Grand Seiko SBGN Owner Review : Bipolar, paradoxical and comfortable

Third GS for me, second quartz with the diabolical caliber 9F86 which ensures a precision of a handful of seconds per year. At GS, I was looking for a sporty model, robust but with a contained diameter. I would have liked a Spring Drive, but I was immediately attracted by the harmony of this black dial. As is often the case with GS, to try it is to adopt it: the proportions are perfect for my wrist: 39X12.3 mm, a LtL of 45.9 mm, and above all short and curved horns which fit the wrist perfectly. I am not a big fan of the GMT: when I am on vacation abroad, I do not want a big hand to remind me that it is time to go home, while preventing me from reading the time on the beach... But here none of that: the time is perfectly readable, and the GMT hand is discreet, like a sharp arrow. So far, it's the complete opposite of a Tudor, and I'm glad for that ; ) I'm not usually a big fan of the date window, but here, once again, the integration is perfect, located at 4 o'clock, and the integration is reinforced by the (screw-down) crown also located at 4 o'clock. On the crown, the numerals for the second time zone are beautifully engraved. The luminescence is only present at 0, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, but for me, it contributes to the elegance and understatement of the watch. To nitpick, I would say that the only flaw of the bracelet (and the watch) is the lack of micro-adjustment, but I wouldn't say that... I quickly switched from the steel bracelet to a GS alligator strap to lean towards the elegant side of strength, and then finally, I went back to the original steel bracelet, because this sports watch, water-resistant to 200 meters, manages, thanks to its design, to be refined. And this without belonging to the (too) large family of inbred "sport chic" watches. In the end, this watch reconciles all the paradoxes: robust and precious at the same time, simple and original, harmonious although asymmetrical... In addition to being precise, readable and comfortable. The Japanese are definitely the sexiest.