Taking a bird’s eye view of the watch world, one of the most remarkable feats is the cadence and tempo with which Grand Seiko is forging its new, commercially savvy path in the marketplace. The brand has pivoted from under-the-radar enthusiast favorite to global powerhouse in under 10 years. It’s the horological equivalent of a battleship turning on a dime.
At Watches & Wonders, the releases on hand are both sporty and sparkly. The latter is in the form of a Masterpiece Collection talking point, SBGD209. According to Grand Seiko, this jewelry piece takes its inspiration from a white lion, and certainly, this 44.5mm platinum-cased, 267-diamond encrusted, white-leather-strapped creation has a certain over-the-top Vegas appeal, but there’s no doubting the virtuosity of its construction. The superb manually wound, eight-day Spring Drive caliber 9R01 is one of the most beautiful full-plate casebacks we’ve ever seen. It’s also remarkable that even with a dial set with 94 baguette-cut diamonds, legibility is not an issue, thanks to the black spinels that serve as hour markers and the muscular, sporty handset employed on this awesomely ostentatious masterpiece.
The sports aesthetic is the focus of Grand Seiko’s other substantive updates unveiled in Geneva, as the brand’s Evolution 9 Collection expands into their sports watches. Evolution 9 is the latest iteration of Grand Seiko’s continually refined design language, which sees wider handsets, new fonts, wider lugs and more ergonomic forms deployed in the pursuit of the perfect watch.
The five new watches are all powered by Spring Drives and feature two GMTs, two chronographs and a diver. SBGE283 and SBGE285 are the GMTs, powered by the caliber 9R66, and cased in 41mm high-intensity titanium cases, with fixed 24-hour bezels and unsurprisingly exceptional dials — in particular, the light gray dial inspired by the early morning mist in the region of Shinshu, where Grand Seiko’s Spring drives are created.
A GMT complication is also one of the many on offer on SBGC249 and SBGC251, the two new chronographs in the pack. The former is a 150th-anniversary celebratory piece, limited to 700 pieces and boasting a gorgeous and characteristically Grand Seiko blue dial and bezel. The caliber in this model has been adjusted to offer +/- 10 seconds a month. The black-dialed SBGC251 is a regular production piece. Neither version is likely to be missed on the wrist, thanks to the 45.3mm width and 15.8mm height.
Finally, SLGA015 is the deep-sea diver in the pack. Like all the other new watches, it’s crafted from high-intensity titanium, measuring 43.8mm in width and 13.8mm in height. And while the style is classic diver, there are a few notable elements on this watch. For one the “Black Stream” dial isn’t a solid black, but has a fine, choppy texture that is entrancing. Secondly, the caliber used here is the top-tier 9RA5, with five days of power reserve along with a host of other features.
Tech Specs
Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8 Days Jewellery Watch
Movement: Manual-winding Spring Drive caliber 9R01; power reserve of 8 days
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve on rear
Case: 44.5mm x 14.4mm; Platinum 950; set with 112 diamonds
Strap: White crocodile strap
Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection
Movement: Self-winding Spring Drive GMT caliber 9R66; 72 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, date, power reserve indicator
Case: 41mm x 13.9mm; high-intensity titanium; water-resistant to 100m
Strap: High-intensity titanium with three-fold clasp
Grand Seiko Chronograph 15th Anniversary Limited Edition
Movement: Self-winding Spring Drive Chronograph GMT caliber 9R96; 72 hours of power reserve; accurate to +/- 10 seconds a month
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, second time zone, date, power reserve indicator
Case: 45.3mm x 15.8mm; high-intensity titanium; water-resistant to 100m
Strap: High-intensity titanium with three-fold clasp
Availability: Limited to 700 pieces
Grand Seiko Chronograph
Movement: Self-winding Spring Drive Chronograph GMT caliber 9R86; 72 hours of power reserve; accurate to +/- 15 seconds a month
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, second time zone, date, power reserve indicator
Case: 45.3mm x 15.8mm; high-intensity titanium; water-resistant to 100m
Strap: High-intensity titanium with three-fold clasp
Grand Seiko Diver’s Watch
Movement: Self-winding Spring Drive caliber 9RA5; power reserve of 5 days; accurate to +/- 10 seconds a month
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve indicator
Case: 43.8mm x 13.8mm; high-intensity titanium; water-resistant to 200m
Strap: High-intensity titanium; three-fold clasp with secure lock and extender
