An In-Depth Review of the Grand Seiko SBGN023

I have long marveled at Grand Seiko watches. Since the brand seized the opportunity of independence, and indeed before that too, its designs always had the innate ability to catch the attention of collectors worldwide. Long may that continue. 

The Japanese brand, with roots firmly anchored in Iwate soil, has never taken its foot off the gas, whether in the form of new movements, dial patterns, or designs inspired by all things whimsical, wild, and wonderful. 

One watch that deserves some serious consideration (if you’re looking for a solid, classic, and reliable daily beater) is the Grand Seiko SBGN023. Bear with me while I purify my thoughts a little further…

An Overview of the Grand Seiko SGBN023

The Grand Seiko SGN023 belongs to the company’s Sport Collection and forms part of its rich and expansive tapestry of horological creations. Here, like with all other Grand Seiko watch families, philosophical craftsmanship is woven into the cultural fabric of the collection, with designs that honor “The Nature of Time” through its concept of “Takumi”. 

The Sport collection is home to models powered by the legendary Spring Drive revelation, chronographs, and, of course, GMT complications. The SBGN023 falls into the latter category – a complication primed for those who like to travel frequently but also those who just love the style and functionality of the feature.

Some of the model’s key features include an 18k gold lion logo, emblazoned onto the back of the case, a distinctive arrow-tipped GMT hand in yellowy-gold for tracking an additional time zone, and a thermocompensated quartz movement for unparalleled accuracy. 

Stick with me as I attempt to delve into these features in more detail. I’ll also share my thoughts on how this watch will wear, how it keeps time, and how it imbues classic style when worn.

140 Years of Seiko History

Even relatively young brands will try to play into the “history” element of their timepieces. Can you blame them? History sells. Stories, indeed, sell. They give meaning to a timepiece and provide the basis for an interesting conversation starter (it certainly beats entertaining small talk). 

Even if a brand only dates back a few years, it will always try to sell a watch with a bit of a story. Where Grand Seiko is concerned, however, history really does mean just that. It has 140 years of the stuff, having been conceptualized at Suwa Seikosha, home of the world-famous Seiko. Its first watch arrived in 1961, but Seiko’s rich legacy reaches back much further than that.

You see, the founder of Seiko, Kintarō Hattori, had been holding onto one singular vision. To develop something more refined and more exquisite than the affordable, well-built designs that Seiko became so renowned for. As good as they were, Hattori wanted more. He believed that one day, his future Grand Seiko concept would epitomize Japanese craftsmanship. And, so it did.

Let’s turn the calendar pages back to the year of 1960. It was a decade of innovation, liberation, and a time when people were obsessed with precision. The first Grand Seiko didn’t just mark the release of a new watch, it was a manifestation of a long-nurtured dream. It marked the beginning of a very transformative era in watchmaking. 

For brands like itself, it was an era of horological advancements and an opportunity for Grand Seiko to prove to the world what it could bring to the table, both in terms of refined precision and technical prowess. Thus, 140 years on from the founding of Seiko, watches like the SBGN023 are still paying homage to these very foundations. 

The limited-edition watch, exclusive to 2,021 pieces, nods to the year of its release (2021) and embodies, in the purest of ways, Hattori’s motto; “Always one step ahead of the rest”.

The Case

Allow me to quickly shun the notion that only the Germans and the Swiss can manufacture timepieces to first-class standards. It is simply not the case. While Seiko may manufacture some very accessible quartz watches (which offer a lot of bang for your buck!), Grand Seiko crafts superlative designs that often only elicit praise from those who understand the company and its origins.

Grand Seiko has gained unequivocal respect from those of a non-judgemental standpoint. Those who don’t confuse the two brands as being the same thing. The reality is that Grand Seiko has worked hard to stand tall on its own and has proudly stepped out of the shadow of its much larger sibling quite some years ago. 

The two should not be confused – not because either one is superior to the other. Moreover, they both compete in totally different leagues. Credit, therefore, should be given to both respective brands, regardless of how they compare to one another.

On that point, it is remarkably easy to identify the SBGN023 as a Grand Seiko watch, just from the look of the case alone. In previous reviews, I have gone into great depth on the signature Zaratsu polish that Grand Seiko artisans apply to the brand’s designs. 

Where watches from the Sport Collection are concerned, Zaratsu favors the angular architecture of the case, coaxing out the hairline finishes and sharp, ridge-like lines that form its prominent sporty nature. The interplay between light and shadow is always what has me gazing into the perfect contours of a Grand Seiko case for hours.

Flip the case over, and more details reveal themselves. The 18k gold lion emblem is one of my favorite features of the Sport Collection, and there it is, in all its glory, concealing yet another horological feat by way of the thermocompensated quartz movement. 

The movement sits behind a caseback equipped with 200-meter water resistance, keeping perfect time within an anti-magnetic construction. The case also features a 4 o’clock GS-engraved screw-down to avoid snagging and a fixed bezel adorned with legible Arabic numerals in a glossy ceramic inlay for keeping track of an additional time zone.

The Dial

There are several elements that I really like about the dial of this GS watch. Radiating out from the center of the dial is a subtly ribbed pattern, reaching right out to the periphery. What makes this feature particularly special is that you don’t always see it. 

Should you catch the dial under the right angle of light, the SBGN023 rewards you with a sunburst-like effect, which illuminates pockets of the display that you don’t always get to appreciate. I guess what really resonates with me is the idea that the design keeps on giving, even after that initial “honeymoon” period.

The use of yellow-gold accents on the dial is also really clever because (and here’s something else that may surprise you) the surface they sit on isn’t black. It’s a really rich brown shade that, once again, can trick you into thinking you’re looking at something that you’re not. Seldom have I seen brown and yellow-gold nuances used in this way in a watch before, and I’m here for it.

The golden yellow tones continue with the familiar GS logo at 12 o’clock and in the daytime hours of the GMT watch’s 24-hour rehaut. The remainder of the 24-hour track is dark to signify the nighttime hours. Having spent many, many years discussing watch features with connoisseurs, I have come to realize that a dislike of the 4:30 date is a very common theme. 

In this design, GS chooses the 4 o’clock location for its date aperture. It’s a decision that I feel works pretty well, but I can also appreciate that a sense of balance is lost when a manufacturer does this. A nice addition (since many GS watches don’t feature it) is the well-lumed hour markers and hands that guide the way to clear, legible timekeeping in the dark.

The Movement

Let’s be real for a second: quartz snobbery is never going to go away. Many connoisseurs feel that a mechanical is simply more authentic than a quartz, but there are bad quartz movements and good, and Grand Seiko certainly sits in the latter field. 

In many cases, deciding between a mechanical and a quartz is not all that tough a task. No one should feel it’s about proving how much you know about horology, but mechanical movements do tend to be the favored one of the two. 

But the thermocompensated quartz sitting inside this watch is certainly worth a mention here because even though quartz, in general, offers better accuracy than a mechanical movement, this type of quartz is even more superior to the standard type. With an accuracy of – /+ 10 seconds per year, the Grand Seiko SBGN023 is likely the most accurate thing you’ll have in your collection. 

If you’re not familiar with thermocompensated quartz movements, they work in a very similar way to standard quartz movements. Still, there are a few key differences that make the performance and accuracy of the thermocompensated variety more reliable and superior.

Piezoelectric energy is what keeps a watch running, and the vibration of the quartz crystal is what keeps a watch so accurate (more accurate than a mechanical movement). A quartz crystal vibrates a staggering total of 32,768 every second of the day. The electronics of the quartz movement unlock the power generated by the quartz crystal in the same way that an escape lever does in a mechanical watch.

Now, thermocompensated cuts appear on some quartz crystals, which reduce temperature fluctuations that could otherwise affect how the quartz operates inside the watch. Quartz movements tend to have tuning fork-shaped cuts in the crystal, which, over the years, has worked well to carry the tradition of quartz watchmaking through to present-day wristwatches. 

However, thermocompensated quartz movements take more precision to cut, and they maintain a nice equilibrium inside the watch, regulating and maintaining a harmonious performance deep at the heart of the movement.

What this achieves is a situation where thermodynamic pressure is regulated, and the electric signals inside the watch generally don’t fall victim to the negative effect that external conditions and changing environmental temperatures could otherwise have on them. 

While Japanese brands like Citizen, Seiko, and Grand Seiko are the heavy hitters in the field of thermocompensated quartz watches, we’re gradually seeing more companies expand their offerings within this category. For some brands, this type of quartz movement is their way of competing on the same level as high-end mechanical movement manufacturers do. 

The 9F Quartz series is one of the most refined and supreme of all the Grand Seiko quartz movements. Within this movement family is the Calibre 9F86, which debuted in 2018, offering a GMT function. The distinctive and graceful presence of the smoothly operating second hand is one key giveaway of the movement. It is perfectly controlled thanks to the movement’s backlash auto-adjust mechanism. 

This works like a hairspring, resisting the second hand’s counterbalance, offering stabilization as it ticks. Without a shudder or even a jolt, this hand travels across the dial of the SBGN023 effortlessly, day and night, without relying on the movement of your wrist or requiring manual winding. 

The mechanical movement has a high torque and uses little energy despite its impressive accuracy. Its Twin Pulse Control Motor propels the heavy hands around the dial with ease, making for a particularly pleasing visual experience.

The Strap

Grand Seiko fits the SBNG023 watch on a tapering 20mm Oyster-like bracelet crafted from stainless steel. I mention this because a slight tapering can, in fact, enable a watch to appear and feel smaller on the wrist. 

This is a good thing if your wrists tend to measure on the small side. Generally speaking, a wrist measuring a diameter of 6 inches or more can carry a 40mm watch without a problem, but straight bracelet designs certainly make a watch feel bigger and more masculine.

The 20mm stainless steel bracelet on this watch tapers down to a nice 18mm diameter at the clasp end, where it meets with a GS-engraved clasp executed in a mix of brushed and polished finishes. 

If you tend to remove your watch for various tasks throughout the day, you’ll appreciate how easy the clasp is to manipulate under the fingertips. The twin trigger is functional and practical, but unfortunately, this watch has no micro-adjustment mechanism. Perhaps if there was one thing to change about the SBGN023, this would be it.

On the upside, you do get half links for accurate sizing, which are afforded by slot screws on either side of the bracelet. So, if you do need to get this bracelet altered, you’re guaranteed to get a snug fit. 

The overall execution of the bracelet, including the brushed and polished links, is done to a high level, as one would expect of any Grand Seiko watch. The bracelet tolerance, craftsmanship, finishes, flexibility, and overall build quality are exceptional.

How It Wears

It’s important to note that Grand Seiko doesn’t make watches simply for them to be reduced to mere functional instruments. Wearing one of these Japanese watches is more a lifestyle choice rather than a practical necessity. The SGBN023 is no exception to this rule. It wears as you’d expect any Grand Seiko to wear: comfortably and ergonomically, but it’s also absolutely stylish.

This GMT watch has some heft to it. Its case is undeniably beefy when you compare it to those from, say, the Elegance Collection. But you have to remember that this is intended as a sports watch. The fact that it’s classic enough to wear on dressier occasions is just an added bonus. 

First and foremost, the watch is designed to face all testing conditions and external environments. You’ll notice that the lugs are truncated, and the case is more angular. The bracelet certainly adds some weight to the model, but you have options to switch that out for something more lightweight if you want to.

In terms of basic dimensions, the watch will still appeal to those with smaller-than-average wrists, and that’s because it has a case diameter of 40mm. Having said that, its lug-to-lug length measures 46.5mm, and its case depth measures 13.1mm, so it’s certainly not the slimmest of GS GMTs.

The Price

Now, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. When the SBGN023 was first unveiled, it disgruntled many collectors. The price tag seemed steep for a quartz watch. As I divulged earlier, however, this is not just any quartz movement. The Quartz 9F is a special variation, reflecting the highest deity of the quartz breed. For that, you would expect to pay a price on par with any mechanical watch. 

And when you weigh up the fact that it has a guaranteed accuracy of -/+ 10 seconds per year, the price of this watch doesn’t seem so far-fetched after all. The watch currently retails for $5,450 at authorized dealers, like Exquisite Timepieces, which is more than reasonable in my humble opinion.

The Takeaway 

The Grand Seiko SBGN023 is a thing of beauty. Imbued with sportiness and coupled with a travel-friendly GMT function, you could want for nothing more than what this neat 40mm package offers. Inside the watch is not just any quartz movement but a thermocompensated one. 

Equipped with an innovative regulating switch, the movement can be adjusted and compensated if it ever operates too slow or too fast. It’s a superior level of quartz timekeeping that promises – /+ 10 seconds per year, giving it unbeatable accuracy and, more than likely, rivaling anything else you’ll ever have in your collection. Suffice it to say, the movement alone is an interesting proposition, owing to its collectability.

What appeals to me more than anything, however, is the bread and butter basics of every grand Seiko watch: a case that wears easily on the average-sized wrist, a profound level of case finishing for its price point, and a helping of color here and there.

Wherever Grand Seiko is concerned, there is never any doubt of originality. Indeed, no plagiarism here – the brand has worked hard to achieve an identity of its own, stepping away from the Seiko name and forging a reputation that speaks of quality craftsmanship and high-end finishes. Moreover, the crisp dial of the SBGN023 is eminently legible, with details that coalesce with one another tastefully. 

This is a watch that I feel reigns supreme for its classic beauty and timeless case shape. For me – zero questions asked on why any collector would opt for this quartz GS watch over any mechanical one. The SBGN023 is easy on the eye, super accurate, and comfortable enough to do travel, sport, and life with.