To commemorate Seiko's 140th anniversary, Grand Seiko is releasing a new masterpiece, the "Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Model," which dynamically expresses the starry sky of Achi Village, Shinshu—hailed as "Japan's most beautiful night sky"—with a sparkling dial and a Pt950 case. This model will be available worldwide in a limited edition of 50 pieces starting Friday, August 6, 2021.

Under the creed of Kintaro Hattori, Seiko's founder, "Always one step ahead of the times," Grand Seiko has pursued and achieved "innovation and evolution" to realize the essence of a watch—accuracy, legibility, and beauty—at a high level since its inception, aiming to be the pinnacle of timepieces.

The "Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Model," celebrating this anniversary year, embodies Kintaro's creed with its impressive dial and case design, meticulously finished over time, and equipped with Seiko's unique Spring Drive movement, boasting a long power reserve of approximately 84 hours.

All of Grand Seiko's Spring Drive models are manufactured at the "Shinshu Time Creation" facility in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. The starry sky of Achi Village, also located in the Shinshu region, is renowned as "Japan's most beautiful night sky" due to a combination of factors including its high altitude, clear air, and surrounding mountainous environment.

The sparkle of the dial, inspired by this starry sky, may appear like glitter at first glance, but it is created by layering multiple coats of plating and paint onto a textured base. This results in a delicate and profound radiance that changes with the reflection of light and viewing angle.

Radiating patterns reminiscent of starlight on the Pt950 case are meticulously hand-engraved one by one by skilled artisans after being polished without distortion using Zaratsu polishing. The hour and minute hands, along with the indices, are crafted from 14K white gold, emitting a delicate and beautiful radiance. The SD mark at the 6 o'clock position (Special Dial, indicating a dial with solid gold indices) signifies the special nature of this model.

This model is equipped with the manual-winding Spring Drive movement "Caliber 9R02," crafted by experienced artisans at the "Micro Artist Studio," a specialized workshop for high-end watches. The movement's thinness of just 4.02 mm is the slimmest among current Grand Seiko Spring Drive movements, significantly contributing to the realization of a slim and refined case design measuring 9.8 mm. Simultaneously, it achieves a long power reserve of approximately 84 hours by integrating a "dual spring barrel"—which uses two thin, long mainsprings laid out in parallel within a single barrel—with an innovative "torque return system" that effectively utilizes limited energy to extend the watch's duration, thus combining high practicality.

The outline of the bridges and the areas around the holes visible through the see-through case back are mirror-finished by the exceptional skill of artisans to shine beautifully from any angle. Furthermore, the entire flat surface of the bridges is treated with a hairline finish by hand, making the polished mirror surfaces, ruby jewels, and tempered blue screws stand out, showcasing a refined beauty. The barrel, from which the mainspring emerges, is adorned with the gentian, the city flower of Shiojiri.

While the 18K yellow gold plate is engraved with the words "Micro Artist," it can be customized with any desired text upon the purchaser's request. This model, limited to 50 pieces worldwide, will be available starting Friday, August 6, 2021.