Art of Precision: Grand Seiko Set to Debut New References at Watches and Wonders 2024

This year’s highly anticipated collections from Grand Seiko will make their debut at Watches and Wonders 2024 in Geneva. This unveiling in a way represents the pinnacle of Grand Seiko's watchmaking proficiency; each watch is painstakingly made to embody the company's dedication to quality and accuracy. Let us look at the collections in detail.

‍

Grand Seiko Sport Collection

The first Grand Seiko watch to be driven by the 9R Spring Drive movement series, which powers all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches, will turn 20 this year. This 44.5 mm titanium watch gets two pushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock, with a 24-hour blue Lumibrite illuminated bezel. The dial gets a lion’s mane pattern, a 12-hour subdial at 4:30, a date window at 3 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 1:30, a Spring Drive subdial at 9 o’clock, and a power reserve indicator at 7 o’clock. The hour and minute hands as well as the hour markers have Lumibrite that glows in green, while the GMT hand and the numbers on the bezel glow in blue, enhancing the watch’s legibility in dark conditions.'

Powering the watch is Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96 with a 72-hour power reserve. Turning the watch over showcases the see-through caseback. Limited to 700 pieces, the watch is finished on a titanium bracelet with a three-fold clasp and a push-button function. This Ref. SBGC275 is the Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition.

‍

Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon

‍

Not one but two metals have been used to create the 43.8 mm case of the watch (Ref.SLGT005), which is crafted from platinum 950 and Grand Seiko’s proprietary Brilliant Hard Titanium. Viewed from the dial, the inner tourbillon carriage rotates as the balance vibrates at 8 beats per second and the outer constant-force carriage follows its rotation at exact one-second intervals. The hours and minutes are displayed on a subdial at 12 o’clock; there is a power reserve indicator at 8 o’clock and a small seconds hand on the tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The new watch uses light and shadow to represent sunrise, whereas the original Kodo conveyed evening twilight through a subtle interplay of light and shadow, which is fundamental to Grand Seiko aesthetics.

The new Kodo has an appearance that highlights the meticulously crafted and stacked elements, thanks to the silver tone of the movement components. Powering the watch is Caliber 9ST1, a manual winding movement with a 72-hour power reserve. Limited to 20 pieces, the watch gets a see-through caseback. This timepiece is finished on a leather strap with a Platinum 950 three-fold clasp, along with a push button release. Additionally, a double-sided crocodile strap is available.

‍

Evolution 9

‍

While being strongly driven by the release of new models in recent years, Grand Seiko does carry a few emblematic models in its panoply. At Watches and Wonders, the Japanese watchmaker has released two novelties as part of its dress watch collection: Ref. SLGW002 is an 80-piece limited-edition watch crafted from 18 ct rose gold, while Ref. SLGW003 has a Brilliant Hard Titanium case. Both watches get a crown, lugs, bezel, and hour markers in the same material as the case, along with a blue central second hand. 

Powering the watches is the manual winding Caliber 9SA4 with an 80-hour power reserve. Turning each watch over showcases a see-through caseback. The watches are finished on crocodile straps, featuring three-fold clasps with push button release.