Side by side

Grand Seiko SBGW257vsVario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

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

SBGW257
Grand SeikoSBGW257
MSRP $38,000
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound
VarioEmpire Art Nouveau Handwound
MSRP $888

At a glance

9 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
SBGW25738mm
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound38mm
Power Reserve
SBGW25772h
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound40h
Water Resistance
SBGW25730m
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound50m
MSRP
SBGW257$38,000
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound$888

Full specifications

Case

5 specs
Thickness
10.9mm
11mm
Lug-to-Lug
45.8mm
38mm
Lug Width
19mm
20mm
Material
Platinum
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
30m
50m

Crystal & Dial

1 specs
AR Coating
Yes
Inner

Movement

2 specs
Caliber
9S64
Miyota 6T33
Power Reserve
72h
40h

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$38,000
$888

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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.

Grand Seiko SBGW257

The Grand Seiko SBGW257 is a platinum dress watch praised for its refined, subtle luxury and classic design. Reviewers highlight its 38mm diameter and 10.9mm thickness as near-perfect sizing for a dress watch. The watch features an 18k white gold dial with a sunray-brushed silver finish and gold hour markers, complemented by a refined application of the Grand Seiko wordmark. It is powered by the manual-wind Caliber 9S64 movement, offering a 72-hour power reserve and an accuracy rating of +5 to -3 seconds per day. The Grand Seiko SBGW257 is priced at €39,000. On balance, reviewers appreciate the Grand Seiko SBGW257 for its exquisite finishing and classic proportions, embodying a quiet luxury.

Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

Owners widely praise the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound for its detailed, multi-layered dial featuring applied numerals and guilloche patterns, its elegant Art Deco-inspired design, and the enjoyable winding feel of the Miyota 6T33 handwound movement, often visible through an exhibition case back. The 38mm case size is considered a positive by many, and the included leather strap is noted for its comfort and quality. Some owners find the differing fonts on the sub-dials and perimeter less appealing, and the absence of a constant seconds sub-dial is flagged as a drawback. On balance, owners rate the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound highly for its distinctive Art Deco styling and detailed dial at its price point.

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