2023-12-01 07:10:15
The Grand Seiko brand has been around since 1960, but has only been available in Europe for a few years. Now an exclusive model for the European market has been presented.
Grand Seiko had a good reputation among watch fans for decades: they praised the high quality of the manufacturing, the precision of the mechanical and quartz movements and the puristic, clear design. But for a long time you might only get hold of one of the timepieces by visiting Japan: the watch brand, founded in 1960, focused on its home market for decades.
In 2010, Grand Seiko broke with this tradition and expanded into the USA, followed by Europe in 2020. Paris became the center with its own Grand Seiko boutique on the legendary Place Vendôme. The interior – planned by the Japanese star architect Kengo Kuma – combines Japanese tradition with modernity and uses traditional details such as bamboo paneling, walls made of washi paper and tatami mats.
The dial is inspired by the Japanese mountain Iwate, which can be seen from the Grand Seiko manufacture
Precision, readability and beauty
This simplicity and the preservation of Japanese traditions can also be found in Grand Seiko’s watch collection. On the one hand, there is the sophisticated production in our own factory – because Grand Seiko designs and manufactures all watch movements in-house. And on the other hand, the design, which strives for simplicity, clarity and practicality and always focuses on precision, legibility and beauty. The optics repeatedly refer to the Japanese homeland and its nature.
It also shows the latest special model dedicated to the European market: the 2023 European Edition “SBGW303” (6300 euros) from the “Heritage” collection. The watch’s textured dial, its surface and gray-green color are inspired by the Iwate – a mountain that is envisioned by the watchmakers who assemble Grand Seiko’s mechanical timepieces at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio.
In addition to the Grand Seiko logo, the screwed case back also shows the limitation to 400 pieces of Grand Seiko
The European Edition also has a mechanical manufacture movement: a classic hand-wound caliber that offers a power reserve of 72 hours. It is housed in a 36.5 millimeter stainless steel case that, true to the brand’s claims, has a “Zaratsu” finish. The hand polish creates a high-gloss, mirror-like surface, which leads to a harmonious interplay of light and shadow – also central to the Japanese ideal of beauty.
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