Grand Seiko's new SBGW325 launches as limited-edition mechanical based on classic 2001 model
Grand Seiko has announced the SBGW325, a 600-piece limited edition due in October and to be sold through Grand Seiko Boutiques. UK pricing is 5,000 pounds including VAT.
The inspiration, rather, reference of this watch is the SBGW003 from 2001. It was the first Grand Seiko to use a manually wound 9S movement, the 9S54. The Arabic numerals on that one were drawn by Nobuhiro Kosugi. in a specific typeface to complement the brand's logo. Back then, Kosugi was head of design at Grand Seiko. The SBGW325 riffs off that design, and also uses a dot minute track and dauphine hands alongside.
The dial is a deep navy. Grand Seiko credits that color to Japan's indigo-dyeing tradition. The indexes are raised.
The crocodile strap comes with the same theme. It is hand-dyed using hon-ai, which is a natural indigo process. Craftsmen do the dyeing by hand, and the company calls it "slow and deliberate". On the website, you can choose between 11 different strap colorways to swap your main strap with.
The case is stainless-steel. It is 37.3 mm across, 44.3 mm lug to lug and 11.7 mm thick, and the whole thing is 61 g. Grand Seiko specifically talks about the lugs on the SBGW325. They widen towards the tips, and they come with the same distortion-free mirror surfaces that Zaratsu polishing produces. The crystal is box-shaped sapphire, with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. The case back is see-through and held down by six screws. It gets the special-edition marking and a serial number too.
Caliber 9S64 powers the watch. It is manual-winding, runs on 24 jewels and holds around 72 hours of reserve. Grand Seiko rates it at plus five to minus three seconds a day. In normal use, that becomes plus ten to minus one.
Water resistance is listed only as splash resistant.
Source(s)
Add as a preferred source on Google
