Introducing: Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Editions (Live Pics)
What We Know
Last night, Grand Seiko announced two new limited editions in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their Caliber 9R Spring Drive movement. This milestone celebrates one of Grand Seiko’s biggest contributions to watchmaking – the concept of a hybrid movement that utilizes mechanical power from a traditional mainspring, combined with electronic and electromagnetic components, to create a movement greater than the sum of its parts. Long famed for its precision of plus or minus one second per day, the Caliber 9R series has cemented itself in the Grand Seiko story. Over the past 20 years, Grand Seiko has taken this concept and churned out an impressive number of caliber variations as well as models that utilize the Spring Drive concept, from time-only manual winding calibers to automatic chronograph GMTs.
The Caliber 9R31 manually-winding Spring Drive movement.
Anyone familiar with the brand knows that in most of these limited-edition releases, the dial is truly the star of the show. And for these releases, that’s certainly the case (or rather, the dial).
The first of the releases, the SBGY035, comes in at 38.5mm in diameter and 10.2mm in thickness. It utilizes the steel SBGY case, a broad but smooth case shape that sits close to the wrist with relatively short lugs, and features more gentle slopes than the sharp edges you would typically see from Grand Seiko’s more historical designs. Inside the watch is the manual-winding Caliber 9R31, with a power reserve of 72 hours and a well-expected accuracy of approximately plus or minus one second per day.
The dark gradient on the outside of the dial is a nice touch.
As we’ve all seen with the descriptions of the dials Grand Seiko produces, the brand waxes poetic about the striking red colorway in the SBGY035. “The gradation on the dial of the first new creation reflects the moment when the sun begins to rise. As the steep landscape of the Hotaka mountain range turns a vibrant red, the light casts a radiant glow on the autumn leaves as they emerge from the darkness of dawn.” To those following the past few years of the brand’s releases, you may notice that the pattern is very familiar. It’s the same as on the SBGA413 ‘Shunbun’ as well as last year’s rose gold stunner, the SBGY026 ‘Hana-Ikeda,’ this time in a beautiful saturated red fumé. The bead-blasted applied ‘GS’ logo, as well as the polished seconds hand, are in a pale faintly-rose-amber-gold. The watch is paired with a red-brown crocodile strap and a deployant clasp. Worldwide, it will be limited to 700 pieces, available at Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners starting in November. Pricing in the US will be $8500.
Suddenly, I’m craving fruit punch.
The second model in the release is the automatic-winding Spring Drive SBGA499. With a diameter of 40.2mm and a thickness of 12.8mm, it’s a bit of a chunkier watch when compared to the manually-wound SBGY035, but the case presents itself in a more traditional format, which presumably will appeal to a broader audience. Now let’s refer to the book of poems, er, press release, about this dial. “With its bright red dial, the second Spring Drive creation captures the Hotaka mountain range and the brilliant autumn leaves bathed in golden morning sunlight.” A trademark of the automatic Spring Drive movement, a recessed power reserve indicator sits in between the 7 o’clock and 8 o’clock portion of the dial, this time in a contrasting pale rose gold hue. A water resistance of 10 bar certainly makes this a much more everyday watch. Perhaps a very fitting movement for the release, the Caliber 9R65 is the first movement created in the 9R family, sweeping away in the SBGA499. The watch will retail in the US for $5800 starting in September and will be a limited edition of 1300 pieces.
The automatic-winding Caliber 9R65 in the SBGA499.
What We Think
This isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time Grand Seiko produces new colorways of dials for a brand new limited edition run. I have to admit, though, that having seen these in person, the dials are stunning. I don’t typically like red, but especially on the SBGY035, the richness of the dark gradient to a brighter center, paired with the texture, makes the watch sing. If the classic SBGA413 ‘Shunbun’ was all about the delicate pink cherry blossoms of Japan, this dial, to me, is like a big ol’ slice of cherry pie. In the second watch, the SBGA499, the color of the dial comes across much lighter and more intense, like an electric red. With a bright sunburst finish on the dial, it’s certainly a watch that stands out, especially in broad daylight, for better or worse. For me, it’s a bit too red. Having it a shade darker would be an improvement in my eyes, but I’m sure fans of red dials will disagree with me.
These watches, and most certainly the SBGY035, will be in high demand, given that these releases are worldwide, not region-specific like many of the editions in the past. While I assume that the quantity of the SBGA499 is almost double the quantity of the SBGY035 because of the price point, I just think that the SBGY035 is a much more compelling watch, especially as a limited edition. In an ideal world, there would have been 1300 pieces made of the SBGY035, not the other way around.
The Basics
Brand: Grand Seiko
Model: SBGY035, SBGA499
Diameter: 38.5mm (SBGY035), 40.2mm (SBGA499)
Thickness: 10.2mm (SBGY035), 12.8mm (SBGA499)
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Red. Lots of it.
Indexes: Applied
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 3 bar (SBGY035), 10 bar (SBGA499)
Strap/Bracelet: Red-brown crocodile strap (SBGY035), steel bracelet (SBGA499)
The Movement
Caliber: 9R31 (SBGY035), 9R65 (SBGA499)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds. On SBGY035, power reserve indicator on caseback. On SBGA499, hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator and date window.
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Manual (SBGY035), Automatic (SBGY499)
Jewels: 30
Chronometer Certified: ±1 second per day
Pricing & Availability
Price: $8500 (SBGY035), $5800 (SBGA499)
Availability: September 2024 (SBGA499), November 2024 (SBGY035)
Limited Edition: Yes. 700 pieces for the SBGY035, 1300 pieces for the SBGA499.
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
