Not far from the Shinshu Watch Studio, where all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches are made, the vast Hotaka mountain range rises from the heart of central Japan. On summer mornings, the sun reflects off this landscape to create a beautiful tapestry of mountain scenery with resplendent colors shifting from pink to orange.
Caliber 9R, the movement family that powers all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches, turns 20 this year. A new chronograph GMT inspired by this mountainous landscape is created to mark the milestone. The watch uses a new dial-processing technology that expresses the Japanese appreciation for the transition of time and the beauty of nature with changing colors that recall the summer mornings in the Hotaka Peaks.
The color-changing dial is made possible through a technology known as “Optical Multilayer Coating.” Rather than relying on traditional techniques, the new technology uses a physical vapor deposition process in which several layers of deposited nanoscale film express different colors depending on the angle at which the dial is viewed. From one direction, a “burnt orange” emerges; and from another, a “fiery red” prevails. Thanks to this breakthrough technology, the lion’s mane pattern, exclusive to this case shape, emerges even more clearly and can be appreciated for its subtlety, even with its warmer color tones.
The case takes inspiration from the lion, a powerful symbol of Grand Seiko since the brand’s first watch was created in 1960. Water resistant to 20 bar, the new creation is designed for high performance in any sporting situation. The prominent hour and minute hands and the wide indexes have been created to achieve the heightened legibility for which Grand Seiko is well known. These hour and minute hands, as well as the indexes, glow with green Lumibrite, while the GMT hand and the bezel numbers glow blue. The watch’s case and bracelet are high-intensity titanium, an alloy 30% lighter than stainless steel, and prized for its durability, scratch resistance, and bright color.
The new chronograph GMT is powered by Grand Seiko’s Caliber 9R96 movement, a specially adjusted version of Caliber 9R86 created to achieve a heightened accuracy of ±10 seconds per month compared to the ±15 seconds per month of Caliber 9R86.
The Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGC275 will be available at select retail partners worldwide in July 2024.
