Grand Seiko’s latest horological reflection on the Japanese environment looks to the skies, becoming the latest option for those in the market for a powder blue dial this year.
Part of Grand Seiko’s 55th anniversary celebrations of its brand-defining 44GS case shape, the inspiration for the SBGP017’s light blue textured dial comes from the “sea of clouds that form around the mountains” in Japan’s Shinshu region, where all Grand Seiko quartz watches are made.
The 40mm stainless steel watch’s Calibre 9F85 temperature-compensated quartz movement offers accuracy of +/- 5 seconds a year - twice as accurate as its standard quartz movements, something denoted by the gold star on the dial - and is one of the few quartz movements decorated and shown-off through an exhibition caseback.
Grand Seiko 9F quartz calibres are also renowned for refinements rarely made to quartz movements, such as an anti-backlash mechanism designed to eliminate any “shudder in the second hand” and instantaneous date change. The brand even grows and ages its own quartz crystals.
The SBGP017 Sea of Clouds drops in July, as a numbered limited edition of 2,000 pieces via Grand Seiko, priced $3,800 USD.
Elsewhere in watches, Voutilainen hand-finishes historic Zenith movements for $136,000 USD limited edition.
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