Grand Seiko Debuts New Spring Drive Ultra Fine Accuracy (UFA) Movement

Here’s some big news from Grand Seiko today from Watches & Wonders 2025: the new-generation Spring Drive UFA (Ultra Fine Accuracy). This is a huge development for Grand Seiko’s iconic Spring Drive movement which is known and loved for its hybrid architecture incorporating a mechanical movement with an electronic regulator. The new Grand Seiko SLGB003, in titanium, and SLGB001, in platinum, debut the new 9RB2 movement that is both remarkably accurate and compact. Oh, and Grand Seiko also introduced an easy-micro-adjust clasp.

Living up to its name, the UFA is accurate to +-20 seconds/year. Yes, you read that correctly. Per year. The UFA 9RB2 is really an extension of the 9RA5 and 9RA2 calibers but takes some things further while throttling some other things. Yes, the power reserve indicator is still on the back. By going from two barrels to one barrel (taking the power reserve down from 5 days to a still-solid 3 days), Grand Seiko was able to make the movement significantly smaller. For those who want the longer power reserve and bigger case size, the 9RA2 is still an option while this UFA 9RB2 is for those obsessed with accuracy and prefer — or least don’t mind — a more compact case.

Among other developments, Grand Seiko utilizes a more easily serviceable quartz oscillator here, which makes for a remarkably high-accuracy watch. Additionally, while In most previous Spring Drive movements the integrated circuit (IC) wasn’t visible due to its sensitivity to the elements, in the 9RB2 the IC is right on display. The movement is also finished to the standards of Grand Seiko, with frosting throughout as well as beveled edges and black polished screws.

Case size is brought all the way down to 37mm wide and 11.4mm thick, with a 44.3mm lug-to-lug measurement (100 meters of water resistance). Finally there’s a new bracelet with an easy-to-use micro-adjust clasp, something people have long been clamoring for. Do note that since this is a brand new development, the micro-adjust clasp will just be found on the SLGB003 for the time being, so don’t expect it to be proliferated throughout the brand's collections for now.

The standard-production titanium model comes in a silvery dial with some very subtle blue in there while the limited-edition platinum model is similar, but with a slightly more accentuated blue hue. The dials also debut the new Ice Forest pattern inspired by the midwinter period in the Kirigamine highland in Japan's Shinshu region. The pattern is almost cross-hatched and the mellow iciness of the blue really does lend a cool chill to the piece. 

The Grand Seiko SLGB003 in titanium is a standard-production piece that is priced at $10,900, while the SLGB001 in platinum on leather strap is limited to 80 pieces, with a price of $39,000.