watch shootout: IWC Ingenieur 323902 vs GS SGBR083

[jeckyll]

Why are you guys feeding the troll?

[outtatime]

How am I trolling? I just don't see how a Seiko can go up against an IWC. Sorry for having an opinion (uneducated though it may be).

Feel free to spend thousands on a Seiko. For my money, I'd buy <anything else>.

[streetracer101]

How am I trolling? I just don't see how a Seiko can go up against an IWC. Sorry for having an opinion (uneducated though it may be).

Feel free to spend thousands on a Seiko. For my money, I'd buy <anything else>.

Your loss.

[AtomicTom]

Really enjoyed this head to head comparison Mike. You gave so much information,
along with insight into how each watch was, it was amazing !

Think it's so much fun because the watches are so terrific by themselves, and then
to see them take on eachother is incredibly entertaining. I always have a tough time
choosing any winners in these battles , and it must be especially difficult when you
actually have the watches. Excellent job Mike ! Thanks for doing this !

[matt.wu]

How am I trolling? I just don't see how a Seiko can go up against an IWC. Sorry for having an opinion (uneducated though it may be).

Feel free to spend thousands on a Seiko. For my money, I'd buy <anything else>.

Your loss.

Basically what I was gonna say. Some people are slaves to a brand name. Nothing wrong with it. Buy what you like.

BTW - as someone who has had most brands, GS finishing stacks up against every single brand out there and puts most to shame. Patek, VC, JLC, FPJ, AP, GO, all of them. When it comes to dial and hands, nobody tops GS. Only AP wins in precision of case and bracelet finishing. Many others (Lange, GO especially) win in movement finishing because of the utilitarian style GS uses on the movements. I'd put GS movement finishing on par with JLC.

Then, of course, there's the company history, the hand craftsmanship, and the innovation.

But some don't care about all that worthless fluff, right?

[marchone]

Expressing an opinion that a brand has no appeal to oneself is one thing but stating an outright falsehood that GS finishing is no better than Invicta is trolling.

[Terpits]

I kinda see where he's coming from.
I am not much of a Seiko fanboi to appreciate the differences between this and the $300 SARB.

[JBZ]

Nifty. Thanks for the comparison.

[streetracer101]

I kinda see where he's coming from.
I am not much of a Seiko fanboi to appreciate the differences between this and the $300 SARB.

See one, wear one and own one and then tell me you can't tell the difference. When you forget about the name on the dial, you realize how great the watch is.

[CGSshorty]

I kinda see where he's coming from.
I am not much of a Seiko fanboi to appreciate the differences between this and the $300 SARB.

See one, wear one and own one and then tell me you can't tell the difference. When you forget about the name on the dial, you realize how great the watch is.

I was very impressed with the white one you have. I'm not sure I could ever spend that kind of money on a quartz Seiko, but it was obviously well built and finished.

[Terpits]

I kinda see where he's coming from.
I am not much of a Seiko fanboi to appreciate the differences between this and the $300 SARB.

See one, wear one and own one and then tell me you can't tell the difference. When you forget about the name on the dial, you realize how great the watch is.

I look forward to it! I do like that more than the Ingy based on these shots. And I've been wanting to get the SARB for the longest time.

[streetracer101]

I kinda see where he's coming from.
I am not much of a Seiko fanboi to appreciate the differences between this and the $300 SARB.

See one, wear one and own one and then tell me you can't tell the difference. When you forget about the name on the dial, you realize how great the watch is.

I was very impressed with the white one you have. I'm not sure I could ever spend that kind of money on a quartz Seiko, but it was obviously well built and finished.

With an msrp of $4100 for a quartz, it's a tough pill to swallow regardless of brand. That being said, the finishing is better then that of my sub c. I'm the farthest thing from a Seiko fanboi... but it's hard to deny they are well built at any price.

[andrema]

i need to do a showdown between an invicta 8926/9937 and a seiko/grand seiko now???

yes

[deepcdvr]

The Inge for me all day long, but the two I've had were scratch magnets

Thanks for the great pictures!

[T.R.]

Prior to opening the post I thought this comparison would be a laugher. I was wrong. Nice photos and good write up.

[T.R.]

How am I trolling? I just don't see how a Seiko can go up against an IWC. Sorry for having an opinion (uneducated though it may be).

Feel free to spend thousands on a Seiko. For my money, I'd buy <anything else>.

Your loss.

True.

As per Wu... buy what you want - all good. Hey, of course, think what you want... all good. But to compare a GS in regards to finishing to that of an Invicta is pretty damn silly.

[carlodwc]

Personally I prefer the dial/hands design of the IWC better but case wise/bracelet the Grand Seiko takes my vote. They both seem awesome watches, well made and awesomely designed but where the Grand Seiko seems 95% dress type watch, the IWC is 50/50 dress/casual - sport almost, in my opinion. At least that's how I would wear them if I ever had a chance to get either one...

Any review I have read praises the Grand Seiko for the almost perfect finish and fantastic build. I have not had one but I can see the difference in finish and build between a Seiko 5, SKX, SARB for example. As a gradually increasing quality of finish and build. I can only imaging how the GS could be but I am sure it is way over these mentioned models.


I have seen a few nicely priced Grand Seikos on the sales forums making them a bit more reachable for someone who wants to check them out.

[TimelessLuxWatches]

I actually really like the history of Seiko and Grand Seiko. Their story is full of massive innovations, complete game changers and brutal international competition. I'd say that there has been no watch company more significant in the 20th century than Seiko. Seiko is also the father of the modern electronic printer and LCD, having pioneered printers in the early 60s and the modern LCD in 1982, on top of, of course, the first battery powered quartz clock, first quartz wall clock and first quartz watch. Mechanical watchmaking was changed forever by Seiko as well. Seiko's wins in the late 60s at the Neuchatel competitions unofficially caused the end of all chronometer competitions (for a very long time, anyway) and ultimately the creation of the COSC, a standard that was created largely to ban Japanese from ever being chronometer certified again due to national restrictions.

[T.R.]

When you forget about the name on the dial, you realize how great the watch is.

Coming back to this... when I see Seiko on the dial I think nothing but top quality built in, especially for the money. Seiko makes great stuff for everyone. Plus, the history of the brand is stellar.

[mikeylacroix]

in this part of the world...most folks when they see Seiko will say 'aa good quality'

[gr8sw]

great comparison... both really nice watches

think I'd definitely wear the IWC more in the long run, but wish it didn't have those stupid holes in the bezel... like having 5 belly buttons

[MyCrownHurts]

The Seiko having no lume stabs me in the heart. But it is a stunning watch, like all the GS offerings, and I much prefer it to the IWC. But they both look a bit on the chunky side. Anybody post actual thickness? Are they both about 12-14mm?

[toxicavenger]

DAMN the GS dropped a steamer on IWC's chest in this review!!!!


The black GS dials look like a endless black hole in person. I wonder how the hell they make it look so deep.

[toxicavenger]

BTW - as someone who has had most brands, GS finishing stacks up against every single brand out there and puts most to shame. Patek, VC, JLC, FPJ, AP, GO, all of them. When it comes to dial and hands, nobody tops GS. Only AP wins in precision of case and bracelet finishing. Many others (Lange, GO especially) win in movement finishing because of the utilitarian style GS uses on the movements. I'd put GS movement finishing on par with JLC.

Damn this says allot coming from Wu-Tang.