Introducing: The Grand Seiko SBGH349 ‘Icefall’
What We Know
In 2023, Grand Seiko honored the 25th anniversary of the original watch that housed their legendary Grand Seiko 9S automatic movement with two limited edition watches in 37mm cases like you would have seen in stores in 1998. Then, earlier this year, they released yet another 37mm Ever-Brilliant Steel case homage – the SBGH347 – this time not a limited edition, with the Hi-Beat 9S85 movement and featuring a new irregular, striated icy-blue dial. If that case size and case material weren’t to your liking, the brand has now announced a new option (with the same movement and dial) in a 40mm high-intensity titanium case.
As pulled from Grand Seiko’s playbook of great dials put into familiar packages, the watch now measures a total of 40mm by 13mm thick and 46.6mm lug to lug, with an automatic hi-beat movement running at 36,000 vph and 55 hours of power reserve. The watch also features drilled lugs for easy bracelet swapping. It’s another solid release and will hit a reasonable $7,400 price when it becomes available in January 2025.
What We Think
I saw this new release during a preview while in Japan earlier this year, and I thought it was a very eye-catching addition to the lineup. Narrative aside, Grand Seiko keeps adding great dial options to the lineup, and while people in the comments section can never seem to agree on 37mm vs. 40mm (I look forward to the debate starting up again), there’s little denying that having both options, albeit in different case materials, isn’t a bad thing. My thought is that a 40mm version seems to work better with the thicker 13mm case, which is then tamed by the titanium material.
The Basics
Brand: Grand Seiko
Model: ‘Icefall’
Reference Number: SBGH349
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 13mm
Case Material: High-intensity titanium
Dial Color: Striated icy-blue dial
Indexes: Polished and applied
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: High-intensity titanium with a three-fold clasp
The Movement
Caliber: 9S85
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, date
Power Reserve: 55 hours
Winding: Automatic
Jewels: 35
Chronometer Certified: No, but +5 to -3 seconds per day
Additional Details: Magnetic Resistance of 4,800 A/m
Pricing & Availability
Price: $7,400
Availability: January 2025
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
