2024 marks an important year for Grand Seiko, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Spring Drive 9R caliber with the introduction of two new watches. The first belongs to the Heritage Collection and is inspired by the original 2004 Spring Drive model; the second is a Spring Drive GMT from the Sport Collection.
The creation of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive originated from a concept in the 1970s, grounded in the mission to design the perfect watch, combining the power derived from a mainspring with electronic watchmaking technologies to provide a level of precision that no conventional mechanical watch could achieve. It took 20 years of development to bring the first generation of Spring Drive to life. The goal of creating a version worthy of the Grand Seiko name led to the development of a movement called 9R, which today powers all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches. In September 2004, Grand Seiko launched the first watch powered by this movement, featuring automatic winding and a 72-hour power reserve.
The Grand Seiko SBGA497 pays homage to the original 2004 Spring Drive watch, featuring the same case design combined with the famous “snowflake” patterned dial that was introduced the following year in 2005. The beautiful texture of this dial and Grand Seiko’s reverence for nature have won the hearts of watch enthusiasts worldwide. The new piece’s dial features a pink gradient aiming to capture the beauty of the sunrise against the snow-covered Hotaka mountain range in Nagano, where all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches are produced.
This new creation inherits the case design of the original 9R watch from 2004. The case and bracelet are made of high-intensity titanium, which is about 30% lighter and more scratch-resistant than stainless steel, maximizing comfort and durability.
Thanks to the smooth and unique movement of the Spring Drive second hand, the dial captures the silent, continuous, and natural flow of time. The watch will be available in a limited edition of 1,500 pieces at Grand Seiko boutiques and selected authorized retailers worldwide starting in March 2024.
On the other hand, the SBGE305 model, a GMT watch from the Sport Collection, features a dark red dial inspired by the vivid sunrise illuminating the rugged landscape of the same Hotaka mountain range in summer. As with all Grand Seiko GMT watches, ease of use is ensured through the independently adjustable local hour hand, which can be set forward or backward while the watch is in operation, maintaining precision when changing time zones during travel.
On the dark red dial, the silver GMT hand further enhances the high legibility for which Grand Seiko is known. The characteristic elements of a Grand Seiko sports watch are fully evident in this new creation, which features a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel. The crown and case back are screw-down, and the watch is water-resistant to 20 bar.
With a limited edition of 1,300 pieces, this second new release, the Grand Seiko SBGE305, will be available at Grand Seiko boutiques and selected authorized retailers worldwide starting in June 2024.
