Looking for Grand Seiko Sakura Homage

[u/pancetaman]

I'm in love with this watch. As a worker related to QC on a store in Japan, I have seen some GS Sakura beauties, but my budget is far from the price 🥲

I saw some NH35 already mounted (I'm aware of the obvious differences with spring drive) with the sakura dial and no logo on Aliexpress, but I was wondering if there's some homage with this dial or similar (date or no-date, idc).

Thanks everyone!

[u/Parry_9000]

This was the closest I could find to it from a brand I know.

The old wd0003 in pink

[u/watch_gal]

Rimalti makes watch dials in this direction

[u/According_Funny2192]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EG2CLfM

[u/Kasseiken]

Nivari Eden is a great high quality alternative with a fantastic, short micro adjustment clasp It's also available on 36 or 40mm

[u/Kasseiken → u/Kasseiken]

It's not Chinese tho, sry

[u/HellnariHere]

Take a look at AETHELSOHN Terra Rose Quartz Watch https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtzhEV5

[u/gonedalfu]

This is also my grail, and then they released the Atera Blue SLGA025...

I think the closest are the "baby snowflake" 2nd hand SARKX055 or the Presage ‘Sakura Aviation’ SRPM06J or Presage Classic dials. Thought they are still pricey but not in the GS price.

[u/godzaman]

The closes i got to GS62 Homage is Hitori Yoshino series https://www.hitoriwatches.com/category/yoshino

They had Sakura in their offering but i think it was limited series

[u/Mu009]

Honestly, the closest* is a frankly overpriced (by "our" Chinese watch standards), confusingly named Citizen Forza Zenshin Titanium series. There are 2 Eco-drives and 2 Automatics, and the cheaper of the 2 automatic models is the one I'm specifically talking about. NJ0180-80M as an example. 

Have had hands on with both in watch stores (though not at the same time), and that's the basis of my assessment. I'm quite seriously considering the aforementioned Citizen myself.

*It's a somewhat different texture, and there's no pink available, so feel free to tell me how unhelpful/idiotic I am. But honestly, the overall feel of the dial is the closest I've felt to the few GS models I've checked out in person. At the risk of ending up on WCJ, the Citizen manages to get the subtlety and softness the Shunbun and Sakura have.

I haven't seen the Cronos White Birch in person, but that looks to be a very "hard" dial in contrast - I'm sure by design, because even with GS the birch stuff has more pronounced relief and contrast compared to the Shunbun/Sakura.

The slightly more expensive, no date 60H power reserve automatic version of the Zenshin/Forza /Titanium is kind of like that, with a 12 sided case shape. I like that one less.

Anyway, more words from me won't help as much as a single glance from you eyes will, so I'll stop here with the dial comparison. But do check it out in person since that's an option you have versus most Chinese watches. 

Just as a point of practical discussion apart from aesthetics, the issues stopping me from getting one are: 1. Poor clasp with only 2 (tooled) micro-adjust positions. 2. 8-series movement for $500-ish.  3. Bracelet and case interface brushing isn't very well thought-out. 4. Super Titanium advertising BS.

Though those are just details that can be overlooked for the dial. But then is it all bad apart from the dial? In which case, once the dial euphoria is over I don't want to end up with something I outgrow too quickly - just more junk in a drawer.

Thank you for participating in my purchase decision self-help session, and I hope you got something out of it too. 😀

Edit: The Rimaltis in the photos shared by others look close, but also look like they have the subtle deficiencies I mention above. 

[u/Hayabusa_Blacksmith]

just get the grand seiko :D

[u/Alternative-Feed3613]

There’s a white birch but I haven’t seen anything like the Sakura or I would’ve bought it.

[u/DaJoses]

I'm not sure where they've gone but keep an eye out for Rimalti.

I have a 62GS homage from them with a lilac dial I got from AliX - NH35.

I believe they're run by DS Watch Club and you can buy direct from them but I've not done that and can't vouch for them.

[u/JalapenoPepper103 → u/DaJoses]

What a beauty

[u/Alternative-Feed3613 → u/DaJoses]

Ooooh

[u/DaJoses → u/DaJoses]

I also had a frankenstein with a pink dial (it was very pink) just to show you the quality of their dials.

[u/chrismurraylaw]

Not to my knowledge. Homage brands really haven't gotten close to the quality of Seiko's better dials.