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Thread: Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 dial

  1. #1

    Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 dial

    Always admired the beautiful dial on the GS snowflake but always wondered how they got the effect of snow that resembles the snow found on the mountains close the workshop? Does anyone know the process?
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    Last edited by cappuccinokid; 23rd October 2012 at 21:48.

  2. #2
    Good question....that is stunning !

  3. #3
    i thought maybe layers of lacquer but to be honest I have no idea !

  4. #4
    another pic of the beauty close up

    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5

    I have owned a SBGA011 Snowflake for about a year...

    And absolutely love this watch. I never get tired of looking at the beautiful/intricate dial that requires six-separate steps in its manufacturing:



    The dial is supposed to invoke the perpetually snow capped mountains that surround the Seiko-Epson Shinshu Watch Studio (Where all the Spring Drives are manufactured by hand) in the town of Shiojiri, region of Suwa (Aka "The Japanese Alps") in Japan:





    Seiko-Epson Shinshu Watch Studio:





    And finally my watch.....









    Hope this helps!

  6. #6

    I have owned a SBGA011 Snowflake for about a year...

    And absolutely love this watch. I never get tired of looking at the beautiful/intricate dial that requires six-separate steps in its manufacturing:



    The dial is supposed to invoke the perpetually snow capped mountains that surround the Seiko-Epson Shinshu Watch Studio (Where all the Spring Drives are manufactured by hand) in the town of Shiojiri, region of Suwa (Aka "The Japanese Alps") in Japan:





    Seiko-Epson Shinshu Watch Studio:





    And finally my watch.....









    Learn more about Shinshu here: https://www.seiko-watch.co.jp/shinshu/

    Hope this helps!
    Last edited by JapanWatchConnection; 23rd October 2012 at 23:33.

  7. #7
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    I don't know anything about the process, but that is a lovely looking watch. I am not familiar with the Grand Seiko range, so am about to do a little research!

    ATB

    Jon

  8. #8
    Journeyman
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    That certainly is stunning. I had seen the same dial on a non-spring drive GS, didn't know there was a spring drive with that dial. Gorgeous!!

  9. #9
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    Snow Frake - snigger

  10. #10
    With the attention to detail paid to that dial i can see what all the fuss is about when it comes to those Grand Seiko's.
    That watch is stunning. Good choice mate ;)

  11. #11
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Re: Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 dial

    Which non spring drive is the snowflake dial on?

  12. #12
    Craftsman Lazydonkey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dazzler View Post
    Snow Frake - snigger
    I thought the same thing :D

  13. #13
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lazydonkey View Post
    I thought the same thing :D
    I often wonder if that's how the Mitsubishi Starion got its name...
    Last edited by markrlondon; 24th October 2012 at 18:55.

  14. #14
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
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    Simply fantastic, I keep on looking at it, what an attention to detail!

    Daddel.
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by mindforge View Post
    Which non spring drive is the snowflake dial on?
    I'd like to know that as well...

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by fivelittlefish View Post
    I'd like to know that as well...

    You all might be thinking of SBGR059 in Bright Titanium but it isn't the same dial as SBGA011. This one has a surface sunburst pattern, more akin to the dial texture used in the Grand Seiko H-Beat models:



    SBGR059 is a caliber 9S mechanical model with 72 hours power reserve and a $4900 USD retail price. The case is 37mm.
    Last edited by JapanWatchConnection; 24th October 2012 at 17:29.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    I often wonder if that's how the Mitsubishi Starion gots its name...
    It was clearly a typo. Also, the Japanese tend to replace the "L" with the "R" quite often when they attempt to speak and pronounce in English.

    I took that photo during last year's Grand Seiko Roadshow event at Arizona Fine Time in Phoenix.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Daddelvirks View Post
    Simply fantastic, I keep on looking at it, what an attention to detail!

    Daddel.
    More gratuitous pics of this sublime watch:





















    This is an exquisite watch, manufactured and finished to the highest possible standard. I believe the "Snowflake" will be a future Seiko classic.

  19. #19
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    That is a awesome looking dial and watch,the finish on the dial though reminds me of some vymura wallpaper my parents used to have as a child!

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by JapanWatchConnection View Post
    You all might be thinking of SBGR059 in Bright Titanium but it isn't the same dial as SBGA011. This one has a surface sunburst pattern, more akin to the dial texture used in the Grand Seiko H-Beat models:

    SBGR059 is a caliber 9S mechanical model with 72 hours power reserve and a $4900 USD retail price. The case is 37mm.
    Um, yes, that was the point, at least of my post - I had understood that there wasn't another Seiko with this dial.

  21. #21
    As far as I know, the only other GS that has the same exact dial is the SBGA059 with titanium case/bracelet with gold accented hands and dial markers:



    The SBGA059 is pretty much a carbon copy of the SBGA011 with the exception of the gold hands and indices. It retails for the same money as SBGA011 (577,500 YEN) and it is a Japan domestic market model only. You could say it is more rare than the SBGA011 which is currently sold outside of Japan.

  22. #22

    Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 dial

    Quote Originally Posted by herusix View Post
    That is a awesome looking dial and watch,the finish on the dial though reminds me of some vymura wallpaper my parents used to have as a child!
    ^^^ I know what you mean about the wallpaper!

    Lovely watch though, and a genuinely different finish to the dial.
    Last edited by Snipe; 24th October 2012 at 19:51.

  23. #23
    the pics really do show the watches dial to great effect - a truly wonderful piece - I am lucky enough to be going to Tokyo in a couple of weeks and will be hunting down the best place for GS models - I hear Wako Deparment Store in Ginza carry a large selection. Does anyone know of anywhere else in Tokyo for a big range of GS and any other vintage watch stores in Tokyo?

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by cappuccinokid View Post
    the pics really do show the watches dial to great effect - a truly wonderful piece - I am lucky enough to be going to Tokyo in a couple of weeks and will be hunting down the best place for GS models - I hear Wako Deparment Store in Ginza carry a large selection. Does anyone know of anywhere else in Tokyo for a big range of GS and any other vintage watch stores in Tokyo?
    The Wako Dept store in Ginza which is owned by Seiko holdings, Corp, is definitely the Mecca not only for Seiko lovers but for watch lovers in general. However, the place is expensive to shop and discounting is few and far in between.

    Try Yodobashi Camera for a fantastic selection of watches including Grand Seiko.

    Linky: http://www.yodobashi.com/

  25. #25
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    I often wonder if that's how the Mitsubishi Starion got its name...
    The inability to pronounce the letter 'R' is called Rhotacism; or as the Japanese say 'Lotacism'. A little linguistics humour for you.

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by fivelittlefish View Post
    Um, yes, that was the point, at least of my post - I had understood that there wasn't another Seiko with this dial.
    My apologies, I must have gotten my GS models mixed up. I only happened to have a quick glance at it while in Bangkok in not very good lighting. That certainly is a great dial though. Do you mind me asking what it is retailing for?

  27. #27
    That snowflake dial really is something else - love it! The finishing of the rest of the watch looks absolutely top-notch as well.

    Another beautiful textured dial is on the JLC Duometre series - it's almost like parchment. (I think the GS actually beats it though).


  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by maple223 View Post
    My apologies, I must have gotten my GS models mixed up. I only happened to have a quick glance at it while in Bangkok in not very good lighting. That certainly is a great dial though. Do you mind me asking what it is retailing for?
    The SBGA011 retails for 7000 USD here in the states. In Japan it stickers for 577,500 YEN, tax included.

    You can get it cheaper in the US. PM me for details.

  29. #29
    Craftsman
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    Truely Stunning!!!!

    The more I look into the GS the more i want (need) one.

  30. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    I often wonder if that's how the Mitsubishi Starion got its name...
    A contraction of "Star" and ( greek mythological immortal horse ) "Arion" apparently.

    On the tittering over the "r" and "l" thing ... I recall the rice is rubbery jokes too But thinking for just one moment .. even if the Japanese had a problem saying "r" they certainly wouldn't have a problem writing it ... so what's going on ?

    The Japanese phonetic alphabet* from which all Japanese pronunciation is constructed includes among 50 or so others, the phonemes "la, le, lo, li, lu" ... which of course have their own Japanese characters "ら、れ、ろ、り、る". When these Japanese characters are Romanised, they are written ... "ra, re, ro, ri, ru". So often when a Japanese person sees/imagines/thinks of say "ra", they pronounce it "la". The distinction between ra and la is simply not there in the language. It is not a spoken difficulty.

    It does mean that someone brought up in Japan, when encountering a language where "ra" and "la" are distinct, has to learn when to use which letter with which sound. It doesn't have any importance in Japanese. Tomarto, tomayto. Frake, Flake. It's just a noise

    Back to the GS appreciation now

    Paul

    *pedant note: well, there are two seperate phonetic alphabets, both representing the exact same phonemes, but with completely different symbols. These alphabets are used in addition to the kanji, which are not phonemes, number more than 10,000, have different meanings and pronunciations depending on context ... all three local alphabets consisting of thousands of possible characters are routinely used in the same sentence. Try it sometime, perhaps when sniggering at someone attempting to map all that linguistic ability back to an alphabet of only 26 letters :lemon:

  31. #31
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tokyo Tokei View Post
    Try it sometime, perhaps when sniggering at someone attempting to map all that linguistic ability back to an alphabet of only 26 letters :lemon:
    Perhaps us 26 letter alphabetters snigger precisely because we only need 26 letters to express a world of meaning with infinite depth and subtlety, and don't need a zillion pretty but clumsy little pictures to say what we need to say.

    Just looking at it from another perspective, like... ;-)

  32. #32
    Try using only 13 of 26 letters then. You'll manage, but have to improvise with some translations. Then the reverse mapping ( English to Japanese, if you will ) may have multiple readings. It's the same, but on a larger scale, when trying to squeeze Japanese into Western alphabets and sounds.

    As a programmer, I'm sure you understand the difficulties in lossy transcoding

    Paul

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