[DialDreamer]

Hello,

I have a Sbga011 (Snowflake pre Grand Seiko split) so my dial says Seiko on the top half and Grand Seiko on the bottom half. I was thinking about sending my watch to the Grand Seiko service center in Japan for Zaratsu polishing and was wondering if they allow dial swapping to the new Sbga211 Grand Seiko Snowflake dial. Does anybody know?

Response from Grand Seiko below, another email said they haven't seen a zaratsu polishing quote below $1,000. Also the original dial will be returned to you.

Hello,

If you want Zaratsu polishing, your watch would need to be sent to Seiko in Japan. We offer a light polishing at our New Jersey service center. Once they receive and evaluate your watch we will contact you with the cost. We do have a $150.00 shipping fee to send your watch to Japan and back. You can have the new version of the dial on SBGA211 installed in your watch. Your cost for the dial would be $1050.00 plus labor.
Please refer to the below link to our service website for our address and information on how to send your watch to us.

Howtorepair - SeikoServiceCenter


Best Regards,
Grand Seiko Customer Relations
800-334-0962

 

[BrianBinFL]

Hello,

I have a Sbga011 (Snowflake pre Grand Seiko split) so my dial says Seiko on the top half and Grand Seiko on the bottom half. I was thinking about sending my watch to the Grand Seiko service center in Japan for Zaratsu polishing and was wondering if they allow dial swapping to the new Sbga211 Grand Seiko Snowflake dial. Does anybody know?

I can't provide a link right off the top of my head, but I have seen a first hand account either here or on the GSOC that someone had an SGS dial replaced with a GS dial of the complementary post-2017 model.

In other words, if you want your SBGA011 dial replaced with an SBGA211 dial, they should do it for you.

If you decide to go for it, please keep us apprised of the progress.

 

[DialDreamer]

I can't provide a link right off the top of my head, but I have seen a first hand account either here or on the GSOC that someone had an SGS dial replaced with a GS dial of the complementary post-2017 model. In other words, if you want your SBGA011 dial replaced with an SBGA211 dial, they should do it for you. If you decide to go for it, please keep us apprised of the progress.

That sounds great! I have the 2014 model. I sent an email to Grand Seiko Customer Service and am waiting for a reply. I also asked them for the costs on dial swapping and Zaratsu polishing the case. I'll keep everyone updated!

 

[matt009au]

Am I the only one that kinda likes the balance of the old style dials?

 

[Domo]

That sounds great! I have the 2014 model. I sent an email to Grand Seiko Customer Service and am waiting for a reply. I also asked them for the costs on dial swapping and Zaratsu polishing the case. I'll keep everyone updated!

It's your watch and all that etc etc but keep the original dial. It's the dial it was born with

 

[Nokie]

I too would be very interested in what they say and what the options are, so please do keep us posted.

Good luck.

 

[DialDreamer]

I too would be very interested in what they say and what the options are, so please do keep us posted.

Good luck.

This is the response I received. Another email response said they haven't seen an estimate below $1,000 to redo the zaratsu polishing. Also the original dial will be returned to you.

Hello,

If you want Zaratsu polishing, your watch would need to be sent to Seiko in Japan. We offer a light polishing at our New Jersey service center. Once they receive and evaluate your watch we will contact you with the cost. We do have a $150.00 shipping fee to send your watch to Japan and back. You can have the new version of the dial on SBGA211 installed in your watch. Your cost for the dial would be $1050.00 plus labor.
Please refer to the below link to our service website for our address and information on how to send your watch to us.

Howtorepair - SeikoServiceCenter


Best Regards,
Grand Seiko Customer Relations
800-334-0962

 

[DialDreamer]

I can't provide a link right off the top of my head, but I have seen a first hand account either here or on the GSOC that someone had an SGS dial replaced with a GS dial of the complementary post-2017 model.

In other words, if you want your SBGA011 dial replaced with an SBGA211 dial, they should do it for you.

If you decide to go for it, please keep us apprised of the progress.

This is the response I received. Another email response said they haven't seen an estimate below $1,000 to redo the zaratsu polishing. Also the original dial will be returned to you.

Hello,

If you want Zaratsu polishing, your watch would need to be sent to Seiko in Japan. We offer a light polishing at our New Jersey service center. Once they receive and evaluate your watch we will contact you with the cost. We do have a $150.00 shipping fee to send your watch to Japan and back. You can have the new version of the dial on SBGA211 installed in your watch. Your cost for the dial would be $1050.00 plus labor.
Please refer to the below link to our service website for our address and information on how to send your watch to us.

Howtorepair - SeikoServiceCenter


Best Regards,
Grand Seiko Customer Relations
800-334-0962

 

[BrianBinFL]

That's good news. Now the question is - how badly do you want that post-2017 Snowflake dial?

 

[DialDreamer]

That's good news. Now the question is - how badly do you want that post-2017 Snowflake dial?

The boutique that I emailed before the customer service center emailed me said "As per the dial swap, we strongly advise to keep your watch as original as possible as it would make it even more collectible, some customers are very fond of the Seiko dials. We do not know if the dial swap is possible, and we suggest you contact our service department directly on that topic at: " and it convinced me to keep the original dial.

I was thinking of if the titanium bracelet is worth it at $1,500 from Seiya Japan because mine is currently on the GS leather crocodile strap and GS deployment clasp, I love the strap but the titanium bracelet looks super nice. The bracelet just has some hit or miss reviews is all I am worried about.

 

[griffon89]

If GS allows change of different dial colours then it would be truly amazing.

 

[BrianBinFL]

If GS allows change of different dial colours then it would be truly amazing.

My understanding is that you can only swap for the dial from the identical complementary post-2017 model (e.g. SBGA011 -> SBGA211). If your watch doesn't have a post-2017 model then no swap.

This would make sense as this is what would be done if your dial were damaged. If you had an SGS SBGA011 that had a damaged dial, they wouldn't have an old SGS dial laying around to put in it, and they'd have to put the newer GS SBGA211 dial in it. It's still the same watch (Snowflake) just with the updated branding.

But doing something like putting the midnight blue dial of an SBGA375 into the champagne-dialed SBGA373 effectively changes the model of the watch. Now the serial number is for an A373, but it has a midnight blue dial. I don't think GS would do that. But I haven't heard of any first hand accounts from anybody who has tried.

 

[griffon89]

My understanding is that you can only swap for the dial from the identical complementary post-2017 model (e.g. SBGA011 -> SBGA211). If your watch doesn't have a post-2017 model then no swap.

This would make sense as this is what would be done if your dial were damaged. If you had an SGS SBGA011 that had a damaged dial, they wouldn't have an old SGS dial laying around to put in it, and they'd have to put the newer GS SBGA211 dial in it. It's still the same watch (Snowflake) just with the updated branding.

But doing something like putting the midnight blue dial of an SBGA375 into the champagne-dialed SBGA373 effectively changes the model of the watch. Now the serial number is for an A373, but it has a midnight blue dial. I don't think GS would do that. But I haven't heard of any first hand accounts from anybody who has tried.

Yeah agreed. I haven't heard of any such accounts before either.
I have a spring drive GMT chronograph in white dial (SBGC247). Sometimes I think that if GS makes a version of it but in the blue whirlpool dial (in GS lettering) it would be absolutely sensational.

 

[NYCNIK]

Hello,

I have a Sbga011 (Snowflake pre Grand Seiko split) so my dial says Seiko on the top half and Grand Seiko on the bottom half. I was thinking about sending my watch to the Grand Seiko service center in Japan for Zaratsu polishing and was wondering if they allow dial swapping to the new Sbga211 Grand Seiko Snowflake dial. Does anybody know?

Response from Grand Seiko below, another email said they haven't seen a zaratsu polishing quote below $1,000. Also the original dial will be returned to you.

Hello,

If you want Zaratsu polishing, your watch would need to be sent to Seiko in Japan. We offer a light polishing at our New Jersey service center. Once they receive and evaluate your watch we will contact you with the cost. We do have a $150.00 shipping fee to send your watch to Japan and back. You can have the new version of the dial on SBGA211 installed in your watch. Your cost for the dial would be $1050.00 plus labor.
Please refer to the below link to our service website for our address and information on how to send your watch to us.

Howtorepair - SeikoServiceCenter


Best Regards,
Grand Seiko Customer Relations
800-334-0962

Depending upon the age I would say don't do it. Having a Snowflake with the double stamp, tells the world you had GS when most didn't know what they were about. Esp if you have a 2006 or an early edition snowflake. If it's from the 2010s, then you are spending 1000 bucks for not much return. You can buy snowflakes for mid-high 3000s these days.

 

[DialDreamer]

Depending upon the age I would say don't do it. Having a Snowflake with the double stamp, tells the world you had GS when most didn't know what they were about. Esp if you have a 2006 or an early edition snowflake. If it's from the 2010s, then you are spending 1000 bucks for not much return. You can buy snowflakes for mid-high 3000s these days.

I have the 2014 version, I am not going to change the dial, maybe I will try to trade it in and add cash to buy a sbgm235....if only it wasnt so thick =/. I currently have 3 watches I want. JLC True Seconds, GS sbgm235, Rolex Explorer I 39mm. I am leaning towards either JLC or GS because JLC has the nice movement with display back and GS has the nice whirlpool dial.