Grand Seiko's news 2024

Text/photo: Mia Litström

Grand Seiko is doing really well and during Watches and Wonders they presented lovely novelties where one of them is very elegant and timeless, one that is more sporty and a third that shows their excellent knowledge within the art of watchmaking. 

Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection SLGW002 Limited edition & SLGW003

It is inspiration from their earlier 44GA from 1967 that makes this watch a very elegant and slimmed-down model that suits dressed-up occasions perfectly. It is 38 mm in size with a height of 9.95 mm. The dial is inspired by the slender white birches that thrive in the northern part of Japan and that grow in abundance near the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi. The watch is available in two versions where one is in titanium which is their own alloy called Brilliant Hard Titanium which is somewhat lighter than traditional titanium. A positive thing with titanium in particular is that the watch is incredibly light to wear, resistant to corrosion and scratch-resistant. 

The other version is in beautiful rose gold with the same white birch-inspired dial with hour markers as well as hands also in rose gold. It is limited to 80 pieces. The watches have a manual movement, calibre 9SA4, which is a further development of the in-house calibre 9SA5. The new movement has a power reserve of up to 80 hours and is water resistant to 30 metres. The back is open where you can also see the level of the power reserve. And as always with Grand Seiko it is also a delight to see the open back that shows the fine craftsmanship in the movement as well as how beautifully they have decorated the parts. The straps are in brown or black crocodile skin with a folding clasp. These two watches are incredibly timeless and the white birch pattern is a real bullseye.

The price for the one in rose gold is 49 500 euro SLGWW002 limited to 80 pieces and for the one in titanium 11 700 euro SLGW003. Available from August in their own boutiques. 

Grand Seiko Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition ref. SBGC275

This is a substantial and tough GMT watch with a cool and different colour on the dial that has a warm red tone with a pattern that is meant to bring to mind the reflection of the sun on the Hotaka mountains in Japan in the Shinshu region where parts of Grand Seiko's production are located. Both case and bracelet are in titanium so it is wonderfully light to wear despite its substantial size of 44,5 mm and height of 16.8 mm. 

It has an automatic movement, Spring Drive Chronograph GMT calibre 9R96, which has a power reserve of 72 hours and is water resistant to 200 metres. The hands and the hour markers have luminescent material that glows green and the GMT hand and the numerals on the bezel glow in blue. The back is open where you see the rotor which is nicely decorated with their lion emblem in gold. A delicious chronograph with GMT that has a special colour which is not for everyone but for those who like slightly more different colours and gladly wear a watch in titanium this one is really good.

Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT005

Grand Seiko's coolest Masterpiece lit up in a lovely way. A very advanced and exclusive watch that amusingly enough has been given a cream white strap in crocodile skin. The Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon was a success when it was launched for the first time in 2022 and has been acclaimed by winning various prizes. 

For the first time Grand Seiko uses blue sapphires instead of rubies for the movement as it usually is, these are small changes but they add an exciting detail to the watch.

The inner part of the case is in platinum and the outer part in the titanium Brilliant Hard Titanium. The size is 43.8 mm with a height of 12.9 mm. And this is the watch that is very interesting to look at because the movement is exciting with its so-called Constant-force, (constant force mechanism) which together with a tourbillon are placed as one unit on a single axis. The movement is manual, calibre 9ST1, which has a power reserve of up to 72 hours and is water resistant to 100 m. 

The watch is designed and assembled by a special team at Grand Seiko in their Atelier Ginza which is a creative studio where they create and develop unique watches for customers. All watches that are produced there have a logo of Atelier Ginza engraved on the movement. The watch's leather strap is specially treated according to the same traditional way that was once used in samurai armour. But this time a new white colour was developed specifically for the new Kodo model. The white strap is manufactured through tanning with natural materials to then be carefully hand-painted with layers of white urushi lacquer to create a deep gloss and a unique texture. A crocodile strap in grey is also included with the watch.

Limited to 20 pieces and the price is 385 000 euro and it will only be sold in their own boutiques starting in December. 

Read more about the watches at Grand Seiko