A Blue Quartet: Grand Seiko’s 60th Anniversary Kicks Off

Grand Seiko is kicking off its yearlong celebrations, marking its 60th anniversary, with four new quintessentially Grand-Seiko watches. Of course, in March we’ll see the brand roll out grander creations, at their very first watch fair in Japan, now that they’ve withdrawn from Baselworld.

Read more about Grand Seiko’s (and Seiko’s) departure from Baselworld, here.

For now, quick facts and figures on the watches.

Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (1,500 pieces)

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (1,500 pieces)
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (1,500 pieces)

The showcase watch from the quartet is inspired by a piece from 1967, marked the 44GS, which is said to have established the visual signature that we identify Grand Seiko by today.

At 40mm, the stainless steel watch is powered by the high beat Caliber 9S85 that impresses with an accuracy of +5 to –3 seconds a day. This being a special creation for the 60th anniversary, the applied “GS” is in gold, set against a hue of blue that is a signature of the brand’s, paired with the striking font and seconds hand in red. Grand Seiko’s press release on the watch reads that the pairing of the gold and red, “symbolize a sunrise and all the new energy that a new dawn brings.”

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (1,500 pieces)
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (1,500 pieces)

Technical Specifications

Movement

Self-winding Caliber 9S85; hour, minutes and seconds; date; 55-hour power reserve

Case

40mm stainless steel case; water resistant to 100m

Bracelet

Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release

Price

Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €6,200

Limited edition of 1,500, available February 2020 onwards

Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (300 pieces)

Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (300 pieces)
Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (300 pieces)

Watch number two is geared towards the fairer sex. Again with that signature blue dial — this time however, that blue is on mother-of-pearl — the watch is a 27.8mm stainless steel piece, dressed with 56 diamonds (0.48 carat) on its bezel and hour markers.

The watch is powered by the automatic Caliber 9S27, a dainty movement created specifically for their women’s collection of watches.

Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (300 pieces)
Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (300 pieces)

Technical Specifications

Movement

Self-winding Caliber 9S27; hours, minutes and seconds; date; 50-hour power reserve

Case

27.8mm stainless steel case with 56 diamonds (0.48 carat); water resistant to 100m

Bracelet

Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release

Price

Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €9,900

Limited edition of 300, available February 2020 onwards

Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,500 pieces)

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,500 pieces)
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,500 pieces)

Watch three again takes on, yet again, that blue color on its dial (a running theme, if you hadn’t already caught that) set inside a 40mm steel case.

But just so people aren’t calling it off as yet another blue dial, stainless steel Grand Seiko, the brand’s thought ahead to have the watch debut a new movement: the Caliber 9F85. A new quartz movement that has the ability to allow its wearer to adjust the time while the seconds hand continues running, when its crown is pulled out. Grand Seiko states that this function of the new 9F85 helps in, “preserving its high precision when the wearer changes time zones.”

Grand Seiko’s also made a way that you would be able to tell this watch apart from others with their signature blue dial: a five pointed star at six o’clock. Further identifying the watch is the “2020” motif repeated on its blue dial.

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,500 pieces)
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,500 pieces)

Technical Specifications

Movement

High precision quartz Caliber 9F85; hour, minutes and seconds; date; special time difference adjustment function

Case

40mm stainless steel case; water resistant 100m

Bracelet

Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release

Price

Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €3,900

Limited edition of 2,500, available March 2020 onwards

Sport Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,000 pieces)

Grand Seiko Sport Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,000 pieces)
Grand Seiko Sport Collection Quartz Limited Edition (2,000 pieces)

The last watch on the list is a another one powered by the new Caliber 9F85, joining the Grand Seiko Sport Collection.

On top of the blue theme on the dial, the color is reflected as well on the watch’s bezel, rendered in ceramic bezel. As this is a watch that’s part of the Sports Collection, its dial features LumiBrite coated hour markers and hands (hour and minute), as opposed to the more traditional polished baton hour markers and polished sword-shaped hands of Grand Seiko.

Technical Specifications

Movement

High precision quartz Caliber 9F85; hour, minutes and seconds; date; special time difference adjustment function

Case

40mm stainless steel case; water resistant to 200m

Bracelet

Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release

Price

Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €3,900

Limited edition of 2,000, available April 2020 onwards

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