WATCH & JEWELRY /
WATCH NEWS
March 28, 2020
Three models are released, recreating the original Grand Seiko design | GRAND SEIKO
GRAND SEIKO | Grand Seiko
Three models recreating the original Grand Seiko design are released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Grand Seiko's birth
Grand Seiko is releasing three models, the "Recreation of the First Grand Seiko Design," which revives the original 1960 model with Grand Seiko's finest modern technology and design. These models will be sequentially released in Japan and overseas starting Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi
Retaining the imposing presence of the original Grand Seiko while enhancing legibility and wearability
The "Grand Seiko" (original model), which achieved accuracy equivalent to the chronometer standard (Superior Grade) set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, was released on December 18, 1960. The original model featured an 80-micron 14K gold plating and retailed for 25,000 yen at the time. Subsequently, a model using Seiko's first platinum material was produced in very limited quantities and retailed for 140,000 yen.
The "Recreation of the First Grand Seiko Design" models, celebrating Grand Seiko's 60th anniversary, not only reproduce the form of the original model but are also offered in three variations with specifications adapted for modern usability. Compared to the original, the case size has been increased from 35mm to 38mm, and the adoption of dual-curved sapphire glass enhances legibility and wearability while maintaining the imposing presence.
The case back, while following the form of the original model, features a see-through sapphire crystal case back, allowing a glimpse of the movement's rhythmic beat. Furthermore, for everyday convenience, all three models incorporate a one-push three-fold clasp. By smoothing the action of putting on and taking off the watch, these models have been revived as more comfortable and user-friendly timepieces.
The 18K yellow gold model, which most strongly inherits the presence of the first Grand Seiko, features a convex, three-dimensional yellow gold-colored Grand Seiko logo at the 12 o'clock position. Like the platinum model, it also has 18K gold indices, and as a mark of this, an SD (Special Dial = dial with precious metal indices) mark is placed at the 6 o'clock position.
The platinum model, produced in very limited quantities, is now revived in platinum 950. The 18K gold dial, exclusively used for the platinum model, is engraved with the Grand Seiko logo in the same font as the original first model. Additionally, 18K gold indices and an SD mark are placed at the 6 o'clock position, creating a model with an unprecedented beautiful radiance.
Furthermore, a model made of Brilliant Hard Titanium, a material developed for Grand Seiko in 2017, is also introduced. This special model features a case that balances lightness and beauty, harmonizing with a dial in Grand Seiko Blue, the brand's signature color. Brilliant Hard Titanium is not only lightweight, similar to JIS Grade 2 pure titanium, but also boasts a surface hardness approximately twice that of stainless steel, making it an advanced titanium alloy material that is highly resistant to scratches. It is whiter than conventional pure titanium and exhibits a beauty achieved through Zaratsu polishing by skilled artisans, a revival made possible by modern technology.
Since its inception in 1960, Grand Seiko has pursued and realized the essence of a watch—accuracy, beauty, and legibility—at the highest level, continuously striving for excellence as the pinnacle of watchmaking. Since commencing full-scale global expansion in 2010, the brand has earned high acclaim worldwide for its superior performance and refined design, achievable only by a select few true manufacture watchmakers.
Grand Seiko | Elegance Collection | Recreation of the First Grand Seiko Design Model
Ref. | SBGW257, SBGW258, SBGW259
Movement | Manual winding (Caliber 9S64)
Power reserve | Approx. 72 hours
Case material | Pt950 (SBGW257), 18KYG (SBGW258), Brilliant Hard Titanium (SBGW259)
Case diameter | 38mm
Strap material | Crocodile leather
Water resistance | 3 bar
Price | ¥4,000,000 (SBGW257), ¥2,800,000 (SBGW258), ¥850,000 (SBGW259) *All prices exclude tax
Sales | Available from Saturday, June 6, 2020, at Grand Seiko Boutiques
