Grand Seiko SBGE269 Review

The Grand Seiko “Snowflake” is arguably one of the Japanese watchmaker’s most popular and iconic models. It’s a watch that embodies the elegance and craftsmanship that Grand Seiko is renowned for, featuring a charming dial design that mimics the beauty of freshly fallen snow. However, due to its high craftsmanship and limited availability, the Grand Seiko Snowflake is not as easily accessible as watch enthusiasts would like. 

And yet, a watch that bears a striking resemblance to the essence of the Snowflake, yet one that doesn’t carry its prestigious nickname, is the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269. 

This model showcases an equally refined aesthetic, enhanced functionality, and a snow-inspired dial texture, making it an appealing alternative for those seeking the sophistication of the Grand Seiko Snowflake without the scarcity associated with it.

The Grand Seiko Four Seasons GMT Collection

For as long as I’ve been following the work of Grand Seiko, nature has played a significant role in their designs. There’s something rather beautiful about the thought of Grand Seiko designers simply looking out the windows of the company’s manufacturing facilities and drawing inspiration from the weather and flora found right outside their windows. 

The Grand Seiko Snowflake has always epitomized the brand’s love of nature, beautifully mirroring the purity of freshly fallen snow in the mountains surrounding the Grand Seiko factory in Shizukuishi. 

Other popular models worthy of mention are the Grand Seiko White Birch Shirakaba SLGH005, which has a breathtaking dial inspired by the texture and color of the birch trees found outside their studio, and the Grand Seiko Spring Drive “Omiwatari” SBGY007, which mimics the texture of Lake Susa when its water freezes during the winter. 

It’s clear that their connection to nature has become a signature aspect of the brand, leading to the creation of numerous models inspired by the textures and colors found in the natural world. 

More recently, Grand Seiko introduced the Four Seasons Collection, which again cements their commitment to nature-inspired design. The non-limited series draws inspiration from the different colors of Japan’s changing seasons. 

Whereas we simply measure the seasons in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, in Japanese culture, they divide the year into 24 smaller segments known as sekki, with each of the watches in the Four Seasons collection representing one of these sekki. 

The Grand Seiko Four Seasons collection was first introduced in 2019 and featured a quartet of time-and-date-only models with colorful and textured dials inspired by “Taisetsu”, the deep snow of winter, “Shunbun”, the vernal equinox, “Rikka”, early summer and “Shubun”, the autumnal equinox. 

Shortly after, Grand Seiko expanded the series further by adding more dial colors and additional GMT complication into this mix. And so, in 2021, the Grand Seiko Four Seasons GMT collection was born. 

Once again, the watches in this collection represent four different sekki. The line-up includes the Hi-Beat 36000 powered “Shunbun” SBGJ251 and “Shosho SBGJ249, and two Spring Drive-powered watches called “Kanro” SBGE271 & “Toji” SBGE269. 

It’s the latter that I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing this week, and with a dial inspired by the winter solstice, I have forgiven myself for originally thinking this was a Grand Seiko Snowflake when I first opened the box.

A Crisp-As-Snow Steel Case

Like all the models in the Grand Seiko Four Seasons GMT collection, the case of the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch is slightly based on the original 62GS case from the 1960s. Much like the original, we have a soft, curved silhouette with a gently sloping bezel and refined lugs that beautifully highlight the watch’s polished surfaces. 

But as you’ll have probably noticed, the dimensions of this watch are a little more modern, coming in at 40.2mm wide and with a thickness of 14mm. It’s a well-sized watch that will suit most wrists. The lug-to-lug is 48.5mm, and if you count the end links, I measured it sitting at 51.2mm across. 

As for finishing, no expense is spared as usual from Grand Seiko. Much of the case is polished using a technique the Japanese watch brand calls Zaratsu polishing. It involves holding the stainless steel surface against a spinning tin plate using just the right amount of pressure and angle to create these beautiful mirror-like finishes. 

It’s a technique that takes about three years to learn, ensuring that only the most skilled artisans, known as Takumi, are entrusted with this meticulous process. It’s also a process typically reserved for small movement parts, so seeing it on a macro scale across an entire case is truly exceptional. Getting a fully hand-finished watch at this price is not a common sight. 

A few smaller portions of the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch’s case are brushed, creating a visual of light play and contrasts. Other than its finishing, the most visually noticeable part of the case is the sapphire crystal glass. 

It’s one that is dramatically domed, adding to the watch’s 1960s-inspired heritage. It’s also this that adds to the larger 14mm thickness. Despite giving off the appearance of vintage plexiglass, the material is super scratch-resistant and treated with an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface for legibility. Ultimately, you get the period feel without any of the compromises that come with real vintage watches. 

Completing the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch’s retro personality is the signed crown placed at 3 o’clock. Not quite an onion crown, but still relatively prominent in size and boasting a slightly domed and fully knurled exterior, it adds to the watch’s vintage charm while ensuring functionality. This screw-in crown enhances the watch’s water resistance, providing an impressive 100 meters of protection against the elements.

A Winter Solstice Dial

Easily, my favorite part of the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch is the dial. Nicknamed “Toji” after one of Japan’s twenty-four sekki that marks the winter solstice, the hammered silvered white texture has a beautiful, almost random grain inspired by the texture and color of snow as it shines in the sunlight of the winter solstice. 

It’s one of those dials you really need to see in person to appreciate, and no matter how hard I try, it’s impossible for me to find the words to describe its beauty accurately. 

The texture is larger and deeper than those seen on the popular Grand Seiko Snowflake watches but still has the same ethereal quality that instantly catches your eye. I love it, and I urge anyone reading this remotely tempted by its finish to go see this at your local authorized Grand Seiko retailer. 

For the hands and markers, Grand Seiko has once again elected hand-finishing for all the hardware. The dauphine-styled hour and minute hands are beautifully sharp with a combination of brushed and polished finishing, much like each hour marker, which is faceted with polished faces and brushed exteriors.

In contrast, the GMT hand is finished in a wonderful shade of rose gold to evoke the last rays of an evening sun. It’s a beautiful pop of color against an otherwise monochromatic dial and adds a touch of warmth and elegance to the overall aesthetic. We have the same color marking the GMT text at 6 o’clock, further tying together the dial’s design elements. 

The dial is also home to a 72-hour power reserve indicator, but Grand Seiko has ingeniously chosen to print it onto the dial’s textured surface rather than opting for a sunken scale. This decision preserves the watch’s clean lines and enhances the visual depth, allowing the textured background to play a prominent role in the overall design. 

The result is a more concise and subtle look that seamlessly integrates all the features without overwhelming the eye. It also brings the power reserve indicator in line with the printed black railway track found around the dial’s circumference. 

Another clever addition to the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch’s dial is the 24-hour scale. 

Compared to the SBGJ249 and SBGJ251 models in the same collection, the 24-hour markers have been moved to the minute track to help the dial breathe a bit more and not feel cluttered. We’re also treated to a box-shaped date window positioned at 3 o’clock and the applied GS logo at 12 o’clock.

A Spring Drive Movement

Alongside a completely hand-finished case and dial, we also have a movement that’s been built, tuned, and – when necessary – serviced entirely in-house by Grand Seiko. The movement in question is the Caliber 9R66, an automatic winding Spring Drive movement that represents one of Grand Seiko’s most innovative achievements. 

The Spring Drive combines the precision of a quartz movement with the mechanical beauty of a traditional automatic movement. Unlike conventional mechanical movements, which rely on a balance wheel and escapement, the Spring Drive caliber uses a unique “tri-synchro regulator” system. 

This regulates the movement by using a mainspring for power, just like a mechanical watch, but instead of an escapement, it uses an electromagnetic brake that works with a quartz crystal for precise timekeeping. 

This allows for incredible accuracy, with a deviation of only +/-1 seconds per day or +/- 15 seconds per month. It also delivers the signature smooth, gliding seconds hand that is famously a hallmark of Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive watches. 

The Caliber 9R66 also features a GMT complication, allowing for the tracking of a second timezone, and boasts a 72-hour power reserve. There’s also a hacking seconds function, 30 jewels, and manual winding capability should you wish to see the power reserve indicator operate before your eyes. 

Turning the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch around, and you can admire the Spring Drive movement for yourself, including its handsomely striped oscillating rotor and bridges.

A Hybrid Bracelet

Completing the exterior of the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch is a classic full stainless steel bracelet. Its design is almost like a hybrid of a dress and sports bracelet. It has the beautiful, rolled flanks and the polished intermediates of a dress bracelet but then a sturdy three-row link architecture similarly styled to the Rolex Oyster bracelet. 

The surface of each link is brushed in the same direction as the bracelet falls, leading down towards a single-fold deployment clasp with twin trigger release. 

Sadly, the bracelet doesn’t come with any micro-adjustment, but we are given two half-links on either side to get a near-perfect fit. There’s also screw links to make adjustments easier and drilled lugs, so should you wish to swap out the strap for something different, that won’t be too much of a task. That said, Grand Seiko has elected a lug width of 19mm, which is a little awkward for finding replacement watch bands.

On-Wrist Experience 

The Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 is easily one of those “throw-on-and-go” watches. Its dimensions make it very wearable across a wide variety of wrist sizes. I’d recommend it for anyone with wrists as small as six inches and as large as eight inches. 

But please, if you don’t fall within that range, don’t let it put you off. If you have smaller wrists but love the oversized look, or if you have larger wrists and appreciate a more vintage vibe, this watch could still work beautifully for you. Plus, you can always swap out the metal bracelet for a leather strap to tone down its presence and make it feel a bit more understated. 

It is a thick watch, measuring 14mm tall, primarily due to the domed sapphire crystal. Unfortunately, this means it may not slide easily under the cuff of a dress shirt unless the cuffs are loose. Instead, it gives off more of a daily-beater or sports watch vibe, though it can still be worn for dressier occasions, thanks to that brilliant textured dial.

Price & Availability

The Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 watch retails brand new for $6,000. We always recommend purchasing your Grand Seiko watches through one of the brand’s authorized retailers, like Exquisite Timepieces. 

This way, you can sport your new timepiece knowing it’s the real deal and it’s arrived with all the official paperwork and warranty. You can also find this model on the second-hand market for around $4,500 if you’re working with a smaller budget. 

Thankfully, unlike so many of the Grand Seiko Snowflake watches, this winter-inspired release is a non-limited edition, and there’s plenty of availability at the time of writing this! But keep in mind this is a watch that has been out for three years now, so if it’s one you’ve fallen in love with, I recommend snapping it up as soon as you can, just in case Grand Seiko suddenly decides to discontinue it.

Conclusion

The Grand Seiko Elegance GMT “Toji” SBGE269 is hands down one of the most beautiful Grand Seiko watches I’ve had the pleasure of trying on recently. If you’re someone who’s been captivated by the magic of the Grand Seiko Snowflake but hasn’t quite found the budget or the right model for you, this could be the perfect watch. The crisp white textured dial is absolutely breathtaking and really stands out as a centerpiece.

As I mentioned earlier, I strongly urge anyone who’s even somewhat interested to go see this watch in person. The way the light plays off the dial, the rich texture, and those subtle hand-finished elements are something you truly have to experience up close. I guarantee you’ll get lost in its details just as much as I did!