Confession of a Spring Drive Lover

[Samanator]

How about a SD Land Master? I know that they are huge and, in illustrations, the dial looks like it was drawn with a luminescent crayon. Yet, in the real-world pictures I've seen, it looks great. I also think that it is a bonus that the watch doesn't have the compass bezel markings found on the other Land Masters but it does have a 24 hour hand and the funky bullhead crown gives it a kind of Space Walk vibe. Another cool thing is that they "flipped/rotated" the ever-present wind indicator to the other side of the face so that the needle is "up" when it is fully wound. The price, while expensive, isn't too too outrageous for a Spring Drive.

If they would put the proper SD capped hands on that I would be all over it. That Seiko chose to exclude this SD signature feature from those and the SD Tuna was a huge mistake. I hate when manufacturers create artificial downgrades.

[Domo]

I've not seen that with the blue bezel and rose gold hands and markers. Is the dial blue and what is the case material?

The SBGE001 and SBGE015 are black dial, the SBGE001 is stainless steel, the SBGE015 has gold dial elements and bezel text and is titanium. The SBGE021 is stainless (a sold out L.E. but findable) and has a green dial, and the SBGE029 (also a sold out L.E and much, much less findable) has a blue dial.

I think the SBGE015 is one of the best looking GS's out there, period. Seiko does two-tone great I think. I'm getting the chrono SBGC005 as my next one.

[ken_sturrock]

If they would put the proper SD capped hands on that I would be all over it. That Seiko chose to exclude this SD signature feature from those and the SD a Tuna was a huge mistake. I hate when manufacturers create artificial downgrades.

Yeah, that doesn't bother me but I understand the issue now. Once you see it, you'll always see it.

[Samanator]

The SBGE001 and SBGE015 are black dial, the SBGE001 is stainless steel, the SBGE015 has gold dial elements and bezel text and is titanium. The SBGE021 is stainless (a sold out L.E. but findable) and has a green dial, and the SBGE029 (also a sold out L.E and much, much less findable) has a blue dial.

I think the SBGE015 is one of the best looking GS's out there, period. Seiko does two-tone great I think. I'm getting the chrono SBGC005 as my next one.

I think the SBGE015 is my favorite. I briefly had (like less than a day) a SBGE001 back in 2008. Since I bought it from a friend, and he decided he wanted it back while it was in the post to me, I just returned it without even opening the box. So maybe that doesn't count.

[Samanator]

Yeah, that doesn't bother me but I understand the issue now. Once you see it, you'll always see it.

Well additionally that they build the first SD Tuna and use Monster hands (which are fine on a monster and nothing else they have tried them on) and not the hands that have been on Tunas for many years did not help that one. SD's should have capped hands and Tunas should have these hands:



or these hands in some color or finish:

[Domo]

Well additionally that they build the first SD Tuna and use Monster hands (which are fine on a monster and nothing else they have tried them on) and not the hands that have been on Tunas for many years did not help that one. SD's should have capped hands....

I appreciate capped hands as much as the next person (wish my hi-beat had it) but I dunno what it's got to do with spring drive. Seiko uses a mix of hands for whatever reason they see fit. The original SD collection had capped hands on the centre seconds models, but not on the small seconds models. Half and half on the SD collection chronographs, capped on SD Ananta GMTs but uncapped on Ananta moon phases. Half capped and half uncapped on Credor Node SDs...It even varies amongst Grand Seikos. The new anniversary SDs and smaller chronographs don't have capped seconds hands either, but other entry-level SD GSs do.

As for the SBGE015, that watch is the boss. You even get a different two tone clasp with micro-adjustments for some reason.

[Samanator]

I appreciate capped hands as much as the next person (wish my hi-beat had it) but I dunno what it's got to do with spring drive. Seiko uses a mix of hands for whatever reason they see fit. The original SD collection had capped hands on the centre seconds models, but not on the small seconds models. Half and half on the SD collection chronographs, capped on SD Ananta GMTs but uncapped on Ananta moon phases. Half capped and half uncapped on Credor Node SDs...It even varies amongst Grand Seikos. The new anniversary SDs and smaller chronographs don't have capped seconds hands either, but other entry-level SD GSs do.

As for the SBGE015, that watch is the boss. You even get a different two tone clasp with micro-adjustments for some reason.

I tried to find pictures of the small second hand SD you mentioned but nothing came up. The first SD without all capped hands that I recall was the Space Walk. From that point it seemed that things went astray.

[Domo]

I tried to find pictures of the small second hand SD you mentioned but nothing came up. The first SD without all capped hands that I recall was the Space Walk. From that point it seemed that things went astray.

There's a few other obscure JDM Credors and such that are SD without capped hands. Seiko Izul chronographs date from 2007 and are completely uncapped. The automatic SD was unveiled at basel in 2005 with Grand Seiko SD revealed in 2006, so there's not really a whole lot of history there. The high calibre watches from the Epson plant tend to have capped hands as a rule of thumb (inc Grand Seiko quartz, most Galante, Astron, etc) but I wouldn't say it's been a trademark as such. It seems more dependant on the style of hand as to whether it is capped or not. The well finished, rather thick GS-type seconds hand prevalent on many pricier Seiko offerings tends to be capped, while the needle type, or heat blued or stamped or 'tool'ish styled seconds hand seem uncapped. It seems true also that when the running seconds isn't centrally mounted, the sword-style hands often found on other SDs (int. collection, Credor, Ananta) are uncapped.

[Rob]

I never understood the capped hands deal.

OP, it appears that Seiko doesn't make the watch for you. You may have to just move on or get over the minor quibbles.

[Chronopolitano]

...the "capped hands" ...

... by HASBRO.