Two Underrated Grand Seiko Watches Just Got Better for Everyday Wear

A few nuanced updates make all the difference.

close up of a steel Grand Seiko SBGH351 Rikki watch with a green dial

Published January 30, 2025

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Updated January 30, 2025

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Back in 2019, Grand Seiko released four watches representing part of the nijushi-sekki — the 24 solar seasons that make up Japan’s traditional calendar.

Upon release, the lion’s share of attention went to the SBGA413 Shunbun and the SBGA415 Taistetsu, and rightly so.

Both watches had titanium cases and bracelets and dials resembling the famous SBGA211 “Snowflake.” They also ran on the Caliber 9R65, one of the most respected watch movements in the world.

grand seiko heritage seasons sbga413 — The Grand Seiko SBGA413 *Shunbun* stole the show when the *Sekki* collection launched.

Even diehard collectors might struggle to remember the models that made up the second half of the collection, dubbed Rikka and Shubun.

But truth be told, they were high-performance luxury watches with impeccable pedigrees and classic aesthetics, thanks to steel cases and Seiko’s respected 9S85 Hi-Beat movement.

a steel watch with a green dial — The original Grand Seiko *Rikki* had a steel case and gold dial markings.

Now, the two underrated watches are receiving a few minor tweaks sure to put them on the radar of every Grand Seiko fan, including a robust steel upgrade that improves their everyday wearability.

A better steel

The real selling point for the new Rikka and Shubun pertains to the metal used for the case and bracelet. It is a proprietary alloy called Ever-Brilliant Steel that Grand Seiko has used for years.

According to the brand, it has a Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number (PREN) that’s 1.7 times higher than the stainless steel used in most watches — a fancy way of saying that the alloy is seventy percent more resistant to scratching.

close up of a steel watch case — Grand Seiko’s proprietary Ever-Brilliant Steel holds the factory Zarastsu polish longer than stainless steel.

From a user perspective, Ever-Brilliant Steel requires less maintenance than regular stainless steel, holding onto Grand Seiko’s signature Zarastsu polish longer than models without it.

Grass is always greener

Rikka is the seventh season of the Japanese year, arriving during springtime. Grand Seiko’s dial iconography has always been rooted in visuals of the natural world. In this case, the original SBGH271 Rikka dial invoked the rich greens of newly sprouted grass.

a watch laying in grass — The green color scheme carries over to the SBGH351 Rikki.

The wavy texture and green color scheme remain the same for the new SBGH351 Rikki, but the dial is a bit more polished and appears brighter in direct light. A much more noticeable change is that the gold indices, hands, and date window have been changed to polished steel. Only the seconds hand remains gold.

If it ain’t broke …

As for the Shunbun model, not much has changed visually. The dial color of the original SBGH273 was navy blue, referencing the dark night sky of the autumnal equinox. Now, the SBGH353 has more of a grayish-blue dial. The case, hands, and dial markings all look identical.

a steel watch with a blue dial — The Grand Seiko SBGH353 *Shunbun* is a perfect everyday watch.

Both new watches remain powered by a 9S85 Hi-Beat movement.

a Grand Seiko 9S85 high beat movement — Both watches run on Grand Seiko’s 9S85 Hi-Beat movement.

Availability and pricing

The SBGH351 Rikki and SBGH353 Shunbun represent Grand Seiko’s core ethos. The revered Japanese watchmaker took two excellent watches with no discernible flaws and made them better. Thanks to that unrelenting urge to improve, two of the brand’s best everyday watches are a little easier to maintain.

The SBGH351 Rikki and SBGH353 Shunbun will be available worldwide this February. They are a part of the permanent Sekki collection, and the remaining SBGH273 and SBGH271 models will be fazed out. Prices start at $7,200, up from the $6,400 of the original models.