Grand Seiko celebrates 20 years of Spring Drive

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spring Drive movement, Grand Seiko presents several new models inspired by the strength and power of the lion, Grand Seiko's long-standing logo. The lion symbol originated with the first Grand Seiko watch in 1960. The choice of the lion reflected the Grand Seiko team's ambition to create a watch that was as accurate, durable and beautiful as possible and revealed the intensity of its determination to pursue this goal. What did Grand Seiko's engineers and master watchmakers aspire to? To create a timepiece that could be called the 'king of watches'. This is why the figure of the lion appeared to symbolise Grand Seiko's inherent strength, inspiring its creators to create a watch that would express their skills to the full. The lion left its mark on several aspects of the design, notably the strong, angular case, the shape of the horns reminiscent of its claws and the delicate mane motif on the dial. In addition, all three watches are embellished with the lion symbol in the form of an 18k gold insert in the oscillating weight, denoting the greater precision of the specially adjusted movement (+/- 0.5 seconds per day). Available in three limited editions, this newly designed series offers two different Spring Drive calibres. In addition to the improved movement precision, the new design also offers several features that ensure the combination of the highest level of performance and readability with a comfortable feel on the wrist. Given the Spring Drive's high resistance to shocks and temperature changes, the improved accuracy of 0.5 seconds per day is maintained even in the most demanding sporting environments. The hour, minute, seconds and GMT indicators feature a new, compact design that enhances the legibility of the time, which is further facilitated by the use of Lumibrite coating on the hands, indices and bezel and the high definition of the double-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. The watch fits perfectly on the wrist thanks to the curve of its lugs and the low centre of gravity of the case. The bracelets are also designed with comfort in mind, with thicker, H-shaped clasps that fit wrists of all sizes without difficulty. The back of the case folds inwards at an angle to ensure a smooth fit on the wrist. The concave shape of the chronograph buttons ensures that the finger does not slip. These three watches make a powerful new statement in the Sport collection, while being instantly recognisable by their provenance and having all the features that, at a glance, define Grand Seiko. The cases have undergone Zaratsu polishing and the surfaces of the hands and indices have diamond-cut edges. The dials are particularly legible, while the play of light and shadow from every angle gives these extraordinary watches the deep, satisfying beauty that only Grand Seiko's unique, typically Japanese sensibilities can create. One of the two chronographs has an 18k rose gold case, while the other is made of high-density titanium, as is the version with three hands. All three are produced in limited editions.

Spring Drive 20th anniversary limited editions

• Spring Drive GMT 9R96 Chronograph (SBGC230G, 231G)
• Spring Drive 9R15 (SBGA403G)
• Charging system: automatic
• Power reserve: 72 hours
• Accuracy: ±0.5 seconds per day (±10 seconds per month)
• GMT hand, chronograph up to 12 hours (SBGC230G, 231G)
• Number of rubies: 50 (SBGC230G, 231G), 30 (SBGA403G)

Technical Specifications

• 18k rose gold case (SBGC230G)
• High-density titanium case (SBGC231G, SBGA403G)
• Sapphire crystal bezel
• High-definition sapphire crystal with double curvature and anti-reflective coating
• Screw-down back with visible movement, screw-down crown
• Watertightness: 20 bar
• Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
• Diameter: 44.5 mm
• Thickness: 16.8 mm (SBGC230G, 231G), 14.3 mm (SBGA403G)
• High-density titanium bracelet with folding clasp and safety button with slide regulator (SBGC231G, SBGA403G)
• Crocodile strap with folding clasp and safety push-buttons (SBGC230G)
• Recommended retail prices in Italy: €44,800 (SBGC230G) / €13,700 (SBGC231G) / €11,200 (SBGA403G)
• Limited edition of 100 pieces (SBGC230G) - 500 (SBGC231G) - 500 (SBGA403G)