From the windows of the Shinshu Watch Studio in Shiojiri, the Hotaka mountain range stretches across the horizon, its slopes covered in snow for months at a time. Wind carves subtle patterns into the landscape’s surface, transforming the landscape from day to day. This enduring winter scene returns in two compact creations from the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection: SBGX359 and SBGX361, each rendered in a refined 33mm form.

SBGX359 carries forward the Snowflake dial, a design that has been part of Grand Seiko’s story since 2005. Its softly textured white surface reflects the snow-covered peaks of Nagano Prefecture, where Grand Seiko Spring Drive and quartz watches are created. Rather than relying on white paint, the dial achieves its appearance through a carefully controlled process combining silver plating, clear coating, and precise finishing. Subtle variations in depth allow light to play across the surface, evoking the quiet movement of freshly fallen snow. Against this bright field, the tempered blue seconds hand offers a vivid contrast, echoing the crisp air of a winter morning.

Alongside it, SBGX361 presents a lighter expression of the same landscape through the Skyflake dial. Inspired by wind-swept snow beneath a clear winter sky, its pale blue tone captures a gentler aspect of Shinshu in winter. The delicately textured surface suggests openness and calm, reflecting the subtle transition between snow and sky that defines the season.

Both models are housed in a 33.0mm stainless steel case measuring just 9.1mm in thickness. These proportions mark the smallest and slimmest case ever created for a Grand Seiko 9F quartz watch. The compact dimensions bring a new sense of balance to the Heritage Collection, making these timepieces particularly well suited to smaller wrists while preserving the clarity and presence central to Grand Seiko design.

At the heart of SBGX359 and SBGX361 is Caliber 9F51. Since its introduction in 1993, the 9F family has been developed with a singular purpose: to define the highest standard of quartz watchmaking, combining exceptional accuracy with enduring craftsmanship. Each movement is assembled by hand at the Shinshu Watch Studio, using individually selected and aged quartz crystals, a thermo-compensated integrated circuit for stable timekeeping across temperature changes, and a backlash auto-adjust mechanism that ensures precise seconds-hand motion. The Twin Pulse Control Motor provides the torque required to move the hands with authority and clarity.

Caliber 9F51 retains these defining characteristics while adopting a more compact architecture. With a diameter reduced by 0.6mm compared to Caliber 9F61, it enables slimmer cases without compromise, delivering an accuracy of ±10 seconds per year while expanding possibilities for proportion and wearability.

SBGX359 and SBGX361 will enter continuous production beginning in April 2026 and will be available at Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide.