An In-Depth Review of the Grand Seiko Sport GMT SBGJ239

The Grand Seiko SBGJ239 came to us in the same year as COVID-19. Picture it, in the height of all that uncertainty and disruption to daily life, one thing remained a given for the watch-collecting community – people still loved watches. In fact, collectors were buying more of them than ever before. They suddenly found themselves with more time on their hands, fewer travel expenses, and more opportunities to expand their luxury watch collection.

One watch that aficionados weren’t having to grapple with their conscience over was the SBGJ239. It was a sleek, glossy GMT that could quite easily double up as a casual-come-sporty dress watch. Ok, so maybe those investing in it weren’t too concerned about what social outing they could wear it to first. Nor were they considering where they’d take it on their travels. The world was a different place at that moment, after all. Did this stop the Seiko Sport GMT watch from making many people happy that year? No, it did not. And the same can still be said today. It’s still a green GMT on a leather strap. It’s still ultra-reliable, impressively robust, and very accurate. It’s still beautiful.

Join me as I cover an in-depth view of the SBGJ239, which currently retails for $6,600 at Exquisite Timepieces.

History and Highlights of the Seiko Sport

Before we go into any great detail reviewing this classic-looking Seiko Sport GMT Green watch, let’s take a brief look at Grand Seiko’s history. The origins of the company will put some meat on the bones of the SBGJ239’s design and serve you with some background and depth in understanding its influence on the travel watch genre. The SBGJ239 is a functional, practical all-rounder. The travel tool carries some important GS hallmarks but has also been serving as a benchmark for other manufacturers to take inspiration from since 2020. The tales of the Japanese watchmaker’s legacy and craftsmanship are intricately interwoven into its fabric. Each model may offer a set of unique features, yet all are instantly identifiable as a Grand Seiko.

The history of Grand Seiko spans all the way back to 1881 when Kintaro Hattori founded Seikosha – a clock and watchmaking business that grew from a small repair workshop in Tokyo. But it was always Hattori’s ambition to create a series of watches that were altogether more refined, high-end, and exquisite. The Grand Seiko series launched in 1960, following Seiko’s global success for over 6 decades. It captured the essence of horological perfection, both in design, style, and mechanical performance. The first watch came with a 45-hour power reserve, a hacking mechanism, and a two-phase regulator mechanism. Together, these features astounded collectors, representing next-level craftsmanship and raising the bar for global competition.

The second generation of the Grand Seiko was the date-setter, and boy, did that give collectors a glimpse into what was to come. Its manual movement was the most accurate in the world. GS then ventured into quartz movements throughout the 1980s, followed by focussing its efforts on the Spring Drive movements during the 80s and 90s. Little did Grand Seiko experts know it would take two decades to perfect this horological innovation. Was it worth the wait? Definitely so. The groundbreaking feat paved the way for the Hi-Beat, which now powers watches like the SBGJ239.

In 2017, the brand became a fully-fledged independent brand, and with that came a fleet of beautifully crafted timepieces designed in line with the company’s Evolution 9 concept. Some of these include the famous “Snowflake”, the “Omiwatari”, the “White Birch”, and the “Annual Rings” models. Some of these examples showcase exquisite dial textures that evoke the beauty of nature and the transitioning seasons of the year.

A Review of the Seiko SBGJ239

The Grand Seiko SBGJ239 belongs to the company’s Sports watch collection. Of course, being a sports watch, it delivers qualities of robustness, legibility, and accuracy by the bucketload. This collection is abundant in dive watches, GMTs, and chronographs. Amongst the collection are references like the SBGA461 dive watch, with a solid 44.2mm steel case, a black dial, a matching black bezel, and a Spring Drive movement. Also, the reference SBGH289, which was a little smaller in size and powered by an automatic movement.

GMT watches by Grand Seiko, however, are some of the most enticing options within the brand’s Sport watch category. They appeal to those who travel frequently, as well as those who just love the style and the complications. Many of the models from this sector are powered by a standard automatic movement, but in 2021, Grand Seiko released a 55th-anniversary edition, complete with a Hi-Beat 36,000 movement. In addition to this white-dialed titanium version, GS also released a non-Hi-Beat version measuring 40.5mm with a blue sunburst dial and red GMT hand for enhanced legibility.

Then came the ref SBGJ247, with a stunning sunburst green dial, followed by a watch similar to the one I’m reviewing today. The ref SBGJ237 is a 44.5mm steel model with a 55-hour power reserve, a 24-hour scale, a deep blue dial, a white bezel, and a five-link stainless steel bracelet. Aside from a few differences in the color choice of the bezel, dial, and hands, this reference and the SBGJ239 are almost identical. The watch we’re looking at today, however, comes fitted on a stylish brown alligator leather band, giving it a traditional and classic feel.

The Case

The Grand Seiko Hi-beat GMT SBGJ239 is 44.2mm in diameter and boasts a hand-finished stainless steel case. The finely polished highlights offer a smooth and clean finish and are courtesy of the brand’s distinctive Zaratsu polishing technique. The case is 14.6mm thick, and lug to lug, the watch measures 50.8mm. The spacing between the lugs is 21mm.

Artisans at GS hold the case of the watch against a spinning tin plate so that it is milled to perfection. It achieves this beautiful execution which takes around three years to master. You can see in the finish of the SBGJ239’s case that this high polish gives the watch a refined and elevated execution. This is an optically smooth, mirror-like finish that accentuates the complex curvature of the case. The swell that occurs mid-case on this watch is what gives it a voluptuous and full-bodied profile. The watch also benefits from a transitional bezel that brings an added dimension to the case. The tapering lugs are a touch I really like. They bring the case into more manageable proportions. Satin finishes also give the watch some nice contrast.

I have to talk about the 72-click bezel of this watch because it’s unlike anything else in the brand’s catalog. Polished on top but satin finished on the sides, it boasts a striking two-tone 24-hour scale, capped with sapphire crystal that shields it from impact, along with a polished steel trim. The sapphire surface is what gives this watch a truly mesmerizing glossy sheen, which almost makes it perfect for doubling up as a dress watch. The watch is also 200-meter water resistant, not to mention resistant to magnetic forces up to 4,800 A/m.

The Dial

The dial of the Grand Seiko SBGJ239 is one of its most appealing characteristics. It’s a deep forest green color that sometimes looks moss-like in certain lights. In the usual Grand Seiko style, the central hour and minute hands, along with the hour markers and date frame, are all micro-finished by diamond-tipped milling tools to give them a crisp, razor-shape finish. They boast a combination of polished and satin finishes, communicating that all-important artisanal finish that GS is so well-known for.

I particularly love these elevated finishes. They are clean and sharp, enabling the key features to stand out with legibility. One of the nicest features of this sports watch is the 10-beat second hand. Similar to the alluring sweeping second hand of the Spring Drive movement, it also travels across the dial in a smooth and flowing motion. Made up of many little steps, you can barely see any jolting with the naked eye. The date features at 4 o’clock. Adjustments can be made to it very easily via the crown without affecting the running time. This is genius craftsmanship for Grand Seiko, who clearly understands the importance of this feature when traveling.

The red GMT hand also stands out with legibility, reading from a 24-hour scale on the bezel. Other finishing touches include the Grand Seiko lettering and logo at 12 o’clock and the red lettering of the GMT reference above 6 o’clock.

The Movement

The Grand Seiko SBGJ239 is powered by a Hi-Beat movement, which promises exceptional accuracy and efficiency. Its design and arrangement build on the foundations of the first Hi-Beat movement launched many years ago. Let’s take a brief look at the history of the Hi-Beat.

Grand Seiko’s expertise in manufacturing the Hi-Beat movement harks all the way back to the 1960s. In 1968, the brand released the Calibre 6145. This was the birth of the first Hi-Beat movement, delivering better efficiency and accuracy. Part of that was down to the oscillating weight, which Grand Seiko specialists equipped with the “Magic Lever” system – a proprietary winding mechanism with a pawl winding system that had been produced a few years earlier. The movement was implemented into the design of the Grand Seiko 61GS – a flagship model that lasted 7 years in production and came in many variations. The principles of the design, however, were shared throughout the series, with either a date or day-date display at 3 o’clock, a distinctive tonneau-shaped case made from steel, gold-capped steel, or 18k gold, and a 3 o’clock crown. The watch was even chosen for the Osaka Time Capsule Expo a couple of years after its release.

Next came the Calibre 6185, another Hi-Beat movement with a +1 minute accuracy per month, a horological feat that was later dubbed the “Grand Seiko V.F.A. Standard”. For the record, it was already exceeding chronometer certification at this point. To reach this standard, specialists at Grand Seiko were subjecting the watches to rigorous tests over 6 positions (rather than the standard 5) and were conducting these tests over 15 days to meet a criteria of +2 seconds a day. Two years later, the company launched a new version of the movement, complete with a day-date complication.

While all this was happening, however, Grand Seiko was busying itself creating the 45GS watch, also powered by the 10-Beat (Hi-Beat) movement. This time, the movement was much thinner, featuring a manual winding mechanism. The Caliber 4522 had a calendar display with an instant date, while the Caliber 4520 was a time-only version. The 45GS had an accuracy of 1+ minutes per month, making it a groundbreaking revelation for its time.

But what is it about the Magic Lever that makes the Hi-Beat movement so efficient, you ask? Well, put simply, the 1959 Magic Lever system improves winding system efficiency by shortening the winding period and also increasing the power reserve. With a Magic Lever system, the ratchet wheel rotates in any desired direction no matter which way the oscillating weight is turned, thus greater energy saving is achieved.  

The SBGJ239 watch is powered by the modern Calibre 9S86, which delivers an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds a day. Its accuracy is integral to the GMT watch’s design, ensuring that when you track this watch in another country, home time and local time run synonymously alongside one another. The Calibre 9S86 operates as a true GMT or a “traveler” GMT watch, enabling you to pull the crown out to the first position and change the hour hand while you’re on the go. It’s the most efficient variant of the GMT since you can quickly switch the main hands to your current local time easily without disrupting the GMT hand.

The Hi-Beat 36000 is the movement responsible for this. It performs at a staggering frequency of 36,000 oscillations per hour, which is equivalent to 10 beats per second (hence the 10-Beat nickname). On top of that, it also gives you a solid 55-hour power reserve for weekends when you might want to alternate it with another favorite.

The Strap

It’s worth mentioning that the brown alligator leather strap of the GS SBGJ239 watch is a little squeaky and will likely take some time to break in, but I don’t mind that. I’ve always said that so long as the leather band on a watch is of good quality, waiting for the leather strap to break in is a small and very insignificant compromise. Sure, you may be aware of the watch’s presence on your wrist for a few weeks. Once the leather becomes more supple, however, and starts to curve to the natural contours of the wrist, this watch should sit like a dream, and you’ll barely remember you’re wearing it. Again, the classic leather band option is less dressy and less sporty than a steel bracelet but I like that it constitutes a more relaxed option for pairing with weekend attire should you want to.

The lug-width is 21mm, so it’s not the most common of sizes to find configurations for. That said, I have a feeling you’ll be happy to settle with the original band for quite some time. The strap comes with a beautifully refined three-fold clasp made from stainless steel and is engraved with the iconic Grand Seiko logo. I also like how the push button release mechanism is butter-smooth to operate under the fingertips. It’s one less thing to have to fuss over when you want to make a quick watch swap.  The brown alligator leather strap, with a smooth calfskin lining, also has lovely tone-on-tone stitching in a matching chocolate brown color, which I think complements the green nuances of the dial really nicely.

How It Wears

Here’s one of the most important parts of the review to cover. It’s great when a watch ticks all the boxes on paper, but understanding how this watch wears on the wrist is equally as important. Let me start by saying this watch (though it’s a broad and confident size on top) wears smaller than you think. That’s all because of how Grand Seiko has developed this case. If you view the watch laterally, you can see a significant difference between the top and bottom of the case structure. The case of the SBGJ239 bellies out with a sloped case design.

If you have a 6-7 inch wrist, you’re probably going to be maxed out with this watch, though it won’t look out of place by any means. Because of its depth, you might struggle to fit this watch under a shirt sleeve, but, as I said earlier, this watch sits somewhere between a dress watch and a sports watch, so you wouldn’t necessarily be looking to pair this watch with elegant attire on a daily basis.

Pricing:

For an in-house movement (not to mention a Hi-Beat), a hand-finished case, a flawlessly operating GMT function, and quality materials like a leather strap and sapphire crystal – the SBGJ239 is an absolute steal at $6,600. If you want to enquire about the availability of this watch and you’re ready to place an order, don’t forget to drop us a message here at Exquisite Timepieces.

The Takeaway

There are many things to love about the Grand Seiko SBGJ239. Considering the watch has been out since 2020, no model has ever really superseded it on a like-for-like level. The watch boasts a selection of superior materials, a legible GMT function, and a striking two-tone bezel for optimal efficiency.

This is a GMT function that proves incredibly useful for hopping from time zone to time zone, whether that be for business or leisure. GS manages to balance sporty elegance with some really nice dress-like features, making for a timepiece that you can wear pretty much every day, regardless of the different situations you may encounter.

This is a bold watch with an equally bold personality, and I love the use of the deep subdued green dial, paired with the striking red of the GMT hand. Without a doubt, this watch can go from a formal meeting to drinks at the bar without looking out of place, and that’s what a lot of Grand Seiko watches are good for. They make great travel partners, sophisticated business partners, and elegant companions all wrapped into one.