Hands-On With The Grand Seiko SBGM221 GMT

There’s much that’s been said of what makes Grand Seiko Grand Seiko. The Zaratsu polishing, the Spring Drive movement, the exquisite dial manufacturing and finishing; I could go on. But what really makes a watch (or anything, for that matter) is the sum of the parts. Life happens outside of the spec sheet, so what is that actually like when it comes to the subject of our discussion: the Grand Seiko SBGM221?

To cover the bases: what we have here is a 39.5mm x 14.5mm flier GMT. The dial is a warm, ivory color with a blued GMT hand flying in formation with 11 highly polished hour markers (and one date-window frame). The brand’s in-house automatic 9S66 caliber ticks away inside the stainless steel case whose design language isn’t quite Dress Watch, and isn’t quite Sports Watch. However, it is definitely Grand Seiko.

Speaking of the date window — more specifically, the date disk itself —I noticed something peculiar. The date disk is not just a silver disk with black printed numerals — no sir, no ma’am. Beyond a simple paint finish, it has been treated with a very subtle circular graining texture that I believe is meant to catch the light, and to counter any shadows caused by the disk being set low inside the window, effectively making it appear brighter and more legible. Very clever, if you ask me. 

Starting with the dial, this color fits in a space where it can easily answer any call to action — as far as styling goes. It will look great with a leather strap. It’s especially nice with a brown leather, something with a little orange in it to complement the blue GMT hand. On the other end of the spectrum, this could easily go on something like a NATO strap to give it a little more of a sporty edge. Moving to the hands and dial furniture, everything is top notch, as you’d expect. The hour markers and primary hands are cut and polished flawlessly, so much so you don’t even miss the lack of lume. As for the GMT hand, I’m usually not a fan of “shorter” hands like this one. However, the proportions in relation to the printed markings on the dial are just right, leaving everything that needs to be read, easily legible. Also, blued steel is second to none in my mind.

The case also sits somewhere in between sports and dress. The 39.5mm diameter gives the watch a size and presence that one would demand of a watch that can be worn anywhere. The size, and the legibility that comes with size, is there to support a quick read of the time in day-to-day operations. However, there’s also a fair amount of refinement in the overall construction and "Grammar of Design" of the SBGM221. The lugs curve down and inward, effectively reducing how big the watch feels on the wrist. There’s also a subtle curve on the case flank, limiting the visual impact of the case height. The slight roundness feels very refined and elegant. Considering this piece is part of the Elegance Collection, that is fitting. Speaking of flat case flanks, have a look at a full-size Tudor Black Bay and you can see the fully flat alternative. I know, that’s a big ol’ dive watch, but it’s the principle.

Overall, the dimensions are spot on. At its widest point, sans crown, you’re looking at 39.5mm across, which is a nice modern size with a certain vintage sensibility. At first blush, 14.5mm seems quite thick for the case's profile, but some of that can be attributed to crystal height, which you don’t really notice when the watch is on-wrist. Given the visual tricks in the overall case design, like the shape of the lugs, midcase, thin bezel: there is a consequent illusion of making the watch feel wider, which in turn gives it a sense that it’s not quite as tall as a spec list might lead you to believe. In fewer words, let's just say that due to some design trickery, the watch doesn’t feel so much like a hockey puck. The sum of the parts here are kind of a net negative; at least that’s how it feels- and that’s a good thing.

Together, the dial color and case construction give the watch a casual, approachable aura with a distinct, honest refinement. As if that wasn’t enough, inside is where a lot of the appeal for the SBGM221 lies: the 9S66 movement. No, it’s not the sexy Spring Drive, nor the edgy Hi-Beat. But, this is still an expertly finished in-house automatic with a true, flier GMT, and that’s what you want. Also, for what it’s worth: Grand Seiko only uses this movement in two other models, so you’ve got a bit of exclusivity here. (And those two are really, effectively, just one model with two different dial colors.) Regarding the movement itself, for the uninitiated, a “flier” GMT employs an independent, local hour hand for time setting. When you arrive at your far-flung destination, simply pull the crown and jump the hour hand to the new time zone, and the blue GMT hand stays in place for “home” time. 

All of this comes for less than $5K, which, when we’re talking about a supremely constructed and finished flier GMT from a top-tier manufacturer, is one of not many options for this price. The Longines Spirit Zulu Time and Tudor Black Bay GMT come to mind, but both are decidedly more sporty. That being said, my one critique for Grand Seiko here is that only 30 meters of water resistance is an unfortunate miss. It doesn’t need to be ready for saturation diving by any means, but giving the SBGM221 a touch more water resistance would take it from very good to great.