I’m not a watch expert, but I wanted to share this moment. These past two months have been an absolute whirlwind, long-distance has been a proper rollercoaster, and I’ve been mulling over proposing. When he booked a flight to cross the pond to see me in NY, I knew it was time to get a move on.

He’s been glued to his Grand Seiko Alpinist for yonks, so a watch felt like the perfect way to seal the deal. With a $10kish budget, I poked around IWC, Tudor, and Grand Seiko. After over an hour of faffing around in the city and some more online, the Grand Seiko SBGA481 stole my heart, classy, understated, just like him but a lion underneath the surface. I was sold the moment I saw it. When I proposed, his gobsmacked grin said it all. He’s barely taken it off since!