Spring Drive was first introduced to a Grand Seiko timepiece a little more than twenty years ago. The 9R series is powered by this now classic calibre. Grand Seiko has released a Spring Drive Chronograph GMT that is inspired by summer mountainous landscapes. This watch features a novel “dial-processing” technology that captures the Japanese appreciation for the delicate transition of time, reflected in the changing colours of summer mornings in this special place. This is Grand Seiko’s interpretation of nature on a dial.
Watchmakers can see the reddish tint on summer mornings just 30 minutes prior to and after sunrise. This is when the sun shines through the Hotaka Mountain range.
a unique way. The colour-changing dial of the watch represents this moment, made possible by a patented “Optical Multilayer Coating” process; savvy collectors will recognise this as a hallmark technology of the Seiko Epson watchmaking facility where one can see the Hotaka mountain range light up. Layers of nanoscale film come together to create an effect where the dial exhibits different hues depending on the viewing angle <having seen the watch in person, we can report that this is indeed very cool, as long as one does not expect the colours to change radically.
The SBGC275 is a new design featuring the angular and beefy Tokyo Lion. This lion’s presence is evident in the angular case and claw-like, hairline-finished lugs, which contrast with the Zaratsu-polished surfaces. Water-resistant to 200 meters, the watch is technically a go-anywhere-do-anything kind of piece, with caveats. The hour and minute hands have been designed to be more legible, while the large indexes add to the readability that Grand Seiko watches are known for.
The bracelet and case are made from high-intensity Titanium, which is lighter and brighter than stainless steel. The bracelet has thick links in H-shape that are designed for comfort. The lume on the hour and minute hands as well as hour markers is green-glowing Lumibrite. Meanwhile, the GMT hand, the numbers and the GMT hand glow blue to enhance legibility at night.
Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96 powers the timepiece, which is a play on Caliber 9R86. Caliber 9R96 offers an accuracy of ±10 seconds per month, or ±0.5 seconds per day, compared with the well-known ±15 seconds per month accuracy of Caliber 9R86.
Movement: Spring Drive Calibre: 9R96, with chronograph, second time zone and 72-hour power reserves
Case: Titanium 44.5mm; 200m water resistant
Strap: Bracelet
Price: Limited edition of 700; USD 13,400
This story was first seen on WOW’s Summer 2024 Issue.
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