I love Grand Seiko and I'm tempted to try their icon. However I have a 6.5 inch wrist and generally prefer 36-39mm watches.
Some say that the Snowflake was made to grace slender Asian wrists and that I should give it a chance. Others say 'get real, it's a 41mm watch with a white dial, it'll wear HUGE'.
There have been other threads on the 'web about this very dilemma, like this one:
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/g...-wrist.843048/
I don't trust any old strangers on t'internet though, I trust the strange folk of TZ-UK instead.
Did a Snowflake land on a sub-7 inch wrist and stay? Or did they all drift away?
Listen, the snow is falling all the time (as John and Yoko once sang).
Last edited by Rocket Man; 3rd August 2020 at 19:52.
On a 6.5in wrist, I think you'd be pushing it, albeit only slightly. On my 6.75in wrist, I thought it was close to the limit. The white dial means it wears large visually but, on the other hand, being titanium, it's feather light and very comfortable. If you can get to an AD though, I'd recommend trying their quartz range. The finishing is just as good, the models are smaller, and the prices exceptional for what you get.
There's honestly no substitute for going to an AD and trying it on.
I think it wears smaller than 41mm, but you might find that the height is more of an issue than anything else. You'd have that problem with any spring drive.
As luck would have it, I have a photo of one on a 6.5” wrist. I was surprised at how well it fitted, as that’s usually too large for me. The reason is the way the GS lugs curve to hug the wrist. See this thread for a picture of how the smaller width white dialled Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 didn’t fit half so well for this reason. Of course, trying one is the only way to know for sure.
I tried one thanks to Greg (Reggie) on my 6.5 inch wrist, and it wore very similarly to the Speedy Moon I was wearing on the day. I regard the Speedy as too big for me, although I haven’t totally discounted the Snowflake.
I hope to try one again in the GS boutique the next time I am in London
Dave
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I think you can get away with it comfortably. I’ve got 7inch wrists (fluctuates a bit for various reasons) and I thought the snowflake was a great fit. The titanium case / bracelet makes a huge difference to the overall comfort.
Like you, I do often go for smaller case sizes because I think it looks more balanced and less flashy. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with a snowflake.
In the end it was a toss up between the SBGK005 and the snowflake, and i went for the blue dial. I think I would’ve been just as happy with the snowflake.
Here is a shot from the Burlington arcade boutique last year:
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...probably best to try it on before a commitment. Do you intend to wear is on a bracelet, or strap? It seems to me that the strap option may result in a better fit.
Originally Posted by Rocket Man
I love Grand Seiko and I'm tempted to try their icon. However I have a 6.5 inch wrist and generally prefer 36-39mm watches.
Some say that the Snowflake was made to grace slender Asian wrists and that I should give it a chance. Others say 'get real, it's a 41mm watch with a white dial, it'll wear HUGE'.
There have been other threads on the 'web about this very dilemma, like this one:
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/g...-wrist.843048/
I don't trust any old strangers on t'internet though, I trust the strange folk of TZ-UK instead.
Did a Snowflake land on a sub-7 inch wrist and stay? Or did they all drift away?
Listen, the snow is falling all the time (as John and Yoko once sang).
as others have said, on 6.5 it is pushing the limit maybe.
i have a 40mm GS on 6.75 wrist and its just right i think.
however i wear much larger watches sometimes and dont really care if it looks a bit too big
Be careful of wrist dimensions.
My wrists are 7" but my wrist is like a square shape in cross section. A friend of mine has a much flatter wrist profile and his measure 6.5".
The absolute max I can get away with is 42mm but really 38mm is my limit.
My mate could easily wear a 46mm Navitimer.
I'm 6.75" wrist, and Snowflake sits perectly on it, no problems at all. Size is great, proportions work.
I’d say there is a good chance it will work but highly recommend to try it. As stated above not all wrists have a similar shape. Secondly what size you can pull of is subjective, so only you can decide if you can pull it off. Wrist shots in pictures are often distorted as cameras are usually close to the watch.
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I have dainty wrists and a Burlington Market Seiko boutique visit allowed me to try one one.
It was an absolute peach of a fit.
I think it wears quite large for what it is. White dial and 41mm with small bezel. The lugs are quite long too.
Best just to try it on yourself before buying.
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On a smaller wrist the lug-to-lug length is as important as the case size. I tried a snowflake at an AD around the start of last year and decided it was too big on me. A few months later the US Seasons collection were announced and although the 62GS case is only 1mm smaller at 40mm, it's also shorter lug-to-lug, and that difference is quite noticeable.
I'd recommend having a good look through their entire collection including some of the many LE's they've brought out in the last year or so. For example, I believe the blue snowflake is a smaller case size (40mm?) than the SBGA211.
I would agree with those above that suggest it will suit a wrist of your size. It does look a little on the large side but wears superbly due to the curved case, titanium and excellent bracelet. I shared your concerns but managed to find one to try on in CW Sellors in Leeds (before buying from a forum). I have had it eight months now and I will certainly not be moving it on.
I have a rather flat 6.75 wrist, I hope the following pics show how it fits me.
Anyone wear this on leather? Keen to see if it dresses down.
Quite a few pictures on Instagram of this on various leather straps.
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The Snowflake is thinner than the Oyster Perpetual...so not really seeing the Spring Drive as an issue.
In a bid to try and keep the beautiful bracelet in good Nick I often wear mine on a variety of straps. I have a blue Hirch Tiger incoming and a blue perlon that I think works well too.
That's not true is it? OP39 is 11.4 and the snowflake is 12.5?
That's based on Google to be honest though, I own a Snowflake but not an OP39 so could be wrong.
Thanks EyUp, some great combos there. I'm basically wondering how sporty I could make a snowflake. As in, I'm curious to see if works as a slightly leftfield alternative to an Explorer II/Oyster Perpetual.
Thank you to everyone who replied, it really helped me to make my decision. I've just got back from the GS boutique where I had the bracelet sized and I'm very happy to finally have a Snowflake on my wrist.
They even gave me a GS facemask which also fits perfectly.
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Are you sure that's a facemask and not a posing pouch Jon?
Well I wore it as a facemask on the train home and I don't intend any other uses for it!
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Wow congratulations! looks amazing.
Looks excellent on you, well done.
I have been going through a similar conundrum, trawling the Internet for opinions on which Grand Seiko case shape would work best.
The automatic movements also seem to add some thickness which is a shame for those with a smaller wrist size.
I’m also wondering how a 44GS style case would wear in comparison to the curved snowflake case.
I guess like others have mentioned, it’s probably going to need a visit to the boutique or an AD to really get a gauge.
Looks great on the wrist, enjoy it! Such a spectacular piece.
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I was seriously considering the SBGA375 which has the 44GS case. On paper it should be a better fit (smaller 40mm diameter, shorter lugs) but in practice there wasn't much of a noticeable difference on the wrist. The SBGA375 with it's 44GS case has broad polished lugs that make for a very shiny watch and so it appears visually larger. The SBGA375 steel case is also much heavier so it feels less balanced on the wrist, the curved lugs of the Snowflake really hug the wrist. The gentleman who sized my bracelet at the GS boutique was wearing a 375, it looked great but the shiny lugs had noticeable scratches which makes me think that it's less suited to daily wear. The Snowflake is more brushed, more subdued and the lightness of the titanium case and bracelet all make for an ideal daily wearer. I hope that helps.
Last edited by Rocket Man; 21st September 2020 at 09:42.
Lovely stuff. I have one on order myself. Incredible watches did you manage to get them to wiggle on the price?
Beautiful watch. On my hit list
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That’s really helpful information, thank you.
There is something quite attractive about the angular case design of the 44GS styling, but I totally get your remarks about the wider polished lugs making it visually larger, despite the marginally smaller dimensions overall.
There is always the USA only 4 seasons case design too........
I considered those too, especially the Spring 'Shunbun' dial. However I am not entirely convinced by them. A friend commented that the design doesn't quite gel, with the fancy dial texture clashing against the sporty rehaut. I do admire the 62GS case with the bezel-less construction but I would need to see them up close before ordering, which isn't possible as they are only available on the American market. I think that the Snowflake probably works better as a daily watch. I even like the power reserve on the Snowflake, it looks like a snow angel and watching the icy blue seconds hand smoothly sweep across the snowy dial is mesmerising.
Last edited by Rocket Man; 21st September 2020 at 14:09.
Any update on this, was the Snowflake a keeper?
I really liked my SnowFlake :(
It certainly is! Others have been and gone but the Snowflake has stayed.
If I had to reduce down to just one watch then my Snowflake would be the one.
That’s some endorsement….
If I reduced down to one watch and it wasn't a Seiko, I would soon have two watches
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