Introducing Grand Seiko GMT Sports activities Watches SBGE275 and SBGC247

We’re solely a few weeks into the brand new 12 months, and already it looks like Grand Seiko is firing on all cylinders. Following the icy-blue SBGA247 and SBHG295 got here a brand new interpretation of the White Birch, the SLGA009 Spring Drive. Subsequent in line is a pair of relatively spectacular – for a lot of causes – sports-GMT fashions celebrating two particular anniversaries. Listed below are the Grand Seiko GMT Twentieth Anniversary SBGE275 and Grand Seiko Chronograph Fifteenth Anniversary SBGC247.

This new pair of watches by Grand Seiko is designed to seize the spirit and fantastic thing about winter in Shinshu, Japan, the area the place it makes its Spring Drive and quartz watches. Impressed by the snowcaps surrounding the Shinshu Watch Studio, we as soon as once more see Grand Seiko’s skill to switch the great thing about nature right into a watch by way of textures and colors. The dial for each novelties mimics the look of the tough texture of snow and ice within the Hodaka mountains. Grand Seiko has performed with these textures earlier than, albeit in several colors, within the Shunbun SBGA413, and Taisetsu SBGA415, each a part of the Heritage 4 Seasons assortment.

Grand Seiko GMT Twentieth Anniversary Restricted Version SBGE275

Grand Seiko launched its first-ever GMT watch in 2002, and though it didn’t characteristic Spring Drive expertise, the model honours its Twentieth anniversary with the brand new SBGE275. Its brushed and polished case is available in stainless-steel and measures a relatively massive 44mm in diameter and 14.9mm in peak. The bezel includes a sapphire two-tone white and blue insert with a 24-hour scale. Because of its sturdy building and a screw-down crown it has a water-resistance of 200m.

The dial has a sloped inside flange matching the bezel, once more divided into white (day) and blue (night time) sections. The dial has that icy-white texture and color talked about earlier. As you’d anticipate with a Grand Seiko watch, the utilized indices and arms are Zaratsu-polished and faceted. The central GMT hand is executed in black with a triangular tip. And it’s a real traveller’s watch, by the way in which, which means the native hour hand could be adjusted in one-hour increments by way of the crown.

Seen by way of the caseback is Grand Seiko’s hybrid Spring Drive calibre 9R16. Comparable in building to the 9R66, the 9R16 is the extra exact variant of the 2. It runs at an accuracy of solely +10/-10 seconds of deviation per thirty days. Its 72-hour energy reserve is conveniently displayed on the dial by the use of a small hand positioned at 8 o’clock. The ultimate indication is the date, which is positioned at 4 o’clock, according to the crown.

The Grand Seiko GMT Twentieth Anniversary L.E. SBGE275 is worn on a stainless-steel three-link bracelet with a brushed and polished end. It has a triple-folding clasp with a push-button launch. Restricted to 1,500 items, it has a value of EUR 7,400.

Fast details – 44.0mm x 14.9mm – stainless-steel case, brushed and polished – stainless-steel bezel with two-tone sapphire insert with 24h scale – dual-curved sapphire crystal – see-through caseback – screw-down crown – 200m water-resistance – textured ice-white dial – Zaratsu-polished and faceted utilized indices and arms – central GMT hand – energy reserve indicator – date window – calibre 9R16 Spring Drive GMT – computerized winding – 30 jewels – correct to +10/-10 seconds p/month – 72h energy reserve – stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp – restricted version of 1,500 items – EUR 7,400

Grand Seiko Chronograph Fifteenth Anniversary Restricted Version SBGC247

5 years after the primary GMT watch by Grand Seiko got here the primary Spring Drive Chronograph. Since then, we’ve seen a number of iterations of the Spring Drive Chronograph mixed with a GMT indication, together with the daring two-toned Spring Drive GMT Chronograph L.E. SBGC240.

The SBCG247 does include a extra traditional look, because it makes use of the sleeker design already seen up to now, with a easy bezel and no tachymeter scale. Aside from that, the indications and format stay much like all Spring Drive chronograph fashions, with utilized Zaratsu-polished indices and arms, a central GMT hand, blued chronograph arms, an influence reserve show and the date. On the periphery, we see a sloped flange with a 60-seconds scale for the chronograph.

Powering the Grand Seiko Chronograph Fifteenth Anniversary L.E. SBGC247 is the in-house calibre 9R36. This once more is a hybrid between mechanical and quartz expertise, providing outstanding precision. The motion is regulated to run inside +10/-10 seconds per thirty days. It once more gives true GMT performance, with native time adjustable in one-hour steps impartial from the remainder of the indications. Moreover, the facility reserve is a wholesome 72 hours, pushed by the rotor embellished with the Grand Seiko lion in 18k gold.

There’s one factor concerning the Spring Drive Chronograph that we have to get off our chest although: its crown and pushers are simply too massive in our books. They make the already massive case look a bit cumbersome and out of steadiness, one thing GS may undoubtedly enhance on. Fortunately the titanium case and bracelet hold the load down so it’s prone to put on fairly nicely. The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph Fifteenth Anniversary SBGC247 is restricted to 700 items solely and prices EUR 11,100.

Fast details – 43.5mm x 16.1mm – titanium case, brushed and polished – screw-down crown and pushers – dual-curved sapphire crystal – see-through caseback – 100m water-resistance – textures ice-white dial – Zaratsu-polished and faceted utilized indices and arms – blued chronograph arms – central GMT hand – energy reserve indicator – date window – calibre 9R36 Spring Drive Chronograph GMT – computerized winding – 50 jewels – correct to +10/-10 seconds p/month – 72h energy reserve – titanium bracelet with folding clasp – restricted version of 700 items – EUR 11,100

For extra data, please go to GrandSeiko.com.