The Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 is a Spring Drive dress-sports watch with a 41 mm titanium case, a sapphire crystal and a water-resistance rating of 100 metres. It runs the Spring Drive calibre 9R65, which has a power reserve of about 72 hours and a gliding seconds hand, and its dial has a textured white finish that Grand Seiko compares with fresh snow in the Shinshu region. The hands and indices are polished, with blued steel hands. The CSV dates the watch to 2010, while Grand Seiko’s own history gives its introduction as 2005, so the date is uncertain.

The dial is the watch’s signature, and the brand presents it as an expression of the snowfields near where the Spring Drive movements are made. The titanium case and bracelet give it a light weight, and the hand-applied details compare with much more expensive Swiss pieces.

The Snowflake is probably the most loved Grand Seiko and is a common recommendation as an entry to the brand. The SBGA011 has been replaced by the SBGA211 and is no longer produced, though Grand Seiko continues to make the Snowflake design.