Model: Grand Seiko SBGM021 Automatic GMT (Factory NOS / Full Set)
Overview:
Up for sale is an exceptional factory NOS, full-set Grand Seiko SBGM021 GMT, still retaining its original factory protective wrapping.
The SBGM021 is the direct predecessor to the now well-known SBGM221 and the successor to the SBGM003, one of Grand Seiko’s earliest mechanical GMT references. It retains the beautifully balanced double-signed “SEIKO / GS Grand Seiko” dial layout of the earlier generation while introducing the upgraded Caliber 9S66 and an exhibition caseback, effectively combining the classic aesthetics of the SBGM003 with the more modern mechanical package carried forward into the SBGM221.
This particular example was manufactured in 2015 and originally sold in 2016, with its original signed warranty documentation accompanying the watch.
History:
The SBGM021 occupies an important position in the development of Grand Seiko’s mechanical GMT collection. Its predecessor, the SBGM003, used the earlier Caliber 9S56 and a solid caseback, while the SBGM021 introduced the newer Caliber 9S66 and an exhibition caseback through which the mechanical movement can be viewed.
The 9S66 brought a substantially longer approximately 72-hour power reserve while retaining the practical independently adjustable local hour hand. This allows the wearer to change local time without stopping the seconds or disturbing the minute hand, with the date changing in conjunction with the local hour adjustment.
The SBGM021 also belongs to the final generation of the classic double-signed Grand Seiko dial. In March 2017, Grand Seiko formally became a separate brand and announced that the Grand Seiko signature would thereafter occupy 12 o’clock, eliminating the previous “SEIKO” signature from modern Grand Seiko dials.
As a 2015-manufactured example sold in 2016, this watch comes from the closing years of that classic double-signed era.
Specifications and Condition:
Overall: Factory New Old Stock
Condition: Unworn / Factory NOS
Factory Protection: Original factory protective wrapping remains fitted to the watch
Protective Wrap: Designed with side access allowing operation of the crown while the protection remains fitted
Dial: Clean Original Ivory Dial
Crystal: Clean
Movement: Grand Seiko Caliber 9S66
Bracelet/Strap: Original Grand Seiko Leather Strap
Manufactured: 2015
Originally Sold: 2016
Includes: Original Grand Seiko Box, Papers and Signed Warranty / Full Set
Movement:
Grand Seiko Caliber 9S66 Automatic GMT
Independent Local Hour-Hand Adjustment
24-Hour GMT Hand
Dimensions:
Approximately 39.5mm Case Diameter
Approximately 13.7mm Thickness
Design Details:
Warm Ivory Dial
Classic Double-Signed “SEIKO / GS Grand Seiko” Dial
Tempered Blue GMT Hand
Inner 24-Hour GMT Scale
Closing Note:
The SBGM021 is already an important reference within the development of Grand Seiko’s mechanical GMT family, sitting directly between the pioneering SBGM003 and the modern SBGM221. It retains the classic proportions and beautifully balanced double-signed dial of the earlier Grand Seiko era while benefiting from the upgraded three-day Caliber 9S66 and an exhibition caseback.
What makes this particular example especially remarkable, however, is its condition. Finding an SBGM021 manufactured more than a decade ago as a complete set is one thing; finding a factory NOS example still retaining its original protective wrapping is considerably more unusual.
Manufactured in 2015 and sold with its signed warranty in 2016, this example also comes from the very end of the double-signed era. Grand Seiko officially adopted its independent branding and removed “SEIKO” from its dials in 2017, making watches such as the SBGM021 representative of a design language that Grand Seiko would never return to in regular production.
For a collector looking for the classic cream-dial Grand Seiko GMT, the SBGM021 arguably offers the best of both generations: the double-signed aesthetic of the original SBGM003 together with the exhibition caseback and upgraded 9S66 movement that continue into its modern successor.
