Seiko

Just as you might have been lamenting the scarcity of white-dialed, snow-themed Grand Seiko watches, I received Winter Greetings from Grand Seiko and news of two more choices of Spring Drive GMT watches.

Both these technical developments received immediate acclaim and, ever since, have featured in a range of Grand Seiko creations of very different styles. Today, two Spring Drive limited edition timepieces are introduced that commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first Grand Seiko GMT watch and the 15th anniversary of the first chronograph watch. Both join the Grand Seiko Sport Collection and their dials take their design inspiration from the wintery snowscapes of the mountains that surrounds the studio where they are made, in Shinshu in central Japan. 

2002 saw the creation of Grand Seiko's first GMT watch [SBGM001 - the prefix is the GMT and 001 means it's the first of its kind]. 2004 saw Cazalea obtain one of these.

and, five years later, the first Spring Drive Chronograph was released. [SBGC001=prefix means spring drive with GMT and 001 means first of its kind]

[FYI the first Spring Drive Chrono without GMT is SBGB001 - identifiable by the lack of GMT hand and presence of a bezel tachymeter dial, but more notably by different, non-locking pushers]

The watches are as rugged as the Hotaka mountains that the Grand Seiko watchmakers can see from the Shinshu Watch Studio. The case and bracelet of the GMT version are in stainless steel while the GMT Chronograph version is made from high-intensity titanium. The dials capture the rough texture of the snow that can be seen high in the mountains in late winter and early spring, when strong winds carve unique patterns as they whip across the snow surface. The blue accents on both dials echo the bright blue color of the winter sky in Shinshu. 

Both are powered by specially adjusted Spring Drive movements which offer an enhanced accuracy rate of ±10 seconds per month. Both feature a secure see-through case back through which can be seen the 18K gold Grand Seiko lion emblem which graces the oscillating weights as an indication of the enhanced accuracy. 

The Spring Drive Chronograph: Unquestionably one of the most accurate spring-powered movements in the world

This Spring Drive Chronograph measures elapsed time up to 12 hours with an accuracy of ±0.5 seconds per day. Thanks to the regulation system that is unique to Spring Drive, its accuracy remains at this high level even when the power reserve is low. Equally importantly, it measures elapsed time not to the nearest fraction of a second but exactly, thanks to the fact that the glide motion hands stop at the very instant that the button is pressed and not just at the nearest “tick”.







Both are powered by specially adjusted Spring Drive movements which offer an enhanced accuracy rate of ±10 seconds per month. Both feature a secure see-through case back through which can be seen the 18K gold Grand Seiko lion emblem which graces the oscillating weights as an indication of the enhanced accuracy. 

More posts: Grand SeikoSBGC001SBGM001

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