2000s Grand Seiko 9F Quartz 36mm White Dial SBGX009
Ref: SBGX009 (9F61-0A10)
Specification
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Booklet
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with a 2000s Grand Seiko box and Grand Seiko booklet. It comes paired with an 18mm Strap Tailor leather strap and includes its original 18mm leather strap with its Grand Seiko signed pin buckle. The watch is from Circa late 1990s/Early 2000s and is sold in worn condition; however, as you can see from the photos, it is in very good condition. A full case and clasp refurb can be provided at an additional cost on request. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1i7SvLAWok9_6GkjuVPma634QRqmFpjMF?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 9:36 - https://youtu.be/UVwbW6pQBaU
The Watch
Here we have a 2000s Grand Seiko 9F Quartz White Dial SBGX009 with a 36mm polished and brushed stainless steel case; the subtle curve of the case has polished soft edges leading to drilled lugs and a lug-to-lug length of 40mm and a case thickness of 10mm ensures a comfortable fit on your wrist. On the right side, a signed crown and a smooth polished stepped bezel hold a sapphire crystal above a striking crisp white dial. An outer minute track surrounds applied dagger indexes with precisely chamfered edges Zaratsu polished; as you rotate your wrist, the dial magically plays with the light. Elegant steel dauphine hands have been expertly Zaratsu polished and are complemented by a tapered second hand; at noon, we have an applied Seiko at 6 o’clock, an applied GS, and precisely printed Grand Seiko to complete this sophisticated dress watch. On the reverse, a screw-down case back with polished fluted sides and brush finishing around the Grand Seiko Lion embossed in the centre, reminding us of the past Grand Seiko’s medallions, inside a Grand Seiko 9F61 Quartz calibre, a top-tiered Quartz movement. Seiko grows their own quartz crystals, and using a higher torque allows them to use these heavier GS hands; keeping their brand aesthetic intact, they have incorporated a backlash auto-adjust mechanism that controls every single tick of the second hand accurately and perfectly in time. The watch comes paired with an 18mm Strap Tailor leather strap and includes its original 18mm leather strap with a signed pin buckle. It also comes with its 2000s Grand Seiko presentation box and booklet.
Personal Note
Early modern Grand Seiko offers a ton of value and often has many hidden gems, this SBGX009 is one of them in 36mm and features the 9F61 quartz movement, a subtle egg-shell/white dial and all the charm we expect from the brand. I would not hesitate to book an appointment and see this gem for yourself on your wrist, but be warned, you will likely leave with it on your wrist and your wallet a little lighter!
The Brand
The first Grand Seiko debuted in Tokyo in 1960. Suwa Seikosha made the ref:3180. Rather than sending its 25 Jewels Chronometer movement to the Swiss to be tested, Seiko decided to do the testing themselves. The European Chronometer Official Association believed that a chronometer-rated watch had to be independently tested to be awarded that designation. Seiko watches were not independently tested, so they could not be used as chronometers. The ECOA did what irritated watchmakers do: they wrote a stern letter to Seiko requesting that the designation of Chronometer on Grand and King Seiko watches stop. Seiko obliged and ceased using a chronometer on their watches. In response, the Japanese Chronometer Authorization Association was started in 1968 as an independent group to test timepieces to chronometer standards. The Association was short-lived: due to the rise of quartz watches, it closed in 1983. Today, Grand Seiko movements are tested over 17 days in 6 positions compared to COSC testing over 15 days in 5 positions. In 1985, Suwa Seikosha became Seiko Epson Corporation. In 2017, Seiko announced that Grand Seiko would become an independent brand.