The Grand Seiko You Didn’t Know Existed – an Owner’s Review of the SBGX331

With Grand Seiko’s rise to popularity in the last few years, it’s hard to find a truly obscure model. And yet, here we are. No, it’s not some vintage reference buried in the archives or a short-lived limited edition you didn’t know about. It’s a modern watch—one that was still available as recently as fall 2023. It wasn’t exclusive to a single boutique, and yet, you’ve likely never seen it before. Why? Because it’s a Japanese domestic model that’s flown almost entirely under the radar. The watch is the Grand Seiko SBGX331—and by the time you finish reading this, you might just want one yourself.

So, how did I end up with the SBGX331? Back in September 2023, I had the chance to travel to Japan as part of the Grand Seiko Media Experience—a whirlwind tour of Seiko and Grand Seiko’s facilities across Honshu. Over just a few days, we visited multiple workshops, watched artisans at work, and took in various presentations on the brand’s history, movements, and proprietary technologies. We saw case finishing, dial printing, and even the production of Credor Eichi II dials. And yes, we ate—a lot. For a more detailed breakdown of that trip, check out my write-up here.

As a longtime Grand Seiko fan, it wasn’t so much a crash course as it was a chance to confirm that all the stories I’d read—and in some cases repeated—were actually real. Seeing Zaratsu polishing done in person, or hands being heat-blued to a precise hue, or watching minute indices being inspected by eye with a mirror… It didn’t just check a box—it made the whole thing hit home in a new way.

It was also my first trip to Japan, and with no return trip in sight, I wanted to mark the experience in a meaningful way. Which, of course, meant finding a watch. I didn’t just want to buy a watch in Japan, though. I wanted to find one that I could only get in Japan. And, logically, it had to be a Grand Seiko.