Comments:
Grand Seiko new models for 2024
A new manual-wind Hi-Beat movement running ~ 80 hours.
A GMT Chronograph whose dial runs ~ between gold / orange / red / black
A new beautiful Platinum & Titanium variant of the Constant Force Tourbillion, running ~ $375,000
More details in the files below!
Cheers,
Cazalea
Spring Drive Chronograph 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition: SBGC275
The vast Hotaka mountain range rises in the Shinshu region of central Japan, where all Grand Seiko Spring Drive creations are made. The sun reflecting off this soaring landscape at dawn creates beautiful mountain scenery with ebullient colors transforming from pink to orange as the early morning progresses.
In 2024 Seiko recalls the 20th anniversary of the first Grand Seiko watch powered by the 9R Spring Drive movement series, which powers all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches.
In celebration of this milestone, a new Spring Drive Chronograph GMT inspired by this mountainous landscape in summer is born. The watch has been made possible by a new dial-processing technology that expresses the Japanese appreciation for the delicate transition of time as seen through the changing colors of summer mornings in this special place.
On summer mornings, for just 30 minutes before and after sunrise, the sun illuminates the peaks of the Hotaka mountain range in a particularly special way. The color-changing dial, which represents this momentary light show, is made possible by a patented dial-coating process to be known as “Optical Multilayer Coating.” Instead of traditional techniques to color the dial, the new technology uses a physical vapor deposition process. Several layers of nanoscale film create an effect in which the dial exhibits a different hue depending on the angle of view. Combined with the silent glide motion of the seconds hand, the transitioning dial colors bring a new dimension to the idea of the nature of time.
The newest Spring Drive Chronograph GMT features a powerful, angular case design inspired by the lion, a symbol of the brand since the first Grand Seiko watch in 1960. Synonymous with strength and courage, the lion represented the aim of the original Grand Seiko team to create the very best timepiece of which they were capable in terms of accuracy, legibility, durability, and beauty, and these values remain today. The lion’s presence is demonstrated in every detail of the new watch, such as the angularity of the case and the claw-like, hairline-finished lugs, which provide a point of contrast to the Zaratsu-polished surfaces.
Water resistant to 20 bar or 200M, the watch is made to ensure the highest level of performance in any sporting situation. The hour and minute hands are designed for heightened legibility, and the wide indexes further enhance the superior legibility for which Grand Seiko is renowned. The case and bracelet are made of high-intensity titanium, which is about 30% lighter than stainless steel and has a brighter color. The bracelet, too, is designed for comfort, with thick, H-shaped links that easily conform to wrists of all sizes. The hour and minute hands, as well as the hour markers, have Lumibrite that glows green, while the GMT hand and the numbers on the bezel glow blue, enhancing the watch’s legibility in dark conditions.
The timepiece is powered by the Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96, a specially adjusted version of Caliber 9R86. Caliber 9R96 delivers an accuracy of ±10 seconds per month or ~2 minutes/year, or ±0.5 seconds per day, compared to the ±15 seconds per month accuracy of the mainstay Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R86.
A limited edition of 700, the new creation will be available at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide in July 2024.
Grand Seiko Sport Collection
Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition: SBGC275
Movement
Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96
Driving system: Automatic
Accuracy: ±10 seconds per month (±0.5 seconds per day)
Power reserve: 72 hours
GMT hand
Chronograph up to 12 hours
Number of jewels: 50
Specifications
High-intensity titanium case and bracelet
Three-fold clasp with push-button release, secure lock, and extender
Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
See-through screw case back
Screw-down crown
Water resistance: 20 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Diameter: 44.5mm
Thickness: 16.8mm!
Prices
Recommended retail price in Europe: €14,000
Limited edition of 700
Two Evolution 9 Style Manual Wind Hi-Beat Watches SLGW002 & SLGW003
The 18K rose gold dress watch is equipped with the Grand Seiko Caliber 9SA4, the brand’s first manual-winding 36,000 vph mechanical movement to be created in approximately 50 years.
Today, the ritual of winding a watch is one of life’s pleasures. The simple act of turning the crown taps into the senses to forge a deeper connection with time’s natural flow. In the 1960s and ’70s, manually wound 10-beat Grand Seiko creations were manufactured in the pursuit of better rate stability and higher precision.
Caliber 9SA4 will make its debut in a new dress watch belonging to the Evolution 9 Collection, whose design represents a continuation of the Grand Seiko Style that reaches back to the iconic 44GS of 1967. Only this time, the Evolution 9 Style itself has been further refined to create a watch that instantly communicates the charm, elegance, grace, and subtlety one would expect of a hand-wound dress watch. Several aspects of the design have been revisited – from the prominent, grooved indexes, which have been slimmed down and elongated, to the multifaceted lugs, which are now narrower and have a smaller surface area. The watch’s center of gravity has been lowered to ensure the comfort and stability for which Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 creations have become renowned.
SLGW002 has a case made of 18K rose gold. The dial is decorated with a pattern reminiscent of beautiful birch bark, and at the 6 o'clock position is the SD mark (Special Dial mark), which indicates that the hour markers are also made of solid gold.
SLGW003 has a case and clasp made of Grand Seiko’s Brilliant Hard Titanium. The alloy is brighter than traditional titanium, causing the case’s Zaratsu-polished surfaces to appear even more radiant and achieving a sparkle of quality and beauty befitting a Grand Seiko dress watch. Brilliant Hard Titanium makes the watch not only light but also highly resistant to corrosion and scratches while commanding a hardness double that of standard stainless steel.
The movement in both watches achieves a higher winding efficiency thanks to a rearrangement of the gear train and redesign of the parts, so that Caliber 9SA4 achieves a power reserve of 80 hours with 15 percent fewer crown rotations than are required to achieve the same power for Caliber 9SA5 when winding it by hand. Thanks to its svelte movement, the latest birch-inspired mechanical watch is 38.6mm in diameter and achieves a slimness of 9.95mm.
A dial reflecting the beauty of the white birch
The new creation’s dial is inspired by the slender white birch trees that thrive in northern parts of Japan and that grow in profusion near the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi. The exquisite pattern echoes the beauty of the birch tree’s bark with its intricate, multi-dimensional texture. Combined with the watch’s elegant design and the movement’s high precision, the new creation offers a refined experience of the nature of time.
A beautiful view through an exhibition caseback
The click is in the shape of a wagtail, a bird recognized as special to Morioka, a city close to the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, where this and all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are crafted. Thanks to the redesign of the movement, the bird-like pecking motion of the click is visible to enjoy through the sapphire crystal case back during the hand-winding process. Together with the delicate finishing of the movement inspired by the Shizukuishi River, Caliber 9SA4 not only showcases the very best of Grand Seiko’s mechanical watchmaking capabilities but also captures the beauty of the studio’s natural surroundings.
Movement
Caliber 9SA4
Driving system: Manual-winding
Frequency: 36,000 vibrations per hour (10 beats per second)
Accuracy (mean daily rate): +5 to -3 seconds per day
Power reserve: 80 hours
Number of jewels: 47
Diameter: 31.0mm, Thickness: 4.15mm
Specifications
18k Rose gold case and clasp (SLGW002)
Brilliant Hard Titanium case and clasp (SLGW003)
Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface
See-through case back
Water resistance: 3 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Diameter: 38.6mm, Thickness: 9.95mm
Crocodile strap with three-fold clasp with push button release
Recommended retail prices in Europe:
€49,500 (SLGW002) Limited edition of 80
€11,700 (SLGW003) Stock model
Love this new hi-beat movement
very good looking one. Also the Evo9 case on 38mm with less then 10mm of thickness is great, this is going to be the new classic watch of GS I think. My only problem is the white birch dial which is a tad too flashy for me on a classic watch. However I’m sure GS will come up with new dials in the future, so all in all a very promising line.
I tried the
SLGH005 white birch in metal and the dial was a bit too brilliant for me, so I bought the darkest lake suwa iteration SLGA021. Need to see this new dress watch too but if it’s the same dial then I’d prefer to wait for a new one, other than the dial the watch is really good for me
First since the 45GS
I'm an owner of a GS 4522-8000 : 36000 bph mechanical movement. I'm surprised that they did it again. It's a fabulous movement
Constant Force Tourbillon SLGT005
In 2022, Grand Seiko presented its first mechanical complication, the Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon, a revolutionary watch that combined a tourbillon and a constant-force mechanism as one unit on a single axis for the first time in horological history. As such, it represented a major milestone in the history of Grand Seiko and was recognized by the international watch community when it was awarded the Chronometry Prize at that year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
While the first Kodo expressed evening twilight through the delicate interplay of light and shadow that is central to Grand Seiko aesthetics, the new timepiece uses light and shadow to evoke daybreak. The delicate time when morning light begins to reclaim the sky is emphasized throughout the design, completing a portrayal of light and shadow that began two years ago. The movement components have a silver tone, giving the new Kodo a subtle but bright appearance that accentuates the intricately constructed and layered parts. The beauty of the painstakingly hand-polished components is even more pronounced in the new timepiece. For the first time in a Grand Seiko watch, blue sapphires take the place of some of the rubies, adding an unexpected detail that is in perfect harmony with the design. Carefully examined and selected, the pale blue sapphires recall a beautiful dawn.
A subtle gradation of light is expressed through the use of different materials and various types of finishing. Platinum 950 forms the watch’s inner case, while Brilliant Hard Titanium, an alloy twice as hard as stainless steel, forms the outer case, making the exterior highly resistant to scratches. The combination of the two materials creates a natural gradation and a long-lasting beauty.
Some of the case parts in both metals are Zaratsu polished to a distortion-free mirror finish, while others have a hairline finish. Each process is completed by hand by highly skilled craftsmen and women to ensure that an elegant visual harmony is revealed from every angle.
The watch is offered with a leather strap created from a highly durable material that is specially treated in the same traditional way once used in samurai armor. But this time, a new white color was developed specifically for the new Kodo. The white strap is made through tanning with natural materials and then carefully hand-coated with layers of white urushi lacquer to create a deep sheen and a unique texture. A crocodile strap in charcoal grey also comes with the watch.
MOVEMENT
Caliber number: 9ST1
Movement Type: Manual winding
Power reserve: Approx. 72 hours(3 days)(Constant-force: 50 Hours)
Normal accuracy: +5 to -1 seconds per day
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (8 beats per second)
Power reserve indicator
CASE
Exterior: Brilliant Hard Titanium and Platinum,
Caseback: Platinum and sapphire crystal
Case back: See-through case back
Glass: Box shaped sapphire crystal
Coating: Anti-reflective coating on inner surface
Case size:
Diameter 43.8mm
Lug-to-lug 50.6mm
Thickness 12.9mm
Band width: 22mm
Band Material: Calfskin
Clasp type: Three-fold clasp with push button release
Functions
Water resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Other details / Features:
LIMITED EDITION on the case back
Serial number engraved on the case back
Platinum buckle (PT950)
Grand Seiko really drank the birch beer! I'm disappointed not to see a new micro artist studio watch with the 9r02 movement
This one:
I'm told the previous one is sold out.
I'm told the previous one is sold out.
They may not have completed production of last year’s 50 pieces
I visited Shiojiri in summer of 2022 and they were still manufacturing the SBGZ007 that had been launched a year earlier.
I think it takes them about 2 years to fulfill all 50 pieces with the limited production capacity of the Micro Artist Studio.
I think it takes them about 2 years to fulfill all 50 pieces with the limited production capacity of the Micro Artist Studio.
The SLGW Hi-beat looks good.
Will have a look see when it is available.
The chrono dial bit too busy for GS to feature a rather unique dial.
New movements. Interesting materials. Compliments GS
Along with Chopard the two most sincere horological presences this year. I am excluding independents from this comment