Born in 1965, the King Seiko “KSK” model was a product of fierce internal competition between the two major factories within Seiko’s corporate structure – Suwa Seikosha based in Nagano (that we know today as Seiko Epson Corporation), and Daini Seikosha originally based in Tokyo (now known as Seiko Instruments Inc.). It was during this period that the Japanese watchmaking industry was attempting to assert itself on the world’s stage as a manufacturer of premium watches, and so the two factories began producing the highest quality watches they were capable of. Thus, it came to be that Grand Seiko would be the product of Suwa Seikosha, and King Seiko would be crafted by Daini Seikosha, with one subsidiary trying to outdo the other. King Seiko would meet its end in 1975, but not before the brand along with designer Taro Tanaka developed the “Grammar of Design” that would not only influence King Seiko designs, but be carried over into Grand Seiko of the past and present.

The King Seiko of today has seen a re-edition for the 140th Anniversary of Seiko in 2021 (celebrating its beginnings in 1881), and is now available in a five-watch collection that will be a permanent addition to the stable.

Continuing the sharp, angular design of the 1965 original, the new King Seiko models measure 37mm in diameter, and 12.1mm thick, with a box-shaped sapphire crystal reducing the apparent thickness, and accentuating its mid-20th century design. The dials are also classical in design, featuring minimalist hour markers and dauphine hands – the model also carries on some of the original dial designs, such as a version in a sunburst silver dial like the originals, and the ‘Clous de Paris’ texturing on the 12 o’clock hour marker. This version of the watch does not feature the date, much like one of the originals from 1965, providing a lot of purity to its balanced design. The only modern addition to the dial is the relatively contemporary notation of “Automatic” on the dial, in a sans serif font – replacing the “Diashock 25 Jewels” text of the old models and the 140th Anniversary re-edition. 

In addition to the sunburst silver dial that is closest to the original, there are vertically brushed silver, black, brown and red dial versions available in this new collection, providing more choice to this otherwise conservative design. Available on a ‘beads-of-rice’-style bracelet with a double-folding push button clasp, the watches are also available on alternative leather straps on pin buckles that are provided by Seiko.

Powering the watch behind a solid steel caseback is the in-house 6R31 movement that is related to the movement used in the 140th Anniversary King Seiko, except with no date functionality. The movement runs at 21,600 vph or 3Hz, and is fully autonomous for 70 hours.

The rebirth of King Seiko is another step in Seiko’s journey to assert its presence on the world stage. It could be said that Seiko is at the forefront of showcasing Japan’s craftsmanship to the world, and King Seiko is an exercise in calculated design – an exercise that shows that design is an international language. Furthermore, in shedding light on King Seiko, Seiko is opening up more of its history for the world to see, giving an insight into how the company continues to challenge perceptions, and further the craft of watchmaking from all angles – aesthetically and mechanically.

Tech Specs

Models: SPB279 (sunburst silver), SPB281 (vertically brushed silver), SPB283 (sunburst black), SPB285 (sunburst brown), SPB287 (sunburst red)

Case: Stainless Steel, screw case back, 37mm diameter, 12.1mm thickness

Bracelet: Stainless Steel

Crystal: Box shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating

Water Resistance: 10 bar

Magnetic Resistance: 4,800 A/m

Movement: Calibre 6R31

Frequency: 21,600 vph/3Hz

Power Reserve: 70 Hours

Jewels: 24

Over the past few years, Grand Seiko has often taken inspiration from nature for its special models, presenting a humble take on Fine Watchmaking – the Japanese way. In 2021, Grand Seiko pulls the covers off of their latest creation that not only represents the beauty of nature found near the brand’s studios, but also houses their most compelling mechanical movement to date – the Grand Seiko SLGH005 White Birch/Shirakaba.

Grand Seiko has very often taken its inspiration for its watches from nature and landscapes surrounding its workshops. Case in point, what is arguably Grand Seiko’s flagship model, “the Snowflake” (SBGA211), which takes inspiration from the fresh snowfall near Seiko’s Shinshu Watch Studios where the Spring Drive calibres are built. Another example of this is the US exclusive “Japan Seasons Special Editions” series of 62GS-cased models that take their inspiration from the seasonal variation in Japan’s fauna and landscape throughout the course of a year. It has been noted that Grand Seiko’s studios are nestled in beautiful areas of Japan – in particular, the Shizukuishi Watch Studio is located in the Iwate Prefecture, an area known for its pristine natural features. It is only fitting, then, that the Grand Seiko SLGH005 (also known as the White Birch or the Shirakaba) takes its inspiration from the picturesque surroundings of the Shizukuishi Watch Studio. 

The Grand Seiko SLGH005 White Birch/Shirakaba (We will refer to this watch as the White Birch from here on) has a very distinctive dial, taking its inspiration from the White Birch forests that grow near the Shizukuishi Watch Studio. The dial has a pattern that is reminiscent of the layers of bark that grow on White Birch trees, and furthermore, has a grained texture upon closer inspection. The overall design of the watch is what Grand Seiko terms as their “Series 9” design, which was originally introduced with the 60th Anniversary models in 2020. In particular, the case was given alternating finishes between brushed and Zaratsu polished surfaces to give a refined glow, and the dials were designed with legibility in mind – wider markers, especially the “triple index” at 12 aid with this design element. The hands are also widened to aid with legibility, especially the hour hand. This is not to say, however, that elegance is lost with this design objective – it appears that balance and refinement has been retained, in part with the grained and polished surfaces on the hour hand itself. With all of these design elements combined – the texture of the dial, combined with the Series 9 design cues, the overall appearance of the White Birch is distinctive, yet restrained at the same time. While these two characteristics may seem to be at odds with each other, the details are what matter with Grand Seiko, and for those with a keen eye for detail, the White Birch provides a wealth of eye candy for those looking at it.

Housed within the Grand Seiko White Birch is the 9SA5 movement, the latest generation in Grand Seiko’s Hi-Beat movements. The new movement includes a myriad of improvements including a higher power reserve of 80 hours through two power barrels, and a slimmer construction that reduces the height of the movement by almost 15%. This latter improvement enables the construction of slimmer watches that sit closer to the wrist, making for a more comfortable wearing experience. What is the most curious, however, is the new Direct Impulse Escapement that was unveiled with this new movement.

In essence, Hi-Beat watches are power hungry, and the use of the conventional Lever Escapement introduces inefficiencies in power transfer during operation. The Direct Lever Escapement helps to resolve this issue by having the escape wheel directly impart energy to the balance wheel, instead of indirectly as seen through the Lever Escapement. This helps to ensure optimum balance wheel amplitude and increases the efficiency of the movement as a whole. Furthermore, the balance spring features an optimised Grand Seiko over-coil to aid with more regular beating of the balance wheel, and it is free sprung, leaving the balance less susceptible to shocks.

The question remains – will this become the new flag-bearer of the Grand Seiko collection, and supplant the Snowflake as the iconic model of the brand? We at ISOCHRONO would say no, but not for the reason you might think. Grand Seiko is best represented by its two movement technologies – Spring Drive and Hi-Beat Mechanical. The Snowflake already contains the Spring Drive movement, representing the technical marvel unveiled by the brand in 1999, while the White Birch, containing the latest generation 9SA5 is a testament to what the brand is capable of in the mechanical watch space. As such, we believe there is now a contender for a second flag-bearer in the Grand Seiko line-up – one that represents Spring Drive (the Snowflake) and now one that represents the next evolution in Hi-Beat Mechanical (the White Birch).

The Grand Seiko White Birch, then, continues the brand’s fame as Japan’s watchmaking powerhouse – paying tribute to Japan’s nature whilst being incredibly innovative in movement development and execution. In addition to the Series 9 design, the White Birch carries the legacy of the Grand Seiko Grammar of Design, whilst being future-forward in terms of the way watches will be built by the brand. With all said, it also helps that Grand Seiko has created a watch packed with a myriad of details, from dial, to hands, to case and to its movement. It is no wonder why this watch should therefore lead Grand Seiko’s charge into Fine Watchmaking, and show the industry what a challenge the brand can muster.

First of all, it is not a watch, but a concept movement that shows the future of the brand moving upwards in price and ambition into the territory of high complication. 

No doubt, while we have always known Grand Seiko to be the purveyor of well made and well finished watches targeted for everyday use, this new movement goes way beyond the normal chronograph or GMT in terms of complication, and poses quite a few interesting questions on what the brand will look like over the next few years. 

Of course previous to this, while we’ve seen complications like a tourbillon and a minute repeater by the Seiko Group before, these were under the Credor brand, which was decidedly more upscale in its offerings. 

Perhaps Credor will move even higher in terms of its position within the group, or maybe, to streamline the product structure, Grand Seiko will take over and be the brand name under which all of the best from the Seiko Group will be offered. 

The main claim to fame of the T0 (T-zero) Constant-force Tourbillon movement is it’s fully integrated constant-force and tourbillon that is on the same axis, with the stated purpose of its creation being to create an extremely accurate watch, recalling the 1960’s when Seiko’s mechanical movements dominated the top spots at the Neuchatel and Geneva Observatory Competitions.

The pair of complications that it contains certainly make sense when the goal is to increase accuracy since this is the raison d’être of the constant force mechanism and the tourbillon. It’s interesting to combine complications like this – case in point – the “Pour le Mérite” from A. Lange & Söhne that was created with a similar aim, but by combining a chain and fusee and a tourbillon.

The purpose of the Chain and Fusée is similar to that of a Constant Force mechanism, as both are all about solving the problem of decreasing torque as the mainspring winds down, with the uneven delivery of power affecting timekeeping accuracy. Think of the wind up toy moving energetically at first, but over time moving slower and slower before stopping. In a mechanical watch, a Chain and Fusée is one solution to preserve accuracy, and the other is to use a Constant Force mechanism, which basically consists of a separate spring aside from the mainspring, that receives and releases power in small intervals. With the hairspring receiving these frequent impulses of power that are smaller and more even, the accuracy of timekeeping is improved.

Then when you combine this with a tourbillon, whose purpose is to rotate the balance wheel over a specified time frame to cancel out the effects on gravity, and you have the recipe for an extremely accurate movement. 

The way that the Constant Force mechanism is done the T0 is quite different from those in other watches since it is the first time that it is mounted coaxially with the tourbillon. While this unique structure avoids the problem of having inefficient power delivery, for example by having the mechanism nearer to the mainspring barrel, it avoids the issue of stability since it is so close to the hairspring. That being said, the main challenge to overcome with this type of architecture is the need to control the large amount of power coming down the gear train, especially since this movement uses twin barrels in parallel to achieve higher torque to begin with. 

To counter this the center and third wheels are treated with a special coating for reducing friction and are also, like most of the other gears, manufactured using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), a forming technique used for manufacturing semiconductors. This enables the production of a perfect gear tooth shape with precision measured in microns. Lastly, a precise ceramic gear is applied to the stop wheel, which is controlled by a small spring that releases power every second, to move the tourbillon cage. 

While what has been announced is only a movement, the way that it has been designed, looks to be the foundation of a very cool watch. The blued hands look like Japanese character strokes, and the symmetrical arrangement of the parts, with twin barrels on either side of the central axis that make up the time sub-dial and the Constant Force tourbillon, is very pleasing.Given the extreme technical abilities of this movement, the resulting watch will probably do away with a dial since there is so much to enjoy from the view as it is visually, and also since Grand Seiko promises that the movement finishing will approach the level of the best from Switzerland.This is an exciting movement, and even though it is only announced as a concept today, it certainly looks like it can be put into a watch and produced immediately. 

No doubt some of the motivation of releasing the news first in this way was to get some reaction from the public on whether a watch like this from Grand Seiko would make sense. After-all I do know that Seiko moves into new territory with quite a bit of caution, as evidenced by the small number of pictures provided and the comparatively meagre technical explanation for some of the aspects of the watch, for example, the hacking seconds function. Well, my response to this is as follows – I think that Grand Seiko should put this movement into a watch now. Can’t wait to see it when it happens.

Collaborations between watch brands and movies typically rely on the fans of the movies for their appeal. It’s not a common thing at all for a watch that emerges from such a collaboration to find fans on its own based on its design and set of features.

Grand Seiko Spring Drive X Godzilla

It’s not like the Grand Seiko Spring Drivex Godzilla watch I wrote about recently, in which the appeal of the movie monster is truly a global and wide- ranging thing. In the case of the new Seiko Presage x Porco Rosso watches, the movie that the watches are based on is one that is more specific in its appeal, being that it is a Japanese anime film called “Porco Rosso” that was released in 1992.Now I’m personally not a fan of anime, but I know of people who are, and the level of reverence they have for the work of the famous Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli and its main creative head, Hayao Miyazaki, is boundless in its enthusiasm. Because of this, at the very least, these watches will find buyers based purely on the rabid fan-base that the animation studio already has.

Created by the famous Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, “Porco Rosso” is a film featuring an early 20th century pilot who transforms himself into a seaplane-flying pig. The lead character is called “Porco Rosso” which translates from Italian to “Crimson Pig”, and makes his living chasing sky bandits over Italy and the beautiful Adriatic Sea.

So that’s a brief description of the movie, and if you’re curious to find out more about it, have a look here at the trailer.

So that’s the inspiration.

Because of the themes surrounding the film, both the watches in this collection reference not just the pilot’s watches of the post World War One era, but the styling as well. Being part of the classically styled Presage collection, they come with enamel dials – black for the automatic chronograph and white for the Spring Drive model enamel, that were done by master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his colleagues.

This will definitely be part of the appeal of owning these watches. As you can see from these pictures, enamel creates an unworldly depth to the dial, and has a character that forces you to look closer at the details.It’s interesting especially for the automatic chronograph to see a Seiko watch with the traditional B-uhr pilot watch design, with the black dial providing contrast to the triangle at 12 o’clock and large Arabic numerals in white.

The watches themselves are a tribute to the fictional plane that is flown by Porco Rosso, the Savoia S-21, and have quite a few interesting features. The automatic chronograph has a “R” emblem of the tail of the plane in the running seconds sub-dial against the colours of the Italian flag, with the running seconds hand itself being the shape of the propeller. The white dialled Spring Drive model has the “R” emblem just above 6 o’clock on the dial, and more subtly recalls the colours of the Italian flag, with its white dial, red seconds hand and green power reserve indicator.

Additionally both these watches feature the “R” emblem on the crown, the name of the plane “Savoia S-21” engraved on the side of the case, as well as a sapphire case-back which features the Porco Rosso symbol as well as a quote from the film in Italian, that translate to – “A pig that does not fly is just a pig.”Seiko has not held back, putting two of their best movements into these watches. The automatic chronograph is powered by Seiko’s most advanced chronograph calibre, the 8R48, which has been seen quite a bit recently in a number of their watches. It’s a nice movement, since it gives a symmetrical layout to the dial with the position of the sub-dials. Not only that, it comes with such premium features as a vertical clutch and a column wheel, and it measures up to a full 12 hours.The white dial-ed watch carries to Spring Drive Caliber 5R65 with the proprietary Seiko technology that harnesses a mechanical gear train hooked up to a quartz oscillator that controls a magnetic glide wheel to give an accuracy of +/–1 second per day and a power reserve of 72 hours. Seen more commonly in the Grand Seiko collection rather than in the Presage, it is certainly a proven and well-loved movement, and comes with the trademark power reserve indicator at the eight o’clock position and a date window at three o’clock.

As I have said earlier, both these watches stand on their own for their aesthetics and really do not need you to be a fan of the movie to appreciate them. I can certainly imagine myself buying one and enjoying it for what it is. Of course, if you love the movie then there will be a greater depth to your experience in owning one. It’s certainly going to be either watch that is on your wrist when you watch the film or indeed anything else from Studio Ghibli.Both watches will be available from June 2020 and will be limited to 500 pieces for the Spring Drive version and 600 pieces for the automatic chronograph.

Find out more: Click here for the collection micro-site.

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Well, initially I was surprised, and thought that it was one of those collaborations that just happened because a sum of money was the only motivating factor. Turns out that I should have known my facts better.The real reason is that May has been wearing a Seiko diver’s watch for 40 years, and it was a watch that he bought while on tour in Japan in the 1970’s, and has been seen ever since, on his wrist when on stage.

The Seiko 5 diver that forms the basis of this new limited edition therefore pays tribute to that fact, and also comes with a dial design that celebrates another one of May’s long-term tools, his guitar, nicknamed “Red Special”, that has perhaps spent the most amount of time in close proximity to his watch.

This legendary guitar is one that you’ve probably heard the sound of before if you’re familiar with any of Queen’s greatest hits, and turns out it was no store bought instrument as well.

The story is certainly one for the history books. “Red Special” was built by May and his father in the early 1960’s by hand and only with hand tools. With a neck carved from the 100 year old wood of an old fireplace, a body made from a blockboard with an ancient oak insert, and then covered with a mahogany veneer that they stained and polished.

To these an innovative tremolo system, designed by May, was added, that came with a hand-carved mild steel rocker plate pivoting on a knife edge, with the pull of the strings balanced by motorcycle valve springs. Lastly, the tremolo arm was improvised from part of a bicycle saddlebag holder and then capped with a piece of a sturdy knitting needle.

Home-made from parts and pieces lying around, and with lots of passion, this is the guitar that has served May well for more than 50 years, and is truly one of the great instruments of musical history.To this end, the dial of the new Seiko 5 diver has the same red and black color scheme as the “Red Special” and features the delicate wood-like pattern that is seen on the body of the guitar.Round the back, the watch has May’s signature on the glass case back and comes numbered – with the text – “LIMITED EDITION” and the serial number from 0001/9000 to 9000/9000.To make the whole thing feel even more special, the presentation box that the watch comes in is also shaped like a guitar case, and contains a commemorative coin that is based on the sixpenny piece that May has used throughout his career as a plectrum.It’s quite a common thing nowadays with watch brands to collaborate with various famous individuals, and one with a musician of May’s stature is certainly welcome. The fact that it comes in the form of the affordable and well priced Seiko 5 diver makes it more palatable, since it allows a wide ownership by many of his fans.Overall, it’s well executed and a fine tribute to a legendary musician, the only thing that I would like to find out is which specific model of Seiko diver that May has worn since the 1970’s. We’ll probably have to dig a little deeper to find out the truth about this.Find out more at the special micro-site – Seiko 5 Sports Brian May Limited Edition.

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The spec sheet is certainly impressive, with the headline features as follows: a high beat rate of 36,000 vph, 80 hours of power reserve and a slim profile.

Each of these features on its own is a difficult task, but have them together in one movement and the task becomes immeasurably harder. Take the first two features as an example – 36,000 vph, 80 hours of power reserve.

Having a high beat 36,000 vph escapement is extremely power intensive, which is why it’s not easy to have long power reserves with one. That this new calibre 9SA5 manages to have 80 hours is quite an achievement, and I’m not sure if there is anything else out there that can do the same. Then pack it all into a movement that is only 5.18mm thin, and this means that everything has to be more efficiently designed and put together. Grand Seiko considers the slim profile of the calibre 9SA5 as a foundation for future movements and it is certainly logical, since there is more space to stack modules on top without making the resulting watch too thick. This along with the long power reserve means that there is more power that can be deployed for other complications. 

The calibre 9SA5 achieves its performance through a number of new technical innovations.

The first is a new escapement called the “Dual Impulse Escapement”. Differing from the standard lever escapement, it is unique in that in one direction, power is transmitted directly to the balance wheel and in the other direction, it is via the pallet fork as in a traditional escapement. That certain sounds like something we’ve heard before. By eye, the look of this new escapement has certain similarities to the George Daniels’s co-axial escapement, now used on an industrial scale by Omega. Although there are some notable differences – the co-axial escapement has two escape wheels mounted on a single axis (hence the name) while the new Hi-Beat escapement has only one. The other noticeable difference is that there are only two locking jewels on the lever of the calibre 9SA5, but three on the co-axial escapement.

The next innovation is a new free-sprung balance that uses an overcoil, an arrangement that will certainly help in improving long term precision and resistance to shock. Rolex of course, is famous for using a free-sprung balance as well as an overcoil, and for the aforementioned reasons as well, so it is a good move. The disadvantage of a free-sprung balance is that the weights on the balance wheel have to be adjusted individually, which does take more time and skill to do properly. Though if it is skill that is required, there is no shortage of it at the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi where the movements are made and assembled. 

The third innovation is the horizontal gear train, that has all the main components, including the barrel, all in a new flattened layout making the new calibre is 15% slimmer than the current high beat one in the collection. Along with this there are two barrels arranged in sequence that enhance the power reserve making the date change virtually instantaneous.

With a movement as special as this, Grand Seiko has decided to styled the watch that it is cased in after the celebrated 44GS from 1967. Even though it looks similar to its inspiration, the  slimmer movement has resulted in a slimmer case and so the case comes with a wider lug spacing than normal to allow the watch to sit better on the wrist. Furthermore, in true celebratory style, the theme of the watch is yellow gold, with the Grand Seiko logo, indexes and calendar frame all in 18k yellow gold, as is the case, and the folding clasp that comes on a crocodile strap. Only 100 pieces will be made of this watch in a special limited edition, that will only be available at the Grand Seiko Boutiques from August 2020.

Don’t worry though if this version is too rich for your blood. There is no doubt that you will be able to enjoy the performance of this movement in future generations of Grand Seiko watches. When that happens, it’ll be one more reason to choose a watch from the storied Japanese brand than from a Swiss one.

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Four new Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Editions for 2020

The Seiko Historical Collection was announced only recently in December 2019, and was presented as two chronographs, with one in the more elegant Presage and the other in the sport oriented Prospex collection. The special micro site that was created to explain them was a revelation, since all it took was one read through for me to want to have a closer look at the watches.

Both are based on important historical models, are three register chronographs, with date, and run the Calibre 8R48 with column wheel and vertical clutch, and hand winding capability.

The Prospex model was based on the original Panda chrono that had the landmark calibre 6139 from 1969, Seiko’s entrant in the global race to produce the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. The Presage model however is based on an even earlier watch – the Crown Chronograph of 1964.

I was only able to see the Presage model, since the allocation for the Prospex one was already sold out in my local market – which understandable given that both are limited to 1000 pieces. In person, the Presage historical model is a stunner, and my experience underscores why the brand is on fire right now. Once on the wrist, all I felt was desire, which is truly a rare thing, and even rarer from a brand that has the ability to do it again and again with many of their watches. It’s a serious showcase of a brand’s ability to create compelling products that watch lovers want.

With the Crown Chronograph of 1964 being the basis for the Presage model’s inspiration, it’s obvious that most of the aesthetic details have been kept – the box-shaped crystal, the sharply defined numerals on the narrow bezel the inwardly tilted case shape that allows the watch to sit tight on the wrist and even the rotating bezel.

Yet one thing is immediately obvious, the Crown Chronograph of 1964 was the earliest watch based Seiko chronograph (pocket watches with chronographs had been made in the 1940’s), and so featured a relatively simple mechanism, with a pusher at 2 o’clock on the case that was used to start the central chronograph seconds hand that could only measure up to one minute. Remember that this was 5 years before the release of the calibre 6139 of 1969 and was limited in functionality, but it was a real step forward.

On the new watch, the functionality is anything but limited. Running the Caliber 8R48 that can measure up to 12 hours, the relatively clean dial of the historical model is busier in the modern iteration, with 3 sub-dials for chronograph hours, chronograph minutes and running seconds, and also the centrally mounted chronograph seconds hand.

On the wrist the 42.3mm size is just perfect, sitting nicely on a cordovan leather strap with three fold deployant buckle. Functionally, it has everything one could hope for, chronograph, date and rotating bezel. Horologically it comes with a nice movement with premium features in the form of the column wheel and vertical clutch, and some of Seiko’s signature Zaratsu finishing on the lugs and a super hard stainless steel case.. Lastly, there’s the inspiration of the design coming from an important historical model in Seiko’s archive, and in sum, it’s a recipe for a watch that will sell out and sell out fast.

I hope to have a look at the Prospex model next time if I can get my hands on one. Certainly, it’ll be interesting to compare the experience, given its more modern looks and the stainless steel bracelet. For now though, the Presage model, well I love it, and given its reasonable Singapore price of SGD$5061.10 given the total package of all that is on offer, might be something to consider seriously.

Find out more – click here for the Seiko Historical Collection Microsite.

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That is actually shark skin that has been toned black and red to mimic a piece of the monster of our nightmares. One can only imagine the leather hunters running around in the Godzilla movie, waiting for it to die and to cut off a big piece. And then I suppose with their bounty being intended for a leather watch strap, it must have come from a part of Godzilla where the skin is thinner – maybe the webbing between the toes – which is probably the easiest part to get to.Ok, I probably went a little too far with that. But then when I imagine wearing this watch and staring at the beautifully appointed red dial with the pattern meant to resemble the heat ray beam that Godzilla shoots out of its mouth (a glorious detail), and then slowly turn my wrist, with my eye wandering past the Zaratsu polishing on the bold and angular case of the Grand Seiko sports collection, and then I look at the strap that holds it there – I suddenly realise – Godzilla is dead.

The strap here is that one detail that has to be the most visceral part of the new watch. Luckily, if we can take ourselves away a little from focusing too much on it, we realise that the rest of it is pretty level-headed.The watch was released late last year and was meant to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Spring Drive, and the 65th Anniversary of Godzilla. While it might seem a little strange for such a mashup to occur with on the one hand, luxury level watch brand and the other, a movie monster, I think it does make sense since we have two Japanese icons that are famous in their own fields.

What makes it even better – and this is the part that will make sense of this watch – is that Seiko and Godzilla have appeared on screen before. In Godzilla’s film debut in 1954, the monster appears in Ginza, hellbent on destruction, and in his rampage, destroys the famous clock tower above the Wako store, a retail establishment owned by Seiko at that location since 1952.

This fact is commemorated on the sapphire case-back which shows Godzilla and the Seiko clock tower just before it is destroyed.

One interesting fact about the design of this Godzilla – it is an original design made exclusively for this watch and was illustrated by Shinji Higuchi, co-director and special effects director for the movie “Shin Godzilla” (2016). According to Shinji Higuchi, “just as the lion is the king of beasts, Godzilla, the king of monsters, would be appropriate for the case back of this Grand Seiko watch. I wanted to create a completely new Godzilla and gave my best to design this in the image of what can be called ‘Grand Godzilla.’”

The movement that the watch has is the Spring Drive Caliber 9R15, which means an eerily smooth seconds hand and a power reserve indicator on the dial. But this movement is actually an upgraded version of the Calibre 9R65, in that the quartz crystal oscillator that is selected for it is of an especially higher performance. This fact accounts for the higher level of precision – ±10 seconds a month (equivalent to ±0.5 seconds per day) for the Caliber 9R15 as opposed to  ±15 seconds a month (equivalent to ±1 second per day) for the Caliber 9R65.

Limited to 650 pieces at selected Grand Seiko and Seiko boutiques as well as selected retail partners worldwide since November 2019, the watch has been selling very well. In fact, it was only because a piece had just come in to a Singapore boutique that I was able to see it.

If you’re a fan of Godzilla, this is the Grand Seiko for you. If not, well, it’s a good sign of things to come because if a brand can have fun like that, I’m sure that there will be more interesting watches in the future.

See more at the special micro-site for this watch.

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The four watches ensure that there is something for everyone, including a high-beat automatic, two quartz and one ladies automatic.

Before we get to the watches, I think it’s fair to say that Grand Seiko has truly come of age. It is no longer solely the connoisseurs’ choice, or the part of Seiko that no one really knew about and had to explain. Now, Grand Seiko, having split away from parent brand, Seiko, is its own independent brand, and is truly in the mainstream consciousness of watch buyers. Many new boutiques have been opened over the past year, with more to come, and the retail availability of Grand Seiko is now wider than ever.

First Grand Seiko Boutique in Europe to open in March 2020

It makes the launch of these four watches then, an expression of the brand’s solidified confidence. Certainly, if you want a reliable, everyday watch, with a typically Japanese aesthetic and finishing to rival the best that the Swiss can offer, look no further than the following for some ideas.

Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition

The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 with Calibre 9S85 is a staple offering that is a practical everyday watch with time and date that showcases everything that is good about the brand. With a case and bracelet aesthetic inspired by the famed 44GS from 1967, and carrying a +5 and -3 secs a day accuracy with a 55 hour power reserve, there is nothing more that anyone would need. This new version comes with a dial in the colour of Grand Seiko blue and has a gold Grand Seiko logo and a red seconds hand. Limited to 1500 pieces.

Reference: SBGH281

Caliber 9S85/ 36,000 vibrations per hour/ +5 to -3 seconds per day/ Power reserve: 55 hours/ Stainless steel case/ Water resistance: 10 bar/ Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m/ Diameter: 40.0mm, Thickness: 13.3mm/ Stainless steel bracelet/ Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €6,200
Limited edition of 1,500 

Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition

The Calibre 9S27 was launched in 2018, and it was a movement that was designed with high performance and small size in mind. Despite being only 19.4mm in diameter and 4.49mm in height, it boasted specifications such as a precision of between +8 and -3 seconds a day and an unexpectedly good 50 hour power reserve. It was essentially the perfect movement for a brand new ladies collection, with watches measuring 27.8mm in diameter. The new version for the 60th Anniversary of Grand Seiko comes with a practical stainless steel case, and a decidedly celebratory 56 diamonds totalling 0.48 carats (45 of which are in the bezel) The new watch, dressed with the blue mother of pearl dial, is a fitting statement for what is effectively a diamond anniversary, and certainly gives the 29mm Lady Datejust from Rolex a run for its money. Limited to 300 pieces.

Reference: STGK015

Caliber 9S27/ Vibrations: 28,800 vibrations per hour/ +8 to -3 seconds per day/ Power reserve: 50 hours/ Stainless steel case with 56 diamonds (0.48 carat)/ Water resistance: 10 bar, Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/M/ Diameter: 27.8mm, Thickness: 11.2mm/ Stainless steel bracelet/ Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €9,900
Limited edition of 300

Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition

Quartz watches are something that most fine watch enthusiasts are reluctant to consider, except when they are made with as much care and precision as a fine mechanical watch. With Seiko being the undisputed leader in the genre, being a brand that perfected the quartz movement and precipitated the quartz crisis, it’s only a Grand Seiko quartz watch that will pass muster from the most snobbish of horological connoisseurs.

The new Quartz Limited Edition showcases a brand new quartz movement – the 9F85, whose main highlight is a time difference adjustment function that allows the hour hand to be adjusted independently without stopping the seconds hands. This watch is also adjusted to a much higher precision than standard versions, up to + or – 5 seconds a year, with this ability highlighted by the gold star at the 6 o’clock position. The dial comes with a unique pattern in blue (Grand Seiko calls it the 2020 pattern) and a seconds hand in red. Limited to 2500 pieces.

Reference: SBGP007

Caliber 9F85/ Accuracy: ±5 seconds per year (at temperatures between 5℃ and 35℃)/ Time difference adjustment function/ Stainless steel case/ Screw case back with 18k yellow gold plate/ Water resistance: 10 bar, Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m / Diameter: 40.0mm, Thickness: 10.8mm/ Stainless steel bracelet / Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €3,900
Limited edition of 2,500

Sports Collection Quartz Limited Edition

The most obvious aesthetic highlight of the Quartz Limited Edition in the Sports collection, has to be its ceramic bezel, which is in the same blue as the dial. Despite not being a functional bezel, it is cool all the same, and does look extremely striking. I would certainly love to see this on the mechanical models as well. Like the other men’s watches, this watch comes with a red seconds hand, and for its more sporting ambitions, hour and minute hands coated with Lumibrite for superb nighttime legibility, 20 bar water resistance, magnetic resistance to 16,000 A/m and a screw down crown. This watch also comes with the Calibre 9F85, although it is less finely adjusted than the previous 60th Anniversary model in the Heritage Collection, managing a + or – 10 second a year accuracy. Still beats the pants off most quartz watches though. Limited to 2000 pieces.

Reference: SBGP015

Caliber 9F85/ Accuracy: ±10 seconds per year (at temperatures between 5℃ and 35℃)/ Time difference adjustment function/ Stainless steel case/ Screw-down crown, screw case back/ Ceramic bezel/ Water resistance: 20 bar, Magnetic resistance: 16,000 A/m/ Diameter: 40.0mm, Thickness: 12.4mm/ Stainless steel bracelet/ Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €3,900
Limited edition of 2,000

For more on the 60th Anniversary collection, click here to visit Grand Seiko’s special microsite on the new models.  

Case in point, the announcement of their first ever boutique in Europe this year in March 2020, in the heart of Paris in Place Vendôme, in and among the most prestigious Swiss brands ever made. It certainly looks like the brand has a point to make, and has arrived well and truly to a position of self confidence to hang with the best in the world.

Have a look at their press release and tell us what you think

From their press release:

In March 2020, the first Grand Seiko Boutique in Europe will open its doors at 7, Place Vendôme in Paris. As befits this most prestigious of locations, it will be the largest Grand Seiko Boutique in the world and will give watch lovers an unparalleled opportunity to see the widest range outside Japan and to experience the world of Grand Seiko.

The timing is propitious. 2020 is the 60th anniversary of the creation of Grand Seiko. In Japanese culture, a 60th birthday is a moment of new energy and re-birth. For Grand Seiko, therefore, 2020 is the perfect moment to open a new global showcase and to present both the wide range of the Grand Seiko collection and several watches made especially for this anniversary year as well as some that will be exclusive to this new Paris boutique.

The Grand Seiko Boutique is located on the west side of Place Vendôme. It occupies over 190 square meters on two floors. The interior evokes the serene beauty of Japanese aesthetics and culture and expresses the essence of the brand’s theme, “The Nature of Time”. It provides the perfect environment in which to explore the history, character and collection of Grand Seiko.

Grand Seiko looks forward to welcoming you at its new flagship boutique. A bientôt!

Grand Seiko Boutique Paris Vendôme
Address: 7, Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris France
Opening hours: 10:30-19:00 Monday-Saturday