Grand Seiko SBGK002 Review – An Eye-Catching Urushi Dial

There’s a long list of Grand Seiko watches I’ve always wanted to get hands-on with. I’ve been fortunate to tick some of them off my bucket list already, but one that has been sitting close to the top spot for quite some time is the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002.

Why? Because this is one of those watches that looks absolutely breathtaking in pictures. The warm 18-carat rose gold case, and the rich burgundy dial are enough to make your wrists sweat. And then you have the texture of the dial; it’s a display that looks as if it’s almost made of hair with Urushi lacquer creating a fine and unique texture. But is the Grand Seiko SBGK002 as impressive in person? I’m excited to say I finally found out.

A Pre-Baselworld 2019 Launch

There’s never been a shortage of dressy and elegant Grand Seiko watches. Ultimately, the company’s founder Kintaro Hattori set out to create a “perfect” watch, one that was durable, legible, precise and most importantly, beautiful. He certainly succeeded as proved by Grand Seiko’s unquestionable execution in both their mechanics and aesthetics.

Just before Baselworld (RIP) opened its doors in 2019, the Japanese watchmaker launched a collection of four watches that embraced the qualities of a dress watch even further. We’re talking about high-end case materials, thin dimensions, Urushi lacquer dials (a first for GS at this time), and a new movement. The series was known as the Grand Seiko Elegance Collection and featured four references noted as SBGK002, SBGK004, SBGK005, and SBGK006.

The first, and my personal favorite at the time, reference SBGK002, is the very model we’re reviewing today. It features a solid rose gold case and a deep red dial. In contrast, SBGK004 pairs its rose gold case with a black dial, SBGK005 opts for a blue dial and steel housing, and SBGK006 (the only non-limited edition in the line-up) sports a white dial and a yellow gold case. 

All four felt very different from the Grand Seiko watches we’d seen before. Sure, Grand Seiko already had plenty of dress models in their portfolio, but these stood out. It wasn’t just because they used Urushi lacquer for the first time. 

They chose a more refined case with fewer sharp and angular elements, plus a set of dimensions that made them perfectly suited to almost any wrist size. Everything just sounds too good to be true. So, does the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002 live up to its reputation?

A Vintage Rose Gold Case

First impressions: The case of the Grand Seiko Elegance SBGK002 watch might be one of the most impressive cases I’ve seen on a GS watch yet. It’s immediately elegant, but the more you stare at it, the more you realize just how complex its construction is.

It has a generously sloped architecture that seems to be made from one single block of 18-carat rose gold. It’s beautifully soft, with round corners and edges and little to no shared elements. For example, while most Grand Seiko cases have a facet on the internal side of the lugs, this model has no boundary separating the case band and lugs. The lugs’ width is also only 19mm, which adds to the design’s 19th-century-inspired aesthetic.

The dimensions of the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002 add to its dressy personality further. It arrives with a diameter of 39mm and a height of just 12mm. Lug to lug is also just 44mm making this one of the most wearable Grand Seiko watches on the market. As someone with a generally small wrist size compared to the average at five-and-a-half inches, this sits comfortably without fault. 

The top surfaces of the case are finished with the Japanese watchmaker’s famous Zaratsu tin plate polish for a brilliantly dressy, almost mirror-like shine. In contrast, the case sides, which are remarkably slim in their profile, are detailed with satin finishing that runs vertically. The cambered underside has the same Zaratsu polished finish as the top. The crown, also in 18ct rose gold, is gently knurled and embossed with the Grand Seiko logo in relief. It has a slight counter-sink into the case’s profile.

The case is topped by domed sapphire crystal glass which again elevates its vintage feel and presents an unadorned 18ct rose gold bezel with a slight conical profile. Again, the bezel has a high polish finish. Turning the Grand Seiko SBGK002 over reveals a glimpse into the 9S63 movement within, one protected by a simple 30-meter water-resistant rating.

A Complex Urushi Lacquer Dial 

It’s not often you’ll find a Grand Seiko dial that is anything but mesmerizing. Let’s be honest, this Japanese watchmaker has well and truly mastered the art of dial design. It’s surprising though, that it took until 2019 for the company to use Urushi lacquer on one of their watches. 

The rare technique involves the sap from Urushi, a tree grown around the town of Joboji that lies under Mt. Iwate, the very mountain seen out the windows of Grand Seiko’s Shizukuishi Watch Studio. The sap is then turned into a lacquer that hardens, becoming extremely durable with a breathtaking, glossy finish. 

In the case of the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002 watch, the lacquer is dyed in a rich burgundy hue and applied carefully to create this intricate, fur-like finish. Grand Seiko calls it their “Mt. Iwate pattern” since it is inspired by the ridgelines of the magnificent mountain. It’s the kind of dial you can stare at forever, getting lost in its complexity. The rich shade of red is also the perfect companion for the rose gold case, with the warmth of both creating a truly luxurious-looking watch.

At first glance, the hardware on the Grand Seiko SBGK002 watch’s dial may appear simple, but it’s anything but. The off-gray hour markers and “GS” letters of the Grand Seiko logo are decorated with a traditional Japanese technique called Maki-e. Done by hand by master Isshu Tamura in his studio in Kanazawa on the west coast of Japan’s main island, it’s a process that combines platinum powder with lacquer, taking great dexterity and patience. Every marker has the same depth and shape, created by applying layer after layer of the lacquer. It gives the numeral and markers a three-dimensional profile for a nice level of legibility. 

In contrast, the hands for the hours, minutes, small seconds, and power reserve indicator are crafted from rose gold and hand-finished using diamond-tipped tools. The hour and minute hands are faceted with satin brushing on the top and polished on the bezels.

I have to applaud Grand Seiko for the perfect symmetry achieved in the placement of the small seconds at 9 o’clock and the power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. It’s not easy to add a power reserve indicator to a dial without the aesthetic feeling cluttered, but it’s been done here perfectly, giving us extra functionality without losing out on any level of elegance.

A Rare Manual-Winding Movement 

It would have been all too easy for Grand Seiko to place one of their well-known and highly regarded automatic movements into the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002, but they didn’t, and thank goodness they didn’t. Why? Because this is a vintage-inspired watch that deserves the traditionalism of a manual winding movement.

When the Excellence collection was released, the Caliber 9S63 marked Grand Seiko’s first manual winding movement in six years. They didn’t go easy on themselves either, creating a caliber with a 72-hour power reserve, 33 jewels, a frequency of 28,800vph, and a chronometer-busting accuracy rate of +5 to -3 seconds per day. It’s also been tested and regulated to extremely high standards, tested in six positions in a controlled environment for 12 days.

The movement is nicely finished. It has typical Grand Seiko striping and polished chamfers, and the sapphire crystal glass that protects the caliber is decorated with the company’s logo.

Straps

One aspect of the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002 watch that I wasn’t expecting to love so much was the strap. Not because Grand Seiko is in any way bad at crafting straps; it’s just that I’m usually too infatuated by the case or dial to take much notice. This time, though, things are different. The strap was actually one of the first things I noticed when I took the Grand Seiko SBGK002 out of the box.

More often than not, straps – even those by some of the most famous Swiss watchmakers – have a level of stiffness to them. It’s not a bad thing; they just require some warming up and wear to get them feeling comfortable. 

In the case of the SBGK002, however, the Japanese-made dark brown alligator leather strap has an almost buttery finish to it. It basically melts straight onto the wrist. It feels worn-in already, yet it looks brand new. It’s the best of both worlds and is quite possibly one of the finest leather straps I have experienced. 

It utilizes alligator leather on the upper side and calfskin leather on the underside. There’s monotone stitching, a folded edge, and printing to confirm that the strap is handmade by Grand Seiko. The buckle is 18-carat rose gold with bevelling, polishing, and a satin finish. Some might expect a deployment buckle on a watch of this price, but I actually like the pin buckle in this case. It suits the Grand Seiko Excellence’s classic personality more.

On-Wrist Experience

If you’ve read this far, it’s probably going to come as no surprise that this watch is an absolute pleasure to wear. The 39mm width, 12mm height, and beautifully sloped case make it sit low and unassuming on the arm – and that’s coming from someone with a smaller-than-average wrist at five-and-a-half inches. It’s still going to look the part if your wrist is bigger too. I’d suggest anyone with arms below 8 inches could pull this model off. Any bigger and you might want to check out one of Grand Seiko’s larger timepieces.

Wearability is made all the better by the leather strap. It has this incredible buttery feel that feels as if it’s been broken in, even when you pick it up for the first time. I’m normally more of a metal bracelet kind of wearer, but this Grand Seiko leather strap and the design of the SBGK002 overall, have tempted me to broaden my strap horizons.

Price & Availability

Since its launch in 2019, the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002 watch has been available to order from authorized Grand Seiko retailers like Exquisite Timepieces. It’s a limited edition of just 150 pieces and currently retails for $29,000. It’s not one of GS’s most affordable watches, but when you take into account the level of craftsmanship, insanely detailed dial, and solid gold case, it’s a figure that makes sense. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find second-hand examples of the model for around $17,000.

Conclusion

It’s not often I review a watch and have nothing bad to say. But with the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ SBGK002, I really can’t think of anything I would change. If I had to use one word to describe this model, it would be “luxury”. Everything about the design feels lustrous, glossy and opulent.

The case is finished beautifully, and the combination of the Zaratsu polished case elements with the shiny Urushi lacquer dial is perfect. The warm rose gold and rich burgundy make me feel like royalty, and the dial alone is something I could stare at all day. The dimensions are also well thought-out; it’s compact enough for small wrists like mine and yet still exudes a presence worthy of larger arms.

Finally – and last time, I promise – I need to rave about the leather strap. Normally straps are where most watch brands fall short. It makes sense because most watch wearers don’t give much thought to something that can be easily swapped out. 

In this instance, though, I can’t imagine ever wanting to swap out the ultra-soft and supple alligator leather on the SBGK002. It’s comfortable and attractive and suits the colorway of the dial and case beautifully. All I have left to say on the Grand Seiko Elegance Mechanical ‘Urushi Maki-e’ is: bravo Grand Seiko, bravo.