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Watches & Wonders Day 2 – Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and Grand Seiko

Published on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 22:12:55 +0000

The second episode of our daily series is all about Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and Grand Seiko.

Synopsis

This is day two of Watches and Wonders 2022 coverage, featuring hosts James Stacy, Nora, Logan, and John discussing their experiences at the trade show in Geneva. The team is recording from an FHH booth with improved audio quality compared to day one, and they're grateful for the opportunity to be back at an in-person watch event after two years of pandemic disruptions.

The episode focuses on three major brand presentations: Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and Grand Seiko. The Cartier meeting was particularly memorable, with the team seeing approximately thirty-five watches ranging from entry-level Pasha pieces to extraordinary high jewelry creations. Standout pieces included the black dial Tank Louis Cartier with automatic movement, the Masse Mystérieuse (featuring a movement that rotates like a rotor while telling time), high jewelry pieces including a diamond-encrusted Panther bracelet, and new Santos Dumont models—particularly a pink gold version with lacquer-filled case that left a strong impression on James.

Vacheron Constantin's presentation featured the highly anticipated return of the 222 model in gold, sparking discussion about whether releasing only one SKU in gold (rather than steel) was the right strategy. The team examined the relationship between the 222 and the Overseas collection, debating whether they could coexist as different tiers of sport watches. They also discussed impressive complications including a minute repeater tourbillon split-second chronograph and a perpetual calendar chronograph in platinum with salmon dial. John was particularly excited about the new Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton in titanium, marking Vacheron's first full titanium integrated bracelet.

Grand Seiko made a major impression with their first main-stage appearance at Watches and Wonders, presenting the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon—a groundbreaking piece that Logan declared potentially won the show. This titanium watch features an integrated constant-force mechanism and tourbillon on the same regulating plane, creating a deadbeat seconds display. The brand also expanded their Evolution 9 collection with new Spring Drive GMTs and a diver with "Blackstream" dial that caught Logan's attention.

The episode concludes with light discussion about the excellent food service at the show, with the team praising everything from tartare to tiramisu. Throughout, there's a palpable excitement about being back at a physical trade show, allowing them to escape the "Instagram bubble" and experience watches in proper context alongside the broader industry.

Transcript

Speaker
James Stacy Hey, it's me, James Stacy, and we're back with day two from Watches and Wonders twenty twenty two. I'm joined by Nora, Logan, and John. And uh we're talking about three other really great meetings we had today, or in one case are about to have, and that's going to be Cartier Vashron Constantin and Grand Seiko. How's everyone doing? Great. Doing okay. You know, a little little tired, not gonna lie. I think that's uh to be expected when when you when you're covering a trade show. But you know, my tiredness is buoyed by the excitement of seeing amazing new watches every day. Absolutely. Yeah, feeling good. You know, it's uh it's good to be back in Geneva in kind of the the the trade show spirit, uh seeing people from around the world that you know we don't uh get to see too often, especially um, you know, after we've been in the US for the past two years. Yeah. Uh and just, you know, new product. Being able to go hands-on with it i is just exciting. You know, even uh any moment of tiredness is uh like John said, you know, you go to the next meeting and all of a sudden you're excited again. It's it's a cool vibe. Absolut Absolutely. And and uh today you might notice the audio quality is a little bit better than yesterday's where there's some background noise and some loud French speaking and the and the rest of it. Uh the FHH kindly uh has a booth that we're using for recording purposes, so a big thank you to them. We've got glasses of champagne. I think it's gonna be really fun, thirty, forty minutes. You know, yesterday uh for me anyway, speaking very internally here, uh was you know, Rolex and Tudor great watches, but not what I would call like fancy haute orage sort of spec stuff, but today really ramped up in a different direction. I think we started that with a very early meeting early in my world with Cartier. It's hard to even know where to begin. They showed us so many watches and it
Nora It was just a fun time. Everyone was giggling and trying stuff on and people were just chatting amongst themselves about the different watches that were going around the table. It was so fun. Yeah
James Stacy . That's I mean Cartier is always w at the old SIHH was like I'm just gonna say it my favorite appointment because there were so many watches, so many so much like commercially interesting stuff that like watches that I could even conceive of possibly buying, you know, uh so I could approach it almost like with my consumer hat on as a in addition to the press hat. And also like, you know, these are iconic watches coming from lines that have been around forever. And so uh you're seeing kind of like you know the next chapters of stories unfold every time you see the new crop of Cartier watches. Yeah. And the the diversity is just really interesting to me. I mean, we got to see everything from entry-level pasha pieces to super high-end jewelry watches to, you know, things that are like the the Santos de Mont, things that are really, you know, I can imagine countless people buying to unique pieces. Yeah. And that's very few brands can successfully pull that off. And Cartier uh does it, you know, continuously with a plom. Um and I I think that's really apparent in the trade show setting where you're just seeing stuff back to back to back to back. Yeah. And you know, I was sitting uh right next to Nora during the meeting and it it's really fun to sit with someone who's we very different t perspectives and tastes on watches. And my my understanding of cardio has grown a lot in the last couple of years. I think I I always kind of appreciated what they were great at, but never wanted one. And now I want so many of them. Yeah. Wha what kind of stood out for you? Where where would you want to start with I mean with Carti
Nora er? That black dial tank Louis Cartier. Tank Louis Cartier was um incredible. I wrote the intro about it and was very jazzed and I love a black dial watch, but there was just something really special about putting it on. The size is perfect. I as someone relatively new to watches, I think the tank is kind of a great sort of entry point into understanding what you like about a watch, what intrigues you about a watch, and then now to sort of see this version come out and be as beautiful and well done as it was was really exciting. And then I also haven't really tried on a bunch of high jewelry pieces before. So the Lyra and the Panther that they did that was like all diamonds with two Panther heads that connected was just an insane thing to put on my wrist. Well in that the uh
James Stacy Mathor of the Art crash. Yeah. With this kind of banded work that cr this is one where like I can't describe it because I'm not a high jewelry guy, but I see it and I'm psyched about it. I'll put a I'll I'll make sure to link it in the show notes. You should check it out even if you like don't care about a crazy high end crash in general, just because the the ex level of execution is like mind s
Nora hattering. It's so cool. Exactly. And the way that like if you someone dis if we described it and you didn't look at it, you would think like that sounds tacky and horrific. And then you see it. And like the way that the artisans work, it's just balanced so well. The stones are chosen so well that they somehow you can put something on your wrist that is covered in diamonds and it looks almost subtle. It was a great
James Stacy time. And then with that tank LC, it's hard to describe a tank in audio form because they're all kind of the same, right? You have to consider the details. And it's a relatively mid-sized tank in their world, solid gold case. This has a uh automatic movement, and then it's a full black no marker dial. So it's cardiac has two hands. Yeah. It's like the ethos of the tank in one watch. And it's like a really nice size. It worked. I thought it looked pretty good on my wrist. I probably wouldn't do it on a black strap. We were were we having this conversation. I don't wear any black. They had so much cool stuff for sure. Sean, what did you think of that um the mass mysterious? Oh, that is one of the most interesting high mechanical watches that I've seen from Cartier like forever. I mean it's it you're you know combining a mystery watch with something else entirely I guess you know it was it was really pretty wild. Um in the fact that it has, I think like I don't wanna I I don't wanna talk out of school, but I think there are like three differentials in there to enable it to to to run with the have the hands go to be able to and have the the the movement uh turn around within the case and also be the oscillating weight. It was just like it's just wild. Yeah. Um that and like to you know Logan's you know early point like pulling off that kind of stuff alongside like tanks for every you know shape and size of wrist and interest uh and you know Santos and all that is really what makes Cartier Cartier. Yeah. And the so if you if you don't know the mass Mysterios that it it's basically if you think about the way that a Ulysses Nardan freak has the entire time telling in the hand. So the movement is also the hand of the watch. This is kind of like imagine the entire movement is relegated to the rotor and there's nothing else. So the whole movement moves around like a rotor does. You can see right through the watch. Didn't really work with my arm hair. Uh but besides that, it's like it's jaw dropping the execution. It's really cool, kind of like weirdly special. Well, not weirdly, it's obviously special, but like it has that kind of charm of a almost like an automaton or a a like a like a this very artful creation that doesn't have to exist but does for very kind of human reasons. It's literally a carnival ride for the wrist. Yeah. Yeah I mean, I would I I would even add on to that though and just say, like, you know, this is not to say that other watchmakers couldn't make something perhaps similar or kind of with the same kind of idea, but I I, you know, I have a strong feeling that if others were to try to do something like that, it would come off as almost like gimmicky or like um gadgety somehow. Whereas when um Cartier does it, they there's always just this kind of like charm baked into the design. It suits them. Exactly. That's a precise. Yeah. Logan, anything stand out for you? We saw what did we see, maybe thirty-five watches got handed around the table? I don't sure we all saw all of them, but I think we all saw a slice of them all. Yeah. You know, um I think the jewelry pieces that's stuff that we don't get to see too often and you really have to um see in person to appreciate. Um I I do want to apologize to everyone listening for my French. Oh and mine too. It's very, very poor. Um one watch that I didn't see that I think Dani wrote about that really caught my eye was the new steel pascha de Cartiers. Uh the chronograph has a dive bezel on it and it reminds me of the and we've talked about this on Hodin Q radio before, but the old Cartier uh C timer, the Pasha C timer, which is a super cool like interpretation of the Pasha design. Um, and I think that adds it it brings a whole different type of uh aesthetic to the Cartier lineup. I mean, you know, some of Cartier doesn't make too many sport models. You know, maybe we could describe some Santos Dumont pieces as sport adjacent. Uh but here, you know, it really in stainless steel, stainless steel bracelet, uh. Uh it's the pascha, but in a very kind of sporty manner. And you know, I think the pasha does have an interesting sport history. Talk thinking about the that golf watch from uh 20, 25 years ago. The the scorekeeper? Yeah. And that's not what it's called but that,'s what it does, right? Yeah, I think I believe so. Um it has the four different pushers on it. And yeah, I think you uh can use it to keep track of a golf game, quartz movement, I believe. Uh we need a reissue of that, I think. Golf's hot these days. Why not? Yeah. I I think um well you mentioned the the Santos Dumas and and I think though you know we saw a s uh a handful of new models, but specifically the pink gold version with the lacquer filled case. I found to be jaw-dpproing. That might be like my most favorite watch I'm not gonna have from the show. Like I really like the tutor we talked about yesterday. I could see owning one of those. This is like a whole different vibe. It's crazy beautiful in person. It's the right size, it's suited like everyone who put it on was like, oh, okay. Yeah. I feel better than I did uh 30 seconds ago. I'm not a huge Santos fan. I I like the Santos Dumont more than the the lot of them, but what they did to kind of blend the the shape and the size of the kind of the medium size one, I guess this is a medium size doom up, but it's actually on the smaller side for the Santos. And then to have this interplay between the kind of richer tone of the uh the pink gold and then this almost ivory-like coloring of the lacquer. I've not seen anything like it. They're not making that many. I want to say 250. It was like this isn't something you say about cardio that often. It didn't seem expensive for what it is and how limited it is. What'd you guys think of this one? I think the watch that you're talking about specifically is I think you're you're right, it's the best looking one of the of the lot. It's so good. It was frankly beautiful, I would I would say. Yeah, Logan's got it pulled up so on his computer so I can look at it. It's stunning. V pretty. Yeah. And you know, at I think it was like twelve thousand in change. So like you know it's not a cheap watch, but we're saying but like look at the price of the other stuff that Cardi has put out this year. Sure, sure, sure. But then but you know what? I mean also merits I think consideration and discussion is the one with the with the black bezel. Absolutely. Black lacquer bezel, stainless steel, right? And I think just a hair over five thousand dollars, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, I didn't get to see that. That one didn't our end of the table, I don't think. That's too bad because it's pretty rare. I mean, that is one that I you know, I like it because it feels even sportier. Yeah, like you, I don't I don't really wear black, which is like bizarre considering I've lived in New York for so long. Like I I own like no black clothes. Impressive. But I mean like shoes to wear with a tuxedo, maybe. That that watch with the black lacquer, um, bezel and I think it's on a black strap. I think I thought it was just really sweet. Yeah. There's a Saint O'Cause de Montes a sweet thing. Uh and it it does it blends a like a legitimately like a sporty feel with everything you want from Cartier. And and you have a dial that's very legible and easy to read, and it feels they feel stylish. Like Cartier's really come into its own in the last few years in terms of popularity, the fact that I think they offer an alternative to the kind of normal sports steel sports watch scene that still feels as considered or more so as stylish or more so and and has this connection to decades and decades of kind of fashionable people and and lifestyles, right? Yeah. It's uh that they're they're like a a little slice of Hollywood uh for the wrist uh at some level. And then uh beyond Cartier, the next one that stands out for me is what is probably my favorite brand that would show at an SHH or Watches and Wonders previous before where they started to blend everything is Vasher and Constantin. Just one of my easily my favorite, like high-end atelier, no question. I I just adore what they've done last years with overseas. And uh and then you know, this year we got uh a new 222, which is watched that I think is was a sleeper for a long time, is not a sleeper anymore. People know what it is and that it's special and how rare they are. Uh this is a a full gold uh option. And uh uh Logan, uh Nora and I got a chance to see it this afternoon and I didn't know what to think because sometimes, you know, the the idea of like remaking a classic, especially one that they stopped making. Like AP's been making the Royal Oak for a long time. Obviously, uh Nautilus has been around for a while, but the two two two stopped. John made the point that, you know, in some ways the overseas pick that up at some point in the lineage. But, you know, they come back and they've got essentially a single skew in gold. Do you guys think that they're missing an opportunity or that by just not doing the opportunity. John's very excitedly waving his hand. By not doing the opportunity, not taking the opportunity, it's kind of more of a Vashron style move. Yeah. Uh I have I have thoughts on this. I I think that what they did they the way they did it, I think, is correct. I think uh having the uh the gold version to start out is is nice. Uh I would love to see them like slow drip the 222 back into the collection in almost kind of like a reverse order kind of way. So rather than go straight to steel, let's see like a two-tone um version with gold center links, okay, which has historical precedent, of course within the two two, two range, vintage-wise. And then come out with a full steel 222 that people would go nuts for and maybe don't make too many of them. Or make a lot of them. I don't know. I think there's also an interesting opportunity here. I mean to go back to the uh AP reference for a moment. You know, we've got the the Royal Oak and the Royal Oak Offshore. Um what if, you know, in some crazy world, and I d don't think this happens, what if the two two two expands and becomes kind of that thinner, very kind of base not basic, but that thinner, you know, time only point to in the Vacheron sport model catalog and then the overseas is kind of the heavier hitter very contemporary design, the kind of offshore um within Vacheron's lineup. Uh I don't know if that's a good idea, but I think it is and you saw one of the heavy hitter overseas, right? Yeah. Yeah, Vashron uh I wrote up an introducing for the new overseas Torbion uh skeleton, uh which they're making in titanium in pink gold. It's the first time uh Vashron has done a full titanium overseas, including integrated bracelet. Uh they did as James uh knows very well. Finally saw that watch in person. Oh nice. Yeah. The the Corey Richards', uh Everest uh dual time and chronograph that came out what like last came out like last uh September or something like that. Yeah about that. Yeah. Uh so this this new non-limited Vashron overseas Torbian Skeleton is the first time they've done a titanium bracelet and everything. It's super light. It feels almost like a toy. The titanium is finished very nicely. And the watch just it punches you in the mouth and you know takes your lunch money. Uh the skeleton is just beautifully done. Um it has I believe Vachron's only self winding Torbion movement in the catalog currently, the 2160. Um it was came, I think it first came out like in 2017 or so. Um it was the first time they ever did a self-winding Torbion. Uh it's just it's just really nice all the way around. I'm not sure how expensive it is. I think it'll be pretty expensive since uh they're even labeling the titanium piece as price on request. Um but I did want to jump back to the 222 for a moment because there was a recent uh interesting development in the vintage two two two market uh in May at Phillips in Geneva, they're auctioning off a trio of the two tone, the gold and the steel uh two tutu twos. And I'm I'm really curious to see how you know the new reissue will impact that that price. We've seen two two twos in the past hit the six figure mark. Um, but how high could they go now that you can get a you know new one for for your money if you're if you're able to um get one from one of the Vacheron boutiques? But I don't I don't know. I think that'll be an interesting uh something interesting to watch uh in May at the auctions, which is only I realized a month from now. That's really interesting. And the only I guess the only one they're missing is the the square, right? I I guess so. Square two two two. Yeah, they have the stainless two two two, yellow gold, and yellow and stainless steel two. Yeah. And then and then of course I mean there's there's there's this whole like kind of history of the two two two that leads into the the the overseas. I mean there's the three three three, right? That's another one they could bring back, which like few people know about. Um Do you think that'd be a good move for Hysteriques? Maybe. Not its time yet, maybe. Maybe not its time yet. Yeah. I mean there's the Fidious as well, which is kind of that I don't know. I know the three through three. Or at least I can picture it. Yeah, there's also the Phidias, which is the first I'll look it up and put it in the show notes if you're like me and you don't know what John's talking about. Well, they have a handful of really interesting stuff and we have a a bunch of stories on the site. Uh Jack wrote up the uh minute repeater turbine split second mono pusher chronograph. I mean, it's jaw-dropping. They have one here. It's they're so cool. They're so high-end. Um, I wrote up the uh the traditional perpetual calendar chronograph. So this is the first time they've offered it in the combination of platinum and uh the salmon dial, but otherwise it's an existing um there's a black dial, white gold, and uh and such. And I I think it's a fascinating watch. You know, that that's a watch that has some very tough competition in the uh Patek 5270. And the 5270 is also 41 and a half. This is 43 millimeters. So it would really come down to taste, but it's the execution. I I got a chance to see it at their display here. It's so Vashron. It's so like kind of old world take on luxury watchmaking that really just ignores the hype cycle. And uh I I'm I'm I'm for it. I I'm a huge fan of the brand and I I think that they're doing some really cool stuff and it was it was legitimately a thrill to get to uh try the on the two two two and snap a wrist shot for Instagram. Yeah, this it's been some great stuff so far for sure. Yeah, and I think it's really nice to see the salmon and the platinum combination. Uh historically, I think uh that is that's the metal that's most associated with salmon dials you know when you're talking about Cartier when you're talking about paddock uh of course with the popularity of that shade we've seen it extend into white gold like paddock did uh with uh the what the fifty-three seventy and fifty-one seventy-two. I might have just mixed those reference numbers around a bit, but the the one I wrote about uh yesterday. So it's just cool to see that kind of classic combination um be really represented strongly by Vashron. I agree. I I think there's gonna be a scenario in which if we're still doing this podcast in a few years, we're gonna be talking about how it's a different Vashron in a couple years in terms of their their the attention they get on the market. I think that they're putting in all the work. And I don't get me wrong, they're one of the big three, like Nor said, like they are the holy trinity and among it, without question. But I feel like so much of the attention has gone to Patek and AP in the last years, especially along the pop culture side, the celebrity side. And what I love about Vashron is they exist in the watchmaking side like almost exclusively and they do so quietly. For sure. You know what you actually kind of raise in a way to me, I think an interesting point that I kinda was think Iing about this morning uh as I was coming into the show after visiting yesterday. And you know, being outside of the physical trade shows for so long, I th I found myself kind of get into the Instagram bubble of like what's popular, you know, in a way that I I I wasn't really, um, before the pandemic. And so being, you know, around, you know, thirty plus amazing watchmakers and seeing what everyone is doing. So impressive. On a more kind of like level plane and not letting an algorithm serve me what is like supposed to be cool and lett letting me kind of try to make up my own mind a little bit more has been in in a in a physical way, you know, um with actually seeing things in person has been really nice. Bit of a tangent. No, I I I totally agree. Like like absolutely. It's so fun to to be able to have the context of the show back. And we've said this on the yesterday's episode. We'll say it on tomorrow's episode. Like the return of a watch show is a great thing. I'm thrilled to the fact that like Nora no longer gets to say she's new to watches. She's been to a big trade fair. We're only in day two, but we'll survive this. Yeah. We're having a good time. Everybody's really happy to be here, which is super fun. And and the watches, it could have been a lesser year, even on day two. Like the watches didn't have to come this hard and this fast and this good. We all would have been excited even if it was m you know, less interesting stuff. But whether you want, you know, kind of oddball line extensions like we talked about yesterday between Rolex and Tutor, or you want some crazy high-end watchmaking, whether that's, you know, the annual calendar uh travel time from Patek or any of the stuff we've just talked about from Cartier or uh uh Vashron, that there's just so much here. And and the fun thing is is you don't have to be Swiss. We got Grand Seiko too. Yeah. And I uh part of me wonders if the brands really felt like they had to bring it. You know, because like you know, this is they they're coming back after after not doing this for two years. I think there's a I think there's a point to be made there. I also think that a lot of them probably had some of these watches done in twenty twenty. Very very fair. And then we're like they're like these can these can stay in the these can stay in draft. I'm not gonna set I'm not gonna hit send on this just yet. But yeah, with Grand Seiko, this is one that um I didn't write any Grand Seiko stories and I don't get I won't get to see their stuff before we recorded this episode. So Logan, John, walk us through Grand Seco because they've got some legit heavy hitters. Yeah. I mean, uh, you kind of just alluded to it, but that new uh the the Kodo Concept Force Torbion, like I mean, bro, come on. Bro, are you kidding me? Like Grand Seiko's first uh Watches and Wonders, you know, kind of entering the they uh previously showed at Balls World, of course, uh they were always on the second floor, but here they are in the main stage in Geneva. And they came out and they they just you know they they they won the show. I'll I'll say that right now. This constant force torbion is probably one of the most interesting, you know, high complications uh that I I've seen. Uh and it's they're billing it as their first mechanical complication. Yeah. Of course they have spring drive chronographs, but for this to be like their first mechanical complication is just so extremely interesting. I mean it's titanium, uh, that's something we don't typically see for you know very complicated watches. Constant versus torbillon on the same uh what is it, John, regulating plane. Uh they're kind of integrated together. Uh it's a deadbeat seconds. Uh so basically the way it works is with the torbion uh rotating and then the constant force, it's uh each second is going bam, bam, bam, bam. And it's just so cool. Yeah, I mean not not to cut you off, but that to me was what's so cool about it. The constant force mechanism, which is delivering the energy uh every second is the deadbeat seconds. I think it's wild. I I've only seen it in images. I I can't wait to get a chance to see it in person because it's it has all the Grand Seco elements you expect, but it's it's like it's really pretty and super skeletonized and uh and just kind of exciting. You know, the the the joke I made when when I first saw this come out, I was like, oh, like this is a big this is essentially the party, right? For for watch launches. And this is Grand Seiko showing up at midnight with 50 burgers. Right. Like every everyone else brought hors d'oeuvres or like a case of beer. And like we love hors d'oeuvres. Who doesn't, right? And the case of beer is great. This is this is like 200 chicken nuggets when you're really hungry. This is so cool. Yeah. And uh it's actually very I mean it's thirteen millimeter thickness, uh, but the sapphire crystal is actually pack all that into less of the thickness than the new GMT Tutor. Yeah, exactly. Like I said, come on, bro. Come on. And I do think one really interesting thing to mention about the case construction is that uh so it has a platinum inner case and then the outer case is uh actually what they're calling a brilliant hard titanium. Uh so it's this weird kind of not weird but this it's this interesting mix of metals uh that you wouldn't really kind of think of at first. So So you know, kudos to Grand Seco. Uh of course, they uh came out with uh a few other things. Uh John, uh what what what else did we see? Well we saw it. I mean, so that that was you know the kind of amazing uh high complication that actually I'm I'm gonna go see right after this podcast recording and we're gonna go photograph it and have a hands-hands-on pot uh post coming to the website very soon. The uh you know the other masterpiece was this like fully blinged out spring drive uh piece that like honestly pictures that I had seen uh I had seen before actually seeing the watch didn't do justice. It was truly amazing. Um the level of craftsmanship in like uh in uh diamond setting at uh Grand Seiko isn't something that I think people tend to think about. Um but it really it should be. You know, because it it it was a breathtaking thing. Um but really the focus from a commercial standpoint at Grand Seiko this year is you know the evolution 9 uh collection. So these are uh watches that are probably the most famous uh examples would be the the white birch models. Um you're you know you're looking at a redesign case, um you're looking at uh typically you know wider lugs to accommodate a wider bracelet, uh a slimmer case. So, you know, ergonomics, the way um light and shadow play uh on uh on uh the you know the the handset and the indices uh in and on the case as well. Is really the kind of like the focus of Evolution nine. And so I you know I had thought of it as more of a a a dressy kind of uh design language um for Grand Seco uh moving forward, but now we see it applied to um a couple of Spring Drive uh GMTs. Very sporty. Yeah, very sporty. A couple of you know large uh spring drive chronograph GMTs and uh a spring drive Diver, which I think was you know w certainly one of my favorite watches and I think so one of Logan's absolute favorite watches uh of the of the Grand Secos to come out. I do love me uh the the Spring Drive Diver line, the SVGA two nine has uh long enticed me. Um I will add one to my collection eventually. And uh the new uh what's the what's the reference number? Uh S L G A 015. Thank you, James. Uh with the the Blackstream dial is just very, very nice. You know, it of course it looks like some other dive watches that are out in the world, but that blackstream, yeah, I think that's fair to say. rules to what a dive watch looks like for the um but I think that black stream dial adds a bit of texture to the design that um you know just makes it a feel a bit different, pops a bit more. Uh and of course if you know out,side the aesthetics, you got the spring drive movement inside, which is just super sexy. And w what I really hope is that they come out with a steel version, 'cause I like the the weightiness of steel a bit more than the titanium. I alluded that into my introducing article. Sometimes titanium can feel a bit like a toy, even though I do like the metal but uh for a dive watch I want that kind of punchy presence on the wrist. I mean for me the SBGE285 the white ish dial GMT so pretty I went by you can see it in the vitrine, the the cabinet out front. Eighty four hundred dollars, like for what you're getting, they're not gonna have any trouble at all selling these. And uh it's a proper GMT movement, you still got a hundred meters water resistance, you get anti-magnetism, 41 millimeters, super fair, really nicely balanced. And like the thing that you don't under like and if you live somewhere where you you don't have the option of going to see a Grand Seiko in person, then it's it's difficult to understand, but like everything about Grand Sego is about the execution of the final thing that you get to put on your wrist. John's got one of my favorite uh Grand Sagos on his wrist now, which is also a GMT. And like if you only ever saw the photo, you'd be getting 50% of the charm. It's the it's the the level of the finishing on the dial furniture. It's the it's the texture of the dial. Like John's has a very beautifully like almost like an I an aged ivory color dial that they changed a little while later, right? Like you can't buy that dial color now. Well I well, I think it's an earlier one. There was an earlier one that Jason Heaton has. So that was the it was uh uh essentially the same watch, but it has the Seiko branding at twelve. This one has a slightly rare GS branding. Yeah, the GS branding. But um, you know, to me, uh, you know, this is not a driving watch, you know, but to I can't think of a watch I want to wear more than when I'm like, you know, behind the wheel at like, you know, the sun is just going down and light is starting to do things and I can just kind of like go like that at a red light. Yeah, it's just like, oh man. I get it for sure. All right. So that's Grant Seiko and joining the ranks of Asheron and uh and Cartier for this episode. Uh anything else on your mind about the show? We've got a couple minutes left
Nora . So leading into this, everyone told me how great the sushi we would eat at the convention center would be. And I'm just curious what the best thing everyone has eaten here has been so far. So yeah, if you don't if you don't come to the show,
James Stacy I'll fill in just a little bit of context. If you've ever been to one of these shows, one, it's a private event, so like you have to come in, but once you're in, everything's free. Yeah. So there's you basically between every booth, essentially, it's like a imagine a very fancy mall. And between in in the main hallway, there's just tables. And if you sit down, someone shows up out of anywhere and asks if you want sparkling water, Coke Zero or Coffee Coffee. And then if you if you're around a me or the rough window of a mealtime, there's a menu and they'll just most of it's cold, so it's it comes very quickly because everyone has other meetings to go to. You know, there's there's a lot on the menu this year. The previous years there was kind of set dishes that you kind of knew and expected and were same each year. Uh I have I've only had lunch once. I had the tartare, it was fine. I enjoyed it. No complaints. Yeah, I today I had lunch for the first time. Uh today, I did not eat lunch yesterday, but uh I had a uh really delicious pasta dish with uh morels and uh and like a cream sauce. It was, you know, veg
Nora etarian deliciousness. It was really nice. There you go. Okay. Nora. I got bullied into getting the tiramisu by my uh server yesterday and they were looking out for me. It was fantastic. They took the hint. Yeah. And paid off. All right. Co
James Stacy ol. Yeah. No, they you get treated really well at this like remarkably well. Yeah. Yeah. Must be said. And not only that, like I said, they gave us a booth to record this. We didn't have the background. Everything about it is even more happier about this booth than I am my delicious tartar. Alright guys, I think that's a show. Uh if you're listening and enjoying, you know what I ask, sh send this to a friend, send a link. If you have any questions, put them in the comments. Uh otherwise everything that we chatted about will be in the show notes for the show and you know we'll be back in about twenty four hours with another episode about a handful of great new watches that we see tomorrow. Uh John, Logan, Nora, thank you so much. Thank you. All right. We'll check to you soon.