Twenty-five years ago Grand Seiko took a massive step in its mission to create a line of watches that would match the quality of its Swiss rivals. Designed entirely from scratch, it came up with the Calibre 9S – an automatic movement with great precision and durability. A quarter of a century later the Calibre 9S is still central to the success of the Grand Seiko range.
The original 9S base has given birth to both manual winding and automatic versions, Hi-beat movements and a chronograph calibre known as the Tentagraph. One of our favourite versions has been the GMT complication, a dual timezone feature that’s always handy for travellers. To celebrate 25 years of the 9S, Grand Seiko has dropped a pair of stunning new limited edition GMT models.
The two new Calibre 9S-powered watches show the movement at its finest and take their design cues from the breathtaking landscape that surrounds the brand’s studio. The GMT functionality is an ideal way for Grand Seiko to mark this latest milestone, with the GMT feature having been used in a variety of styles. And it’s that versatility that has given us two new watches – a heavy-duty addition to the Sports collection and a smaller and slimmer model for the Elegance line.
Both watches are built with quality in mind and both deliver the high precision we’ve come to expect from Seiko‘s top tier. Fans of the brand will be pleased to note that once again, the Japanese landscape plays a huge part in the watch’s inspiration and, as expected, this is expressed through beautiful and highly distinctive dials.
The larger of the two watches is the SBGJ275, a substantial divers-style watch with a chunky diameter of 44.2mm and a height of a little over 14mm. This Sea of Clouds edition will be familiar to watch enthusiasts, covering much of the same ground as the previous green Hotaka Mountains model.
As we’ve seen before, Grand Seiko is a master of reinterpreting the view from its Shizukuishi studio into colours, textures and patterns that can be incorporated into a watch design. The awe-inspiring Mt. Iwate provides endless inspiration to the men and women who hand-assemble all Grand Seiko watches in the shadow of the mountain.
The SBGJ275 Sea of Clouds edition takes its inspiration from the blue skies over Mt. Iwate, specifically the overlapping clouds seen at daybreak. The colour palette features a blue and white sapphire bezel that displays a 24-hour scale and beneath the glass, a chapter ring in two shades of blue.
The dial is a beauty and the organic pattern features blues and white to mimic cloud formations. The simple markers are paired with functional hands and the deep blue GMT hand is prominent. The GS logo is an eye-catching gold and there’s a neat date window at 3 o’clock.
For the first time in a Grand Seiko watch with 200M of water resistance, there’s also an exhibition back. This displays the famed Calibre 9S movement with the rotor in this model being forged from titanium and given a pale blue anodic oxidation treatment.
Where the SBGJ275 commands respect due to its substantial case and rugged appearance, the SBGM253 offers elegance and restraint. The classic form of the case features curved lugs and a distortion-free mirror finish achieved through the brand’s signature Zaratsu polishing.
Rather than the turbulence of clouds, this addition to the Elegance collection has a sunray dial that references the clear blue skies as viewed from the peak of Mt. Iwate. Again, the markers and hands are functional, with the GMT hand once more displaying a deeper blue.
The 9S66 GMT movement is also viewed through the exhibition back, although the rotor is a darker blue on this watch. The Sports model is limited to 2,000 pieces and available from September, while the Elegance model is available from October and is limited to 1,700 pieces.
Grand Seiko Elegance SBGM253
- Reference: SBGM253
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Height: 13.7mm
- Case: Stainless Steel
- Movement: Calibre 9S66
- Strap: Stainless Steel Bracelet
- Water Resistance: 30M
- Price: AUD$8,350
- Availability: Limited Edition of 1700
Grand Seiko Sport SBGJ275
- Reference: SBGJ275
- Diameter: 44.2mm
- Height: 14.8mm
- Case: Stainless Steel
- Movement: Calibre 9S86
- Strap: Stainless Steel Bracelet
- Water Resistance: 200M
- Price: AUD$11,350
- Availability: Limited Edition of 2000
