Ever get tired of looking at the same old face? At its blockbuster showing for Watches & Wonders 2024, Japanese brand Grand Seiko has unveiled a new timepiece that promises to reshape the visual spectrum. The new Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Edition features a new dial-processing technology that the watchmaker claims will enable the watch to ‘change hues’ depending on the angle of view. Leave it to Grand Seiko to produce a true chameleon watch.
The new patented dial manufacturing process is known as “Optical Multilayer Coating” and is an act that utilises a physical vapour deposition process over traditional techniques. As per Grand Seiko, “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 colours bring a new dimension to the idea of the nature of time.”
While that might sound overly philosophical, there is a reason for Grand Seiko’s insistence on the influence of the natural world. The new Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Edition was inspired by the vast Hotaka mountain range that rises in the Shinshu region of central Japan. Here, the reflection of the sun across the mountain scenery in the early mornings creates the illusion of colour transformation, displaying a wide spectrum of hues ranging from pink to orange. The new GMT timepiece brings that environmental phenomenon into the horological world, in keeping with the brand’s immense appreciation for its homeland.
Importantly, Grand Seiko’s colour-changing timepiece is more than just a marketing gimmick. The Spring Drive Chronograph GMT is a fervent reminder of the brand’s dedication to accuracy, legibility and design. The angularity of the titanium case and the claw-like, hairline-finished lugs, are reminiscent of the original Grand Seiko models of the 1960s, and contrasts beautifully against the Zaratsu-polished surface.
In terms of legibility, the dial layout is a little intimidating with its four sundial construction, and the glaring intensity of the dial makes for a bold and brutal aesthetic. Even more interestingly, while the hour and minute hands, as well as the hour markers, have Lumibrite that glows green, the GMT hand and the numbers on the bezel glow blue. It’s certainly not a watch that everyone could pull off but at 42.5mm, I would hazard a guess that Grand Seiko already knew that. Big and bold, the Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Edition is a watch that demands to be seen and on the right wrist, it should be.
Inside, the hallmarks of accuracy shine through. The timepiece is powered by the Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Calibre 9R96, which Grand Seiko explains is a specially adjusted version of Calibre 9R86. Calibre 9R96 delivers an accuracy of ±10 seconds per month, or ±0.5 seconds per day, compared to the ±15 seconds per month accuracy of the mainstay Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Calibre 9R86.
The new Grand Seiko Sport Collection Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is limited to just 700 pieces worldwide. It is priced at AUD$20,000 and will be available at Grand Seiko boutiques and select retails worldwide from July 2024.
Grand Seiko Sport Collection Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
- Brand: Grand Seiko
- Model: Sport Collection Calibre 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
- Reference: Ref. SBGC275
- Movement: Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Calibre 9R96
- Diameter: 44.5mm
- Water-Resistance: 200m
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Price: AUD$20,000
