Modern Grand Seikos long term resale value?

[Cambo]

I bought my sbgk002 in 2020, and yes I will confess that it was to get my Rolex RG Olive Dial DD.
I find myself somewhat enamoured with the GS, not so much to wear it (it has never been worn) but more for the artistry of the piece, from its dial, to its hand painted numerals to its amazing polishing. Personally I don’t ever think I’ll actually wear it and I’m sure I could never get my money back in resale, but I don’t think I’ll ever let it go. It is too special a piece. I suspect, when I’m long gone, it will become an important horological timepiece for discerning tastes.

[Aussiexplorer]

I own two GS's. One purchased new and one preowned, both purchased in Japan. I have been offered the full purchase price from my local vintage watch store. Surprisingly the 9F Quartz model is viewed as a safer buy by the said store!

[klenboy]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

The big party is over for GS. They did it to themselves, but some of these brands just can't get out of their own way in terms of marketing. Burned super bright and burned out super fast.

They committed the mortal sin in luxury watches. Too many LE watches, too much distribution and big price increases...all too fast. See Panerai and Hublot. Hot brands at one time that took a huge dump because they lost focus and wanted to capitalize on "success" with MORE. People like it so do MORE!!!!!!!!!! Wrong strategy.

This all happened within the last few months. I noticed watch resellers inventory on GS dwindling. I tried to sell one just for giggles. NO OFFER. Hard Pass.

The Shunbun was a super hot watch when it came out. It was supposed to be a USA only model and it held value well. But now it is everywhere and diluted by more and more models that look similar and then focus is lost.

I'd say if you have a watch you want NOW and have an offer on the Shunbun and are really bored of it, move on from it now while you still can.

Brice Le Troadec (CEO of GS America) was Brand President of Omega USA in his previous role. You can guess where GS got this strategy from.

[IGY]

Depreciation on almost all GS is fairly steep and hard from new. Once they've taken the initial hit, they continue to depreciate at a slow rate. If you have a watch model that is out of production such as the SBGY003 you might be lucky in that relatively few were made and the watch has some demand from those that prefer it to the ongoing production SBGY007 and SBGY009. But a year or so again GS introduced the SBGY027 and SBGY029 limited editions which has similar, but not identical dials so values on the 003 softened a bit.

As they keep on producing the same basic watch designs with different dial variations and good availability, used watches need to be materially cheaper that those in the ADs. And some ADs discount some of the new GS models available in the stores.

Regardless of all these, GS make wonderful watches. I am very happy with mine and it is a keeper.

[douglasf13]

Heck, I've purchased a used DateJust, Explorer, Explorer II and Submariner in the past, and I even lost a little money on all of those selling a few years later.

I buy watches because I like them, not because of resale vale. If anything, at least GS watches being less recognizable with poorer resale value makes thieves less interested.

[IS2000]

Recently I’ve been trying to sell my Shunbun and a NOS SBGH323 Red Dragon in Thailand to make rooms for some new watches. Private buyers are hard to find at this time, but many grey dealers wanted the watches for much lower than the market values. They offered something like $3K for a flawless Shunbun and 40% below retail for a new unsized Red Dragon. I’d just keep them for the prices offered.

[1William]

Originally Posted by IS2000

Recently I’ve been trying to sell my Shunbun and a NOS SBGH323 Red Dragon in Thailand to make rooms for some new watches. Private buyers are hard to find at this time, but many grey dealers wanted the watches for much lower than the market values. They offered something like $3K for a flawless Shunbun and 40% below retail for a new unsized Red Dragon. I’d just keep them for the prices offered.

It is the same for the most part in the U.S. I have talked to several Trusted Sellers and all have said that they are not interested in G.S. right now unless it is limited and even then it starts at 50% off retail. I am a fan of the brand but too many models offered, design language is all over the place, too many silly stories about the dials and don't even talk about the bracelets. I would still be a buyer for the right one, at the right price but I would know it was staying put in the collection.

[ons2101]

I bought a SBGM 247 new for $5800.

I wore it for a few months and it was just too thick and top heavy, it otherwise a great watch.

2 trusted sellers didn’t even make an offer and and when I went to trade it in at the same AD (who has many other watch brands as well) was offered 40% of what I paid …. 3 months later!


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[1William]

Originally Posted by ons2101

I bought a SBGM 247 new for $5800.

I wore it for a few months and it was just too thick and top heavy, it otherwise a great watch.

2 trusted sellers didn’t even make an offer and and when I went to trade it in at the same AD (who has many other watch brands as well) was offered 40% of what I paid …. 3 months later!


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That sounds about right. I really like Seiko and Grand Seiko but typically when I buy them I go pre-owned and even then still lose a little money when I trade or sell. I now make sure it will be a watch that hangs around for a while and will get some wrist time. In the watch game you just paid for a lesson. It happens to us all if you stay in the hobby long enough and move your watches around enough.

[pandrew6l]

Lessons:
1) don't buy GS new
2) don't LE GS. used or new. New LEs are coming out every few months.

[minute_man]

Moden GS are very hard, if not downright impossible to sell privately to the uninitiated. Stores (if you can find one that buys) will offer a third of retail if not less for pristine, full sets. Yet the asking prices on C24 and the likes, although on a downward trend, still largely remain detached from reality when even new ones are sold at a discount at the ADs They will come down further in my opinion, so long-term value retention doesn't look good. But this will only make GS more accessible and they're really, really nice watches.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by pandrew6l

Lessons:
1) don't buy GS new
2) don't LE GS. used or new. New LEs are coming out every few months.

I have no issue buying a GS new, as long as I can get a good discount. And if you are buying an LE, just be smart about which one. For example, the SBGH267, aka Whirlpool, was an LE that still sells well above retail on the secondary market, if you can find one.

In general, if you’re already thinking about selling a watch before it’s even on your wrist, perhaps that’s not the watch you should buy.

[benlee]

With a few rare exception, GS watches do not hold value at all. Buy them if you like their quality, looks or craftsman ship, not for resale. Actually this applies to most brands.

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by minute_man

Moden GS are very hard, if not downright impossible to sell privately to the uninitiated. Stores (if you can find one that buys) will offer a third of retail if not less for pristine, full sets. Yet the asking prices on C24 and the likes, although on a downward trend, still largely remain detached from reality when even new ones are sold at a discount at the ADs They will come down further in my opinion, so long-term value retention doesn't look good. But this will only make GS more accessible and they're really, really nice watches.

Another reason to go vintage. Real sold prices for vintage GS and KS are very stable and still trending upwards; for rare examples, they’re moving up at a rapid rate. That they’re astonishing watches - arguably among the greatest of the era - is just a bonus.

I consider myself lucky that I got into them in Japan when they were still unknowns.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by swish77

…

In general, if you’re already thinking about selling a watch before it’s even on your wrist, perhaps that’s not the watch you should buy.

Pretty much

[Alex_TA]

In the best case you get 50% of the price you paid for the new one- even discounted price.
Been there, done that.


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[bradu-yyc]

I recently sold my spring drive SBGA-439 for about $300 less than I paid for it. However I got it at 25% off retail and was lucky enough to find someone locally that really wanted a spring drive GS, otherwise I'd have probably lost about $1000 as that was the next best offer I had received. Nice watches, cool movement but uninspiring to wear, too top heavy for my taste, and having no micro adjust on the bracelet of a $6000+ watch is/was a big miss as well.

[prateeko]

Originally Posted by benlee

With a few rare exception, GS watches do not hold value at all. Buy them if you like their quality, looks or craftsman ship, not for resale. Actually this applies to most brands.

This is what I have come to appreciate with GS and many other brands. Buying used can net a lot of savings and in GS' case it is necessary since there are so many LEs that I missed out on. If you want to purchase new the AD probably will give you some discount, but I would only buy a GS new (and do) with the intention of losing the money only to gain a watch - for the few I have purchased it has been worth it since I enjoy them, but I have no desire to find out how much I could sell them for.

They certainly are not doing themselves favors with the price increase, ridiculous numbers of limited editions, and overall marketing approach. Flipside to that is it's more accessible to get many of the models on the secondary market.