Grand Seiko Heritage SBGA211 'Snowflake' Spring Drive

This watch is in mint condition, with no noticeable marks or scratches.

Watch comes with box, outer box, box slip, hang tags, warranty booklet, operating instructions, dust cloth.

The Grand Seiko SBGA211, or more popularly known as the 'Snowflake' is probably the most recognisable of the brand's watches. It's also arguably the watch that caught the imagination of the enthusiasts' community and turned Grand Seiko into a horological household name. The exquisite dial design and finishing was (and still is) a cut above most Swiss competitors. Grand Seiko's attention to detail in finishing the watch didn't go unnoticed, and led to it being seen as a credible alternative to fine Swiss watchmaking.

GRAND SEIKO

In 1967, a Japanese company shattered a century of Swiss supremacy in the watch world. During the Neuchatel Observatory trials (a competition that sought to find the most accurate watch movements), Seiko and its subsidiaries took second and third place as one of the best movement manufacturers in the world, only losing the top spot to Omega. The following year, the trials were permanently cancelled. When the trials returned in 2009, one rule was added: "All parts used to build the movement must be made within Europe."

This origin story may sound highly dramatic, but it's how Grand Seiko was born. Today, the brand has gone from strength to strength. While it made its name shocking the industry with its highly accurate chronometer movements, Grand Seiko continued innovating by releasing the 9F Quartz, Hi-Beat and Spring Drive movements.