Grand Seiko at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024
A mechanical watch depicting the mysterious scenery of the Genbi Valley on its dial
The Genbi Valley in Japan has been designated a Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument. It exists mid-stream on the Iwai River in Iwate Prefecture, where Grand Seiko’s mechanical watches are manufactured. The grand and mysterious scenery of the Genbi Valley is expressed in this watch’s dial via a new molded pattern and light-green coloration. The case and bracelet incorporate Ever-Brilliant Steel, a material that boasts the highest level of corrosion resistance for stainless steel in the world, and this model is the first in the Evolution 9 Collection to feature it. The material’s tendency to exhibit a white shine pairs well with the vivid green color of the dial. The Caliber 9SA5 is a ten-beat movement that is capable of 80 hours of continuous operation when the watch is fully wound.
A dial that expresses the magnificent scenery of the Genbi Valley
The Iwai River, which flows from its source on the northern slope of Mt. Kurikoma that lies within Iwate Prefecture, eroded massive stones to create at times potholes, waterfalls, and ravines along a stretch of 2 km. This resulted in the natural beauty of the gorge that is called the Genbi Valley. Its impressive scenery is celebrated through its designation as a Place of Scenic Beauty for Japan, and this beauty is replicated by the molded pattern and light-green color of the watch’s dial. Its expressions are ever-changing depending on the angle of the light, leaving a vivid and delightful impression.
Ever-Brilliant Steel with superior corrosion resistance
Ever-Brilliant Steel is a stainless-steel material that boasts higher corrosion resistance than the stainless steel used in regular high-end watches (indeed, it has the highest level of corrosion resistance in the world), one that shines with a brilliant white. Ever-Brilliant Steel has a PREN (pitting resistance equivalent number) that is 1.7 times that of the steel typically seen in luxury watches.
Caliber 9SA5
Through the use of the highly efficient Dual Impulse Escapement and twin barrels, Caliber 9SA5 achieves approximately 80 hours of operation when the watch is fully wound even with its a high-beat rate of 36,000 vph. The movement also allows the watches it powers to be more lightweight through a unique horizontal ring construction.
Manual winding, high-beat precision, and 80 hours of power. Introducing a new dress watch in the Evolution 9 Style.
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. This year, for the first time in more than 50 years, Grand Seiko announces a new hand-wound high-beat movement, the Caliber 9SA4. It is the third movement to join the latest generation of the mechanical Caliber 9S platform, which was born in 2020 with the automatic Caliber 9SA5 and then followed just last year with the Tentagraph Caliber 9SC5 chronograph.
A thoroughly redesigned and reconstructed movement based on Caliber 9SA5
As with Caliber 9SA5, the new 9SA4 beats 10 times per second while achieving a power reserve of 80 hours when fully wound thanks to its highly efficient Dual Impulse Escapement and two barrels. Both movements use the Grand Seiko Free-sprung Balance and a hairspring with overcoil. As a result, Caliber 9SA4 benefits from the rate stability, resistance to outside interfer- ence, and high performance that have long characterized Grand Seiko’s high-beat movements. And, as with other Grand Seiko mechanical movements, 9SA4 is tested in six positions at three different temperatures over 17 days to ensure it meets the Grand Seiko Standard.
Though the new Caliber 9SA4 has many of the same characteristics as 9SA5, nearly 40 percent of the base movement has been redesigned and reconstructed with careful consideration given to the tactile, aural, and visual sensations experienced during winding. The movement’s click, the part that holds the ratchet wheel to prevent the unwinding of the mainsprings, and the click spring, have been tailored to perfect their feel and sound, and the crown stops when the movement is fully powered. 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.
The beauty of the movement is revealed through the sapphire crystal case back.
A power-reserve indicator on one of the movement bridges tells the watch’s state of wind. The movement 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 new color-changing dial captures the shifting hues of a Shinshu sunrise against the Hotaka landscape.
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.
The year 2024 marks 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 celebra- tion 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.
A new dial manufacturing technique
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.
Showcasing the eternal values of Grand Seiko in both function and beauty
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, 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.
A GMT that expresses the fantastic scenery of a snowy valley
Imagine a valley where the highest peaks are capped with snow, even in summer. Such a snowy valley enchants the hearts of those who happen to glimpse its rare scenery. In the SBGJ277, the green of the rotating bezel contrasts with the pure white of the finely molded dial pattern. One characteristic of this model is its prominent rotating bezel, which imparts a sporty character and allows wearers the ability to check the time in up to three different time zones. The watch houses the mechanical Hi-Beat 36000 GMT Caliber 9S86, which runs at ten beats per second while offering excellent rate stability and resistance to outside interference.
A delightful and attractive contrast between white and green
The term “snowy valley” refers to a phenomenon that can be seen in mountains at high elevations, where snow accumulates and remains even in the summertime. As such, the term has
come to be seasonally associated with summer. The magnificent mountain scenery of the remaining snow juxtaposed with greenery on a summer mountain is reproduced in the contrast of the snow-white color of the dial alongside the green of the rotating bezel and its ring of sapphire glass. These changing seasonal gradations form a beautiful expression of the passage of time.
Caliber 9S86
A Spring Drive GMT that conveys the majesty of the lion through its durable design
From the time of its first watch in 1960, Grand Seiko has used the lion, the so-called “king of beasts,” as a powerful symbol. Embodying the dignity of the regal creature, with all of its imposing and fierce presence, this modelʼs strong appearance recalls the animalʼs powerful forelimbs, claws, and mane. The lugs, intended to evoke lion claws, have a bold and distinctive shape and appearance, and the case rests firmly yet comfortably on the wrist. The reddish-brown GMT hand quietly makes its presence known on the shining white dial. The watch has a high level of practicality befitting a sports model. This can be observed in the Lumibrite coating on the hands and indexes, which makes it easy to read at night, as well as the formidable water resistance of 20 bar. The watch is powered by the highly precise Spring Drive Caliber 9R66 with GMT, delivering a precision of ±15 seconds per month (equivalent to ±1 second per day).
A dial that evokes a lionʼs mane glimmering in the rays of the sun
The dial design consists of a pattern that calls to mind the mane of a lion. The reddish-brown of the GMT hand contrasts with the shining white dial, ensuring easy legibility at a glance. With Lumibrite applied to its tip, the GMT hand can be read easily even in the dark.
Note: With GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) functionality, the local hour hand and the 24-hour hand can be set to different time zones, allowing the wearer to track the time in two locations at once.
Caliber 9R66
With a power reserve of 72 hours and accuracy of ±15 seconds per month, this was the first Spring Drive movement to incorporate a GMT mechanism.
