cazalea[Seiko Moderator]
17049
GS Watches in Ever-Brilliant Steel
Jan 27, 2022,05:16 AM
For over sixty years, advances in the fundamentals of watchmaking, precision, durability and beauty, have been of paramount importance to Grand Seiko. Movements are at the forefront, of course.
The Spring Drive Caliber 9RA5 and the Hi-Beat 36000 Caliber 9SA5 launched in 2020, provided a step forward in precision and overall performance.
A new Spring Drive movement, Caliber 9RA2, was introduced in 2021, much like Caliber 9RA5, but with power reserve indicator on the back, and closer hand-to-dial clearance, it allows a slimmer case profile.
At the beginning of 2022, Grand Seiko introduces a limited edition featuring two watches featuring the recent Calibers 9SA5 and 9RA2 and enclosed in cases of Ever-Brilliant Steel*, more corrosion resistant and more durable than that commonly used in watches today. It has a brilliant white hue that enhances the beauty of the watch.
* This stainless steel has a PREN (Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number) value 1.7 times higher than that of the grade of steel used in most high-end watches. PREN is a widely accepted standard used to measure corrosion resistance.
Ever-Brilliant is perfectly suited to the Grand Seiko Style, established in 1967 and whose 55th anniversary these two creations celebrate.
Both calibers deliver significant advances in performance, thanks to innovations that only a fully integrated manufacture could create. The Hi-Beat 9SA5 movement offers a power reserve of 80 hours while Caliber 9RA2 offers a power reserve of 120 hours with a precision rate of +/- 10 seconds per month. Remarkably, both movements are thinner than their existing counterparts and make possible slimmer cases that are true to the design principles of the Grand Seiko Style that was established with the celebrated 44GS.
Both timepieces share the same dial design which has a depth and a texture that attract the eye and take the imagination upwards towards the sky at night. The deeply etched pattern is that of the elliptical orbit of the stars as they move across the heavens. The sharp edges of the hour and minute hands provide a pleasing contrast with the gentle curves of the dial pattern. The gold-tone seconds hand extends right across the dial and its motion captures the serene passage of celestial time. The dial of the Hi-Beat version is blue, while the Spring Drive version is in dark gray.
The see-through sapphire crystal backs reveal the beautifully finished bridges and are clear evidence of the skilled craftsmanship of the two studios where the watches are made and hand assembled.
The Hi-Beat creation is the work of the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, and its bridges reflect the Shizukuishi River, while the Shinshu Watch Studio is the home of the Spring Drive version and features Shinshu Frost Finish.
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection, The 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition
Mechanical Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours SLGH009
Caliber 9SA5
Driving system: Automatic
Vibrations: 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: 40.0mm
Thickness 11.7mm
Specifications
Ever Brilliant Steel case and bracelet
Three-fold clasp with push button release
Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
See-through screw case back
Water resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Approximate retail price in Europe: €10,500
Limited edition of 550
Spring Drive 5 Days SLGA013
Caliber 9RA2
Driving system: Automatic
Accuracy: ±0.5 seconds per day (±10 seconds per month)
Power reserve: 5 days (120 hours)
Number of jewels: 38
Diameter: 40.0mm
Thickness: 12.1mm
Specifications
Ever Brilliant Steel case and bracelet
Three-fold clasp with push button release
Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
See-through screw case back
Water resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Approximate retail price in Europe: €9,500
Limited edition of 550