppelganger boasts an innovative, manual-wind, Hi-Beat caliber in the 9SA4, one with a staggering 80-hour power reserve. But as lovely as it is, I’m afraid it’s a bit too on-the-nose for me, with its size and styling so very close to my vintage crush. Another possibility is the 37mm quartz-powered SBGX261, a no-nonsense, one-and-done bit of black-dialed perfection. I’ve also been spying the more colorful dials among the pages of GS’s catalog, and I was stopped in my tracks by the SBGH347, a 37mm Hi-Beat model in Grand Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant steel, featuring a frosty ice-blue dial with a mesmerizing texture. For me, this is Peak Modern Grand Seiko, with its high-frequency automatic movement, novel execution of materials, and a stunning, brightly-colored face. My choice was made. That is, until I wandered into the woods. 

Grand Seiko is well-known for finding dial inspiration in the natural surroundings of its Shizukuishi studio, and the SLGH017 draws from that well with its “Night Birch” dial, a gothic-tinged bit of shade to the light that is the “White Birch” that preceded it. It’s a black dial that plays with light better than just about anything, with a softly undulating texture that evokes those thin birch trunks slowly swaying in an evening breeze. Finally, there’s a living, dynamic black GS dial not subject to the whims of fashion, no disrespect to the flamingo pinks and Tiffany blues in the audience. Now, I can have it all: a timeless look with everything that today’s Grand Seiko represents. 

But in order to be The One, there needs to be substance behind the style, and Grand Seiko overdelivers on several fronts. The High-Intensity titanium construction is immaculate in its finish, and I love the subtle vertical brush on the bezel front that wouldn’t look out of place on a Patek sports model. The lowered mass of a titanium case and bracelet doesn’t go unnoticed in a 40mm watch either, and I love how the perceived visual weight doesn’t quite sync up to its actual feel on the wrist. The experience messes with your preconceptions, but in the best possible way. Finally, the Caliber 9SA5 is another Hi-Beat masterpiece, with a power reserve of 80 hours thanks to its Dual Impulse Escapement and twin barrels. When the dust settles after all its virtues are considered, the Night Birch is a statement, one declaring Grand Seiko’s stature in today’s horological landscape. And it’s a statement I’d be glad to make on my own wrist.

Bilal Khan: SBGX115/117

Exactly 10 years ago, in 2015, Grand Seiko launched the SBGX115 and SBGX117, a pair of High-Accuracy Quartz divers that have such a distinctly particular flavor to them. The Art Deco-style numerals on the bezel are polarizing, but in a world of copy/paste design, they exude charm and character. The hour and minutes hands are done in brushed titanium, but note that the seconds hand is done in steel, a testament to the torque provided by the 9F quartz movement’s twin-pulse motor. The white-dial SBGX115 and black dial SBGX117 seen here measure 42.7mm wide and 13.2mm thick with a lug-to-lug measurement of 49.6mm. I know some people will prefer something smaller, but I don’t think everything needs to be 40mm or less. Oh, and note that this is from the pre-2017, era when dials still read "Seiko" and "Grand Seiko" on the dials.