Results for Grand Seiko

Hands-On: The Grand Seiko SLGA025G 'Atera Valley' - The Best New Dial I've Seen In A Long Time

From the minds that brought us "Snowflake" and "Shunbun," could this be a new dial-driven icon?

Sunday Morning Showdown: Grand Seiko SBGH347 Vs. Rolex Datejust 36 Ref. 126200

It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for breakfast with a classic Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, Mike and Jorg go head to head with two great mid-sized daily wearers from Rolex and Grand Seiko. One is the latest generation of the classic 36mm Rolex Datejust with a domed bezel. It will go up against […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Grand Seiko SBGH347 Vs. Rolex Datejust 36 Ref. 126200 to read the full article.

New: Grand Seiko 45GS limited edition

Grand Seiko introduces two new limited edition timepieces, the SLGW004 and SLGW005, which pay homage to the iconic 45GS model first introduced in 1968. These watches reintroduces the iconic Seiko - Grand Seiko dial on a 45GS case and with the new hand-wound movement.

First Look - Three New High-End King Seiko Watches with Colourful Textured Dials

An important name in the history of the Japanese watchmaker, King Seiko was, at some point, the incarnation of what the Daini Seikosha production site could do best and became a rival for Grand Seiko. The name fell into oblivion before returning in 2020 when Seiko Watch Corporation decided it was time to see King […]

The Grand Seiko 45GS Returns with the New Hand-Wound Hi-Beat Caliber 9SA4

Grand Seiko Recreates 45GS with Calibre 9SA4

Having unveiled the top-of-the-line 9SA4 movement earlier this year, Grand Seiko has now installed the new calibre in a pair of vintage remakes, the Heritage Collection 45GS Re-creation SLGW004 and SLGW005. A limited edition in either steel or 18k yellow gold, the 45GS Re-creation is one of Grand Seiko’s few vintage reissues with its latest-generation calibre that boasts a high-frequency balance and Grand Seiko’s proprietary Dual Impulse Escapement. Initial thoughts This is Grand Seiko’s first remake of the 45GS, but if the new pair look familiar, that’s because Grand Seiko launched a 44GS remake in 2013. Though the 44GS and 45GS are different models launched just a year apart in the late 1960s, they were different models. The 45GS was an upgrade over the 44GS in terms of the movement, though it retained similar styling. In the same manner, the modern-day remakes are most notable for having different movements. Amongst Grand Seiko’s many remakes, the 45GS stands out for the 9SA4 inside. It’s a large, slim, and sophisticated calibre that’s a substantial improvement over the manual-wind movements found in past remakes. Because of the movement, the 45GS remakes are amongst the more expensive manual-wind Grand Seiko models at US$9,700 in stainless steel and US$30,000 in yellow gold. Moreover, the two priced comparably to the SLGW002 and SLGW003, which are modern designs but powered by the same calibre. While not as affordable as other Grand Seiko models, the 45G...

The mid-sized Grand Seiko SBGH347 debuts a new dial texture inspired by a frozen waterfall

The Grand Seiko SBGH347 not only debuts an icy blue dial with a brand new texture, but also the first-ever 37mm Ever-Brilliant Steel case.The post The mid-sized Grand Seiko SBGH347 debuts a new dial texture inspired by a frozen waterfall appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Fratello’s Top 5 Gentlemen’s GMT Watches - From Grand Seiko, Parmigiani Fleurier, Lorca, And More

Another Friday, another list! This week, we look at five gentlemen’s GMT watches that stand out because of their distinguished presence. These aren’t your typical Rolex GMT-Master-influenced timepieces. No, this is a list of the more classical-looking GMTs, multi-time-zone/traveler’s watches that fly a little more under the radar. So don’t expect any colorful rotating bezels […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Gentlemen’s GMT Watches - From Grand Seiko, Parmigiani Fleurier, Lorca, And More to read the full article.

Grand Seiko Marks 20 Years of Spring Drive 9R

Grand Seiko’s debuted its first-ever Spring Drive movement in 2004 with the cal. 9R65. Now the brand is marking 20 years of the 9R Spring Drive movement family with the Elegance Collection SBGY035 and SBGA499, both sporting striking red dials inspired by the sunlit autumn scenery around Mount Hotaka. Part of the Thin Dress Series, the SBGY035 is flat and elegant, with a domed, textured dial. On the other hand, SBGA499 employs the classic Grand Seiko case and bracelet, matched with a sunburst-brushed dial in red that has the signature Spring Drive power reserve indicator at eight o’clock. The SBGA499 Initial thoughts I am a Grand Seiko fanboy. The brand offers a strong value proposition across its catalogue. Furthermore, Spring Drive is synonymous with Grand Seiko. The hybrid approach of Spring Drive means it boasts quartz-level accuracy despite being having an entirely mechanical mainspring and gear train. The new pair are perfect representations of Grand Seiko’s approach to horology, both good and bad. The two watches are striking, especially since red isn’t a colour often employed by Grand Seiko. The SBGY035 in particular stands out since the textured red dial is uncommon for Grand Seiko and dress watches in general. The SBGY035 That said, Grand Seiko’s limited editions feel too frequent, especially since many are only colour variations of each other. This is a regular criticism of Grand Seiko, but it hasn’t dampened sales of such limited editions, which pro...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K - Lex’s Picks From Grand Seiko, IWC, And Zenith

With €10K to spend, I decided to play it safe on the brand side and a little wilder on the color side. That’s why I ended up with a furiously red Grand Seiko, a sinister black IWC, and a Zenith that makes me slightly indecisive: do I decide on the version with the green or […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K - Lex’s Picks From Grand Seiko, IWC, And Zenith to read the full article.

Introducing: Grand Seiko Recreates The 45GS With The SLGW004 And SLGW005 Limited Editions (Live Pics)

The little brother of the 44GS gets a place in the spotlight with this reissue.

The Return Of The 45GS With The New Grand Seiko SLGW004 And SLGW005

While the 44GS might be Grand Seiko’s most famous model, another impressive watch came out just one year later. Aptly named the 45GS, this was a high-beat hand-wound watch in a similar design. Now Grand Seiko is reviving that model with the new SLGW004 and SLGW005. Grand Seiko opted to remain faithful to the original, […] Visit The Return Of The 45GS With The New Grand Seiko SLGW004 And SLGW005 to read the full article.

Grand Seiko Just Released a Collector’s Dream Watch!

At Watches & Wonders 2024, Grand Seiko announced the new 9SA4 caliber and the first two watches featuring it, the SLGW002 and SLGW003. As a refresher, the 9SA4 is a manual hi-beat (36,000 bph), 80-hour, time-only caliber featuring their in-house dual-impulse escapement, first seen in the 9SA5. With a power reserve on the back of the movement, beautiful bridge designs and finishing, and a unique “wagtail-bird-shaped” winding click, it set a new bar for Grand Seiko’s mechanical calibers. But, perhaps just as exciting as the movement itself was that the watches featuring it were sized at an idyllic 38.6mm diameter and 9.95mm thickness with a 20mm lug, addressing the naysayer’s concerns around Grand Seiko’s sizing. While a pair of fantastic releases, since introduction, we have been wondering where we will see this movement next. Well, we just got our answer, and I have to tell you, I’m equally surprised and delighted. They went vintage rather than with the new case and a different dial, which would have been most expected. Yes, they decided to bring back, as a limited edition, of course, a “recreation” of the 45GS from 1968. A little history, the 45GS came out a year after the 44GS and featured the same case design, but differed in that it featured the brand’s first hi-beat manual wound movement, the 4520. The SLGW005 – the return of the 45GS The 44/45GS case defines the Grand Seiko “Grammar of Design” as set out by Taro Tanaka, with flat, Zaratsu poli...

First Look - Grand Seiko Recreates the Hi-Beat 45GS with the new SLGW004 and SLGW005

In 2013, to celebrate 100 years of watchmaking for the Seiko group, Grand Seiko released a limited reissue of the iconic 44GS – 700 pieces for the stainless steel version (SBGW047) and 70 pieces each for the white, yellow, and rose gold versions (SBGW043, SBGW044, SBGW046). This reissue perfectly recreated the classic look and underscored […]

Introducing the Grand Seiko SLGA025 “Atera Blue” Spring Drive

First Look - The New Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat “Icefall” 37mm SBGH347

While Grand Seiko is celebrating this year the 20th anniversary of its first Spring Drive calibre, the 9R released in 2004, there’s another series of movements that’s equally important, the 9S series, which is all about mechanical calibres. First presented in 1998 and still the cornerstone of the collection, the calibre 9S found its way […]

Introducing: The Turquoise-Dial Grand Seiko SLGA025 And Icy-Looking SBGH347

Don’t you love how the designers at Grand Seiko keep using Japanese natural phenomena and settings as inspiration? Of course, I’m not a fan of all Grand Seiko watches, but I enjoy reading through the press releases and looking up the places and things from which the dial colors and textures are derived. It’s like […] Visit Introducing: The Turquoise-Dial Grand Seiko SLGA025 And Icy-Looking SBGH347 to read the full article.

First Look - The New Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Atera Valley SLGA025

A contemporary yet gentle evolution of the original “Grammar of Design” established with the 1967 44GS, the Evolution 9 collection is the vision of the future for Grand Seiko. More modern, more ergonomic, presented in a sporty-chic attire and mostly equipped with new generations of the emblematic calibres 9R and 9S, this collection has already […]

The Grand Seiko SLGW005 tributes a 1968 45GS with a double-signed Seiko dial

With Seiko and Grand Seiko on the dial, a high-beat manually wound movement, and a Zaratsu-polished case, the SLGW005 takes us back to the 1960s.The post The Grand Seiko SLGW005 tributes a 1968 45GS with a double-signed Seiko dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A Week in Watches Ep. 88 - An Unbelievable Collab, Pumpkin Spice Dials, and More!

On episode 88 of A Week in Watches, Zach Weiss takes you through several new and wild releases. Geneva Watch Days kicked off last week and with it, many cool things were announced. But that’s not all, as there were some surprise announcements too. There was a lot to cover from Armin Strom to Grand Seiko to Tudor. Check it out below. This week’s episode is brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop, which has just added several awesome watches to its collection. From Hamilton, they’ve added the just released 33 and 38mm Khaki Field Quartz. Yes, 33mm just like the original Khaki fields. From Louis Erard is the new Metropolis Green, an art deco inspired collaboration with the Instagram famous @thehorophile. There’s also more from Casio, G-SHOCK, Laco, and others so head to windupwatchshop.com to check them out. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 88 – An Unbelievable Collab, Pumpkin Spice Dials, and More! appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Grand Seiko Celebrates a Big Spring Drive Anniversary with a Pair of Limited Editions

How long would it take you to invent an entirely new kind of watch movement? Five years? Ten years? If your answer was 27 years, you’d be on the right track. That’s how long it took the Spring Drive movement to go from idea to reality at Seiko. Initially conceived of by Yoshikazu Akahane in the 1970s, the development of the Spring Drive movement grew out of efforts to solve problems endemic to early quartz movements, though the project would not bear fruit until Baselworld 1999 when the first trio of Spring Drive watches was released to the public (something Akahane would, tragically, not live to see). Five years later, Spring Drive would finally reach Grand Seiko with the introduction of the 9R series of movements in 2004. 20 years later, the 9R series of Spring Drive calibers remain a core pillar of the Grand Seiko catalog, and GS is ready to celebrate that anniversary with the introduction of two profoundly autumnal limited editions. Each of these limited releases is powered by a Grand Seiko 9R series movement and each is inspired by the fiery red tones found throughout the Hotaka mountain range come fall. First up, we have the SBGY035, driven by a hand-wound Caliber 9R31 Spring Drive movement. Similar in execution and design to the popular SBGY007 Omiwatari, this thin dress watch claims inspiration from the vibrant leaves that coat the landscape of Hotaka each fall. An ombré finish made up of deep red tones is paired with a textured dial, and is accented by sparin...

Introducing: Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Editions (Live Pics)

Don't worry, in this case it's okay to be seeing red.

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K - Thor’s Picks From Cartier, Grand Seiko, And Zenith

Well, that is what I wrote when I started this story, genuinely believing that I would have a problem choosing. But as many times before, RJ, Mike, and others have finished their Best Watches Under €10K stories and stolen my chosen thunder. The €5K–10K segment is not easy for me as my taste annoyingly tends […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K - Thor’s Picks From Cartier, Grand Seiko, And Zenith to read the full article.

First Look - The Autumn-Themed Grand Seiko Elegance Spring Drive SBGA499

This morning we’ve already introduced to you a Grand Seiko watch featuring a deep, rich red dial to evoke the arrival of autumn: the Elegance Karasawa SBGY035 Limited edition. Already a pleasant surprise from the Japanese watchmaker, this watch didn’t come alone and is accompanied by yet another red-toned watch. A sportier, more casual-oriented member […]

New: Grand Seiko Elegance SBGA499

Grand Seiko releases a new watch in the Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGA499.

Introducing: The Autumn-Inspired Red Grand Seiko SBGY035 And SBGA499

Wait, am I writing about autumn already? Well, we are in the last week of August, so yes, it is quickly approaching (here in the Netherlands, at least). Well, at least we get to see some nice burgundy, orange, and brown watch releases. This year, Grand Seiko kicks things off with two autumn-themed new watches. […] Visit Introducing: The Autumn-Inspired Red Grand Seiko SBGY035 And SBGA499 to read the full article.

First Look - The New Grand Seiko Elegance Karasawa SBGY035

Nature has long been a source of inspiration for Grand Seiko, using the splendid views around its Shinshu and Shizukuishi Watch Studios to create some of the most appealing textured dials on the market. Now that summer is coming to an end, we’ll soon greet autumn and its warm colours. GS’ latest creation, based on […]

Grand Seiko drops two new Hotaka-inspired limited editions in time for autumn (live pics)

The new Grand Seiko SBGY035 and SBGA499 limited editions celebrate a special anniversary with autumn-inspired red dials.The post Grand Seiko drops two new Hotaka-inspired limited editions in time for autumn (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Up Close: Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT005

Following the 2022 debut of its first ever tourbillon – and the brand’s most complicated watch ever – Grand Seiko follows up this year with the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT005 “Daybreak”. Mechanically identical to its predecessor (the SLGT003), the new Kodo still boasts a co-axial tourbillon and remontoir, a novel construction unique to the Kodo. But the Kodo SLGT005 is dressed in brighter colours of silver tones and pale greys, hence the “Daybreak” nickname. The result is a watch that’s less aggressively technical in style, but just as complicated. And thanks to its lighter palette, the technicality and decoration of the movement are arguably more prominent in the Kodo “Daybreak”. Initial thoughts The Kodo in its original form had a strikingly skeletonised appearance that maximised the view of its intricate mechanics, giving something of an anime sci-fi aesthetic. This was accentuated by the dark colours highlighted with vivid, dark red rubies. The new version, on the other hand, is both lighter in colour and visual weight. Because there’s less colour contrast in the movement, it appears a bit more classical and less stylised. A clever touch are the blue jewels to replace the conventional red ruby bearings, which enhances the “daylight” theme. The original Kodo SLGT003 from 2022 Even though it looks different, the Kodo SLGT005 is identical in technical terms. So it still has the impressively constructed movement with a novel approach to t...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K- RJ’s Picks From Breitling, Omega, And Grand Seiko

During last year’s Watches and Wonders, I repeatedly stated that €10K is the new €5K. This is something that applies to what it feels like you get watch-wise at the given price point. I raised the bar even further to €15K in this year’s Geneva show. For those of us who have been around, it’s […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K- RJ’s Picks From Breitling, Omega, And Grand Seiko to read the full article.