Results for Grand Feu Enamel

HANDS-ON: High-end quartz – Grand Seiko celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 9F with two limited editions (SBGT241 and SBGV238)

If you’re a regular reader, I’m willing to bet that your views around quartz timekeeping will be pretty negative. After all, this is a technology that was (almost) responsible for the downfall of mechanical watches. But, as you’re about to find out, not all quartz watches were created equal. Sure, there’s the cheap and cheerful … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: High-end quartz – Grand Seiko celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 9F with two limited editions (SBGT241 and SBGV238) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

[VIDEO] Grand Seiko Redefines Accuracy – Again: Introducing the 9RB2 U.F.A. Spring Drive Caliber

2022: the Kodo constant force tourbillon. 2023: the Tentagraph hi-beat mechanical chronograph. 2024: the 9SA4 manual wound, hi-beat, dual-impulse escapement caliber, and Kodo Daybreak. It’s easy to forget that Grand Seiko has brought the proverbial heat to Watches & Wonders every year since the fair started, unveiling something that one could call “revolutionary” for the brand, if on varying scales. Well, it’s looking like 2025 will continue the trend with the introduction of Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2, the first caliber with U.F.A., or Ultra Fine Accuracy, designation. Before proceeding, there are two important concepts to understand: Spring Drive and Grand Seiko’s history with acronyms (which, if you know, feel free to jump two paragraphs ahead). Starting with the former, the elevator pitch, which I will take from our article dedicated to the topic is “Spring Drive combines the best of mechanical watchmaking and the best of quartz timekeeping to create a state-of-the-art caliber that lacks the weaknesses inherent to both of these movements.” A bit deeper, Spring Drive movements use the energy stored in a traditional mainspring to drive their proprietary “Tri-synchro” regulator, which replaces the classic lever escapement. It consists of a glide wheel, the rate of which is controlled by an electromagnetic brake, and is essentially regulated by an integrated circuit with a quartz oscillator. The result is a mechanical movement with quartz-like accuracy and...

The Collector’s View: Grand Seiko 6145-8030 – Hi Beat and very special case and dial

A collector reviews her own Grand Seiko 6135-8030, a high beat GS with a very special case and dial. And the tale of love at first sight.

The Collector’s View: Just what is the allure of a Grand Seiko?

Deployant Friend Daniel Yong shares his personal story about getting acquainted with Grand Seiko and his hunt for the SBGM031.

A Closer Look: Grand Seiko “Ushio” Diver Spring Drive U.F.A.

Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonders 2026: Mystic Waterfall, U.F.A Diver & More

Grand Seiko Debuts New 40mm Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver

The Japanese watchmaker unveiled its smallest dive watch at Watches & Wonders. Here's what you need to know.More

Grand Seiko’s SLGB005 brings the Spring Drive U.F.A. into a steel case

Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonders 2025: Spring Drive U.F.A., “Tokyo Lion” & “Mount Iwate” Tentagraph, And More

Cloisonné mastery of the Patek Philippe 5531G Grand Complications

The Patek Philippe 5531G Grand Complications pays tribute to their Geneva home The Grand Feu cloisonné section of the dial depicts a steamship from the Belle Époque fleet that has been cruising Lake Geneva for over a century The calibre R 27 HU is equipped with world time and minute repeater complications Technical mastery is … ContinuedThe post Cloisonné mastery of the Patek Philippe 5531G Grand Complications appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Louis Erard Unveils an Affordable ‘Grand Feu’ Enamel Time-Only

Best known recently for its collaborations with independent watchmakers – the Le Régulateur Vianney Halter sold out in a matter of hours – Louis Erard has been gaining recognition for making the style of high-end watchmaking affordable. Continuing with that focus, the brand has just announced the Excellence Email Grand Feu, a time-only wristwatch with a traditional enamel dial in a striking ivory hue. The grand feu, or fired-in-an-oven, enamel dial is fairly difficult to manufacture, resulting in a rejection rate that’s often over half. As a result, such dials are usually only found in high-end watches. It’s Louis Erard’s first use of a fired enamel dial, but true to form, the brand has retained its usual pricing positioning with a retail price of under 4,000 Swiss francs. Initial thoughts Given the frequent enthusiast gripe that watch prices (or values) border on the absurd, it would seem that true value propositions are hard to come by. There are a few exceptions – Tudor, Longines, and a few independents for instance – with Louis Erard increasingly being one of them. The brand offers an honest product, often with one or two elements historically found only in haute horlogerie, for not so much money. The Excellence Email Grand Feu is exactly that. And the dial is particularly appealing in ivory, instead of the usual bright white that is the favoured colour for fired enamel. Notably, the dial is made by Donzé Cadrans, the well-known enamel dial maker ...

Weekend watch spotting with JR: #3

This weekend, I wore my DOXA SUB 200 130th Anniversary and went out in search of what other like-minded individuals had decided to attach to their wrist, and this is what I found out in the wild: Kosta’s Grand Seiko 9F quartz GMT SBGN005 Kosta’s passion for timepieces is still very much in its infancy … ContinuedThe post Weekend watch spotting with JR: #3 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Meet the 2019 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Special Editions

The five 2019 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Special Editions indlucing the Ref. 5531 World Time Minute Repeater with cloisonné enamel dial

Review: Contemporary Elegance – The Breguet Classique 5177 with Grand Feu Blue Enamel Dial

With no fewer than 15 variants of the Classique 5177 in the Breguet catalogue, this is latest. The new Classique 5177 with grand feu blue enamel dial.

Seiko Introduces the Presage Spring Drive Enamel Dial

Seiko has cultivated its Presage collection as one that offers watches featuring dials decorated with artisanal techniques like Shippo enamel or Arita porcelain, but at extremely affordable prices. Now Seiko has just rolled out the first-ever Presage watches powered by the brand’s best-known innovation – the Spring Drive, an electronically regulated mechanical movement previously only found in Credor, Grand Seiko and Prospex watches. And the Spring Drive has been combined with a decidedly more traditional face, with both new models featuring vitreous enamel dials. Available in either white or black, the enamel dials are once again produced by master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his team, who are adept at producing enamel dials of high-quality and in large quantities, but relatively low prices. The clean and slightly retro dial design, however, is the work of the design studio founded by Japanese industrial designer Riki Watanabe. After his death in 2013, the design of his work was entrusted to his colleague, who stuck closely to Watanabe’s ideals of functionality and beauty in the conception of the watch. The dial is characterised by a striking clarity thanks to the high contrast between the hands, hour markers and dial, as well as Arabic numerals in Didoni typeface, a favourite of Watanabe. Notably, the date is properly integrated into the dial design with a date wheel that matches the colour of the dial, while the combination of the contrasting...

Vacheron Constantin Dances With Degas In Grand Feu Grisaille Enamel

There are some combinations that can only result in greatness, and one example will be that of Vacheron Constantin with Edgar Degas and Grand Feu Grisaille enamel. It definitely resulted in something magical. Most people are familiar with Degas’ paintings about Ballerinas, where his soft but deliberate brushstrokes captured the essence of ballet in a mystical […]

After Years Of Asking, Grand Seiko Finally Brings Us a Smaller Spring Drive Diver

Grand Seiko answers years of requests with two smaller Evolution 9 divers at 40.8mm, powered by the new Spring Drive 9RB1 U.F.A. in titanium.

Grand Seiko finally has a Spring Drive dive watch in a 40.8mm size

We have a new pair of 40.8mm Spring Drive Dive Watches: the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio Diver 300 SLGB023 and SLGB025.The post Grand Seiko finally has a Spring Drive dive watch in a 40.8mm size appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGX359 and SBGX361, Featuring their Smallest and Thinnest Quartz Movement Yet

While design hallmarks have come and gone, few say “Grand Seiko” quite like the iconic Snowflake dial, first introduced in 2005. Inspired by the frosty Hotaka mountain range in the brand’s home prefecture, Nagano, light plays across the fine texture to emphasize the slight variations in depth on the surface of the dial. The result is nothing short of stunning, and helped shape Grand Seiko and their philosophy of the “Nature of Time”. So how do you build on an icon? You introduce tasteful variations. Easier said than done, of course, but Grand Seiko has done it successfully before, by introducing the Skyflake dial, a light blue version of the Snowflake. And now, we have two new Snowflake and Skyflake models to showcase the evolution of the icon: the SBGX359 and SBGX361, in a compact 33mm case, making them the smallest in the Grand Seiko 9F line yet. Even more impressive is the 9.1mm thickness, which is only possible thanks to the Caliber 9F51 quartz movement, which is the first new movement in the 9F line since 2020, and allows for an accuracy of ± 10 seconds a year. In natural Grand Seiko fashion, each movement is hand-assembled by watchmakers at the Shinshu Watch Studio at the brand’s Shiojiri facility and feature three-month aged quartz crystals and a manual regulation switch for accuracy fine-tuning during servicing. All of that is to say that this is not a basic quartz movement; it’s a Grand Seiko quartz movement, which is sure to excel in both function ...

The New 33mm Grand Seiko Snowflake Is “Small.” I’d Still Rock It.

The Grand Seiko Snowflake gets smaller with new 33mm quartz models featuring the newly developed 9F51 movement.

Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet

Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform. Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake). Initial thoughts While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos. Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake). Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line. A ...

Fratello’s Top 5 Titanium Watches Of Recent Years - Featuring Rolex, Grand Seiko, Zenith, And More

Another Friday, another list! This week, we’re following up last week’s article about ceramic watches with our favorite titanium ones. After all, it just made sense to dive deeper into the world of modern materials used for watches. While titanium has been around for quite a few decades in the watch world, it’s still considered […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Titanium Watches Of Recent Years - Featuring Rolex, Grand Seiko, Zenith, And More to read the full article.

The Grand Seiko You Didn’t Know Existed – an Owner’s Review of the SBGX331

With Grand Seiko’s rise to popularity in the last few years, it’s hard to find a truly obscure model. And yet, here we are. No, it’s not some vintage reference buried in the archives or a short-lived limited edition you didn’t know about. It’s a modern watch-one that was still available as recently as fall 2023. It wasn’t exclusive to a single boutique, and yet, you’ve likely never seen it before. Why? Because it’s a Japanese domestic model that’s flown almost entirely under the radar. The watch is the Grand Seiko SBGX331-and by the time you finish reading this, you might just want one yourself. So, how did I end up with the SBGX331? Back in September 2023, I had the chance to travel to Japan as part of the Grand Seiko Media Experience-a whirlwind tour of Seiko and Grand Seiko’s facilities across Honshu. Over just a few days, we visited multiple workshops, watched artisans at work, and took in various presentations on the brand’s history, movements, and proprietary technologies. We saw case finishing, dial printing, and even the production of Credor Eichi II dials. And yes, we ate-a lot. For a more detailed breakdown of that trip, check out my write-up here. As a longtime Grand Seiko fan, it wasn’t so much a crash course as it was a chance to confirm that all the stories I’d read-and in some cases repeated-were actually real. Seeing Zaratsu polishing done in person, or hands being heat-blued to a precise hue, or watching minute indices...

[VIDEO] Grand Seiko Introduces the Tentagraph “Tokyo Lion”

When the Tentagraph was introduced at Watches & Wonders a few years ago, it was, in its way, a pretty radical idea. Grand Seiko, somewhat surprisingly, had never developed a mechanical chronograph to that point, and the high frequency movement at work in the Tentagraph was and is a significant accomplishment. For Watches & Wonders 2025, Grand Seiko has introduced a new spin on the Tentagraph that is perhaps as equally radical as the introduction of the first Tentagraph in 2023. The new Tokyo Lion Tentagraph (reference SLGC009) puts the Tentagraph into a new context entirely, using what might be Grand Seiko’s most avant-garde and aggressive case shape.  The “Lion” chronographs, which have previously only existed with Spring Drive movements, are characterized by a 43mm titanium case with around 40 facets. That, folks, is a lot of facets, and with the Grand Seiko’s zaratsu polishing applied liberally throughout, it’s one of the most dynamic and intriguing cases in their catalog. It’s also, of course, not for everyone. The severe case lines might be a bit of an acquired taste, and the whole thing has an almost M.C. Escher-like quality about it. As someone who personally struggled with geometry in middle school, this case, when I first saw it, gave me no shortage of anxiety.  Over the years though, as I’ve had more experience handling these complex cases, my appreciation has grown, and the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph jumped out to me as one of the more special release...

Introducing: The Grand Seiko “Kiri” SBGW323

Grand Seiko introduced a wide variety of novelties at Watches and Wonders this year. The new U.F.A. models are, without a doubt, the most important ones. However, a humble highlight that also stands out for us is the new Grand Seiko “Kiri” SBGW323. This new addition to the Heritage collection combines a modestly sized 36.5mm 44GS-style […] Visit Introducing: The Grand Seiko “Kiri” SBGW323 to read the full article.