Grand Seiko SBGA211

To me, this is the perfect winter watch. Surprisingly, this isn’t a very popular model and many don’t know it exists. I suppose you can attribute that to poor marketing by Seiko. Nonetheless, it’s one of my favorite dials around.

For my birthday this year I decided to treat myself with a new watch, the Grand Seiko SBGA211, also known as "Snowflake" because of the textured dial and lightness thanks to its titanium bracelet and case construction. I'm not calling it a grail because I was able to buy it so it's not really a grail per se, but it took me ages to make up my mind and finally pick one up. From where I stand, the main selling point of this watch is the textured dial and I like it more than the other GS models that I would also love to own that are fitted into the iconic 44GS stainless steel case, like the SBGA373 model.

So here is my Grand Seiko Snowflake (SBGA211) I'm sure by now everyone knows of this model so I dont know why I keep giving the reference but anyways. This was my first real luxury watch unless you woke consider a Christopher Ward Trident as one, after looking at reviews on youtube ( shout out to u/HorologyHouse ) and pictures of it on Instagram I stumbled upon it in my local AD when wandering in for a look. After crying about how broke I am after buying it the first thing that blew me away was how crazily light it was, coming from massive heavy steel dive watches the Snowflake weighs an actual snowflake in comparison to them.

I purchased the SBGA211 in October of 2019 after dreaming of it (personal grail) but never imagining I would ever actually own it. I remember the first time I ever tried the Snowflake on was at an AD (just window-shopping) - the first feeling that hit me was how perfectly peaceful it looks. It’s really difficult to put into words how the slowly sweeping blue seconds hand makes you feel as it glides over the dial surface, which really does look like snow.

Recently for my 21st Birthday I had pulled the trigger on this masterpiece of a watch, a SBGA211 Grand Seiko 'Snowflake'. After Spending Countless hours scrolling through watch Reddit's and forums online, watching YouTube videos on why I should buy a Grand Seiko over a Rolex I came to the conclusion that for my first Mechanical Watch I would buy the infamous 'Snowflake'. I wanted something with that sleek premium feel, but wasn't too heavy.

The day previous to buying it I was talking to my friend about watches, more specifically Grand Seiko as I own an SBGA211 'Snowflake'. He sent me a picture of an SBGH267 and I mentioned how it would be nearly impossible to find one new in an AD as it was released last year and is a limited edition piece to 1500 units (I'm number 867). Luck was on my side the next day when I walked into my AD and there was one sitting in the display cabinet, I couldn't pass up the opportunity so I bought it.

From top left to bottom right:. GS Snowflake SBGA211 on Delugs Nubuck strap - dress watch and an occasional office watch, purchased after graduating & working for a year. BB GMT on Miltat bracelet (because I didn’t want to spend $900 from Tudor with those god awful rivets) - bought this one impulsively. Only watch that I ever immediately fell in love with after trying on.