Grand Seiko Launches New Tribute To First Manual-Winding 9S With Limited Edition SBGW325

If you take one glance at Grand Seiko’s catalog, you’ll find that we are largely in a numeral-free zone. It just isn’t typically in the brand’s grammar. The brand tends to favor multi-faceted, rectangular indices for its hour markings, since it really established its design language with the 1967 44GS, but some aesthetic outliers have graced the brand’s offerings from time to time. One such model in recent 21st-century memory was the SBGW003, which not only flipped the script in the numeral department, but also introduced a manually wound take on the brand’s 9S caliber in 2001. But that watch was itself part of a limited run. As we’re now 25 years out from the launch of the 9S54, Grand Seiko has today done what many watch brands are wont to do – celebrate a big milestone with a follow-up limited edition. Packed with the current-generation 9S hand-wound caliber and taking on a new color palette, Grand Seiko’s latest SBGW325 is an homage to its manually-wound predecessor, Arabic numerals and all. 

Some Context 

Grand Seiko SBGW003 (2001) via Watch Charts

It really is a testament to how meticulously a brand has crafted its design DNA when just the simple switch from markers to numerals feels like a shock to the system. Already, the model that inspired the new limited edition we’re gathered here today to discuss was a rarity in the larger schema of Grand Seiko. Released in 2001 as part of the 120th anniversary celebrations of the larger Seiko brand, there were just 300 models of its kind produced, and it served as the launching pad for the newly developed 9S54 manual caliber. A somewhat obscure (i.e., uniquely sought-after for the true Grand Seiko fans out there) model in the brand’s history, this watch featured a cream dial with yellow gold-toned numerals, cut with a blued dauphine handset. The elimination of the automatic winding system also gave this watch a remarkably svelte case height, paired with a rather dress-oriented case size of 37.2mm. 

Case And Dial

For the limited edition SBGW325, Grand Seiko hasn’t gone the reissue route, but has equipped the watch with a flair and identity all its own. The standout is that deep, dark blue dial, which, of course, draws from its own well of inspiration. Rather than calling upon a season or some element of the natural world, the blue tone of the dial here is a reflection of Japan’s deep-rooted history of indigo dyeing. The strap the watch is paired with, too, ties in that nod to Japan’s unique craftsmanship legacy, with the crocodile leather being itself naturally dyed with indigo, using the hon-ai process. Thus, a unique harmony is achieved between the dial and strap, both visually and thematically. Still, there’s an additional grey-hued calf leather strap that’s included right in the box for a higher-contrast effect. 

Housed within the brand’s Elegance collection, the round case with soft, sloping lugs is directly inspired by the brand’s first watch from the 1960s, which is the collection’s bread-and-butter. The on-paper specs are as follows: 37.3mm diameter, 44.3mm lug-to-lug, and 11.7mm case profile. All of these promise a rather compact, dress-oriented wearing experience, especially considering the exclusive strap pairing. It’s also important to consider that the case height does have a lot to do with the box-shaped sapphire crystal on top, which furthers this piece’s classic, traditional look. 

The hot topic of this watch, really, is its unconventional-for-Grand-Seiko applied Arabic numerals, which are deliciously oversized. To further enhance the legibility factor, there is also a series of round pips serving as a minute track. While the primary dial details are all in silver tones to complement the steel case, the GS logo and seconds hand have been done in a yellow gold tone in contrast to spice things up.

The Movement

Under the hood, the watch at hand is powered by the successor to the original hand-wound 9S caliber, the 9S64. Launched in 2010, the biggest shift was the expansion of the power reserve from 50 to a weekend-proof 72 hours. While the 28,800 vph (or 4 Hz) frequency is the same, the 9S64 also runs on 24 jewels (vs. the 20 jewels of the 9S54), and, visually, the gear train has been covered by an integrated train bridge. Like the SBGW003 that inspired it, the new SBGW325 also has an exhibition caseback, so you can see the hand-wound caliber at work with a flip of the watch.

Final Thoughts And Pricing Details

Grand Seiko is a brand with a remarkably clear sense of identity, so it is a bit fun to see it offer a touch of the unexpected, even in limited-edition format. In the case of the SBGW325, you’re getting all the hallmarks that you’d expect from Grand Seiko–Zaratsu polished finishing, real design restraint, and little nods to Japan’s own history– but paired with something that breaks its own mold a bit with the Arabic numerals. That being said, this watch is, like its predecessor, limited in nature (to 600 total pieces, to be exact), and is going to be offered exclusively in boutiques. Hate to disappoint you online shoppers out there, but you’ll have to find your way to a brick-and-mortar if this one has piqued your interest. Priced at $5,800, the Grand Seiko SBGW325 is slated to make its way to stores this October.

For more information, visit the brand's website here.