Rolex v Grand Seiko?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by GST15

I agree, Seiko name is an anchor. Love GS, but's its not a Rolex. Name recognition and value retention is a major win for Rolex. I know all about the history of the Seiko name, but GS will never get the status it DESERVES until they brand it under another name. Too many levels of the same name with Seiko, from $200 to 10K doesn't work IMHO

Seiko is the name that caused the Swiss to shut down their chronometer competitions in the late 1960s when the only Omega quartz movements could beat Seiko mechanical movements. Seiko introduced the quickset date 10 years before Rolex, and the double-quickset 20 years before Rolex. It has a long and proud history (a quarter century longer than Rolex), and doesn't need a new name, just better brand recognition. The company isn't going to rebrand its premium line just because foreigners think the Seiko name is spread too thin.

[JR16]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Seiko is the name that caused the Swiss to shut down their chronometer competitions in the late 1960s when the only Omega quartz movements could beat Seiko mechanical movements. Seiko introduced the quickset date 10 years before Rolex, and the double-quickset 20 years before Rolex. It has a long and proud history (a quarter century longer than Rolex), and doesn't need a new name, just better brand recognition. The company isn't going to rebrand its premium line just because foreigners think the Seiko name is spread too thin.

Totally agree … but would add that brand “recognition” for GS depends on brand differentiation from other seiko lines and they have done a poor job at this. Couple that with too many SKUs, and it results in a confused consumer / frustrated collector-enthusiast.


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[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Seiko is the name that caused the Swiss to shut down their chronometer competitions in the late 1960s when the only Omega quartz movements could beat Seiko mechanical movements. Seiko introduced the quickset date 10 years before Rolex, and the double-quickset 20 years before Rolex. It has a long and proud history (a quarter century longer than Rolex), and doesn't need a new name, just better brand recognition. The company isn't going to rebrand its premium line just because foreigners think the Seiko name is spread too thin.

Very true it needs "brand recognition", I am just not sure how to go about it with so much history of the opposite.

[sski]

Seiko ought to ditch the 'Grand Seiko' name and rebrand the high end offerings as 'Credor'

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Tanalasta

This. And the spring drive movement is relatively unique.

Secondary market (generally) better for Rolex.

My reservation is that I’m undecided about quality of the service centres (especially in Australia. And as they also handle generic Seiko I suspect GS isn’t the norm for them). 9R spring drive movements get sent to Japan.

The finish and pricing of some of the masterpiece line are holy trinity territory.

GS release a lot of models. And limited editions. Unlike Rolex where you choose from select dial options from a small range, navigating watch reference numbers and the website can be overwhelming.


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The Omiwatari is stunning and rather versatile if one is into shaping straps
Service in OZ for GS is(i think) strictly a send it back to the mothership proposition.
Spring drive and Hi Beat won't be touched by them here and I'm extremely confident my sbgw253 with a 9s64 goes back to Japan and that's one of the reasons why I bought it. Imagine that?
If that applied to every Rolex sold going back to Switzerland to be serviced exclusively by the mothership

As you say, Seiko servicing here can be extremely hit or miss, with the last one done on a watch I gladly wore quite a lot for a number of years turning me right off
The watch eventually died anyway, leaving me to slum it with Rolex for many years. So every cloud has a silver lining

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by JR16

Totally agree … but would add that brand “recognition” for GS depends on brand differentiation from other seiko lines and they have done a poor job at this. Couple that with too many SKUs, and it results in a confused consumer / frustrated collector-enthusiast.


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I tend to agree.
It's one of the reasons why I picked up my sbgw253, because there's no GS logo on the dial as well as Seiko.
All thrown together on the dial is more redundant than the Rolex novel.
I consider that just a simple Grand Seiko is sufficient on the dial in their Gothic typeface whether one appreciates the typeface or not.

[Tanalasta]

I’ve always wondered what the heritage was behind a gothic typeface on a Japanese watch.

GS movement and case finishing and dials (relatively) are superior compared to many other premium Swiss watches. Rolex are more utilitarian and their brand holds much more consumer recognition.

And agreed, SBGY007 seems underrated despite glowing reviews.

The Datejust 41 is very close in price.




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