Side by side

Formex Essence FortyOnevsGrand Seiko SBGD202

The numbers, the dial colors, the calibers — laid out so you can stop flipping between tabs.

Essence FortyOne
FormexEssence FortyOne
MSRP $1,890
SBGD202
Grand SeikoSBGD202

At a glance

11 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Essence FortyOne41mm
SBGD20243mm
Power Reserve
Essence FortyOne41h
SBGD202192h
Water Resistance
Essence FortyOne100m
SBGD202100m
MSRP
Essence FortyOne$1,890
SBGD202

Full specifications

Case

4 specs
Diameter
41mm
43mm
Thickness
10.6mm
13.2mm
Lug-to-Lug
46.5mm
51.8mm
Material
Stainless Steel
Gold

Crystal & Dial

3 specs
AR Coating
Inner
Yes
Dial Color
Arctic White
Black
Lume
Super-LumiNova
None

Movement

3 specs
Caliber
Sellita SW200-1
9R01
Type
Automatic
Spring Drive
Power Reserve
41h
192h

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$1,890

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What people say

Owners + reviewers, side by side

Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.

Formex Essence FortyOne

Owners widely praise the Formex Essence for its comfortable bracelet, excellent finishing, and slim wearability, with some considering it the best in its price range. Reviewers highlight its compelling value, sporty-chic aesthetic, and build quality that suggests a more expensive product, noting the patented suspension system and chronometer-certified movement. Some owners dislike the brand name and logo, and the dial design is considered derivative by some. The 43mm case wears well due to its 10mm thickness and 49mm lug-to-lug, though some find it large on smaller wrists. A point of contention for some is the non-screw-down crown, despite its 100m water resistance. Overall, owners and reviewers rate the Formex Essence highly for its exceptional comfort and build quality at its price point.

Grand Seiko SBGD202

The Grand Seiko SBGD202 is widely lauded for its mesmerizing "Starlight" or "stardust" dial, achieved through a new plating and painting technique, and its exceptional craftsmanship, which reviewers compare favorably to high-end Swiss and German brands. The manual-wind Caliber 9R01 Spring Drive movement offers an 8-day power reserve and impressive accuracy up to 0.5 seconds per day, with an independent hour hand setting. However, some owners find the movement finishing on the display back to be plain. The SBGD202 is priced at 52,800 Euros. On balance, the consensus is that the Grand Seiko SBGD202 is a highly beautiful three-hand watch, with its dial and movement accuracy being the primary reasons for its acclaim.

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