5 New Grand Seiko Watches Pay Homage to 1964 Classic
May 3, 2014 By Mark Bernardo Leave a Comment
At Baselworld 2014, Seiko added several new models to its prestigious Grand Seiko watch collection. Along with the new hi-beat GMT models, which we covered here, the 2014 Grand Seiko watches include five new models that pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of a fondly remembered Grand Seiko from 1964.
The Grand Seiko Homage to 1964 watches are all limited editions, with three of the watches equipped with Seiko’s hybrid mechanical-quartz Spring Drive movement and the other two containing a high-precisionquartz movement, Seiko Caliber 9F82. The clean simplicity of the new Grand Seiko models echoes that of the 1964 Seiko “Self-dater,” the very first Grand Seiko watch to incorporate a date window. The “Self-dater” — intended to be a more “practical” version of the original Grand Seiko — is a favorite among devotées of Seiko’s historical watch models.
The three watches with the Caliber 9R15 Spring Drive movement (References SBGA103, SBGA105, and SBGA107) include two in stainless steel cases (with silvered or blue dials) and one in a platinum case, with cream-colored dial. The Spring Drive caliber, which is characterized by a quartz oscillator powered by a traditional mechanical mainspring barrel system, gives the watches a high level of timekeeping precision, accurate to within +/- .5 seconds per day (+/- 10 seconds per month). The cases are 39.9 mm in diameter and water-resistant to The dials of the Spring Drive models also have a hand-type indicator for the watches’ 72-hour power reserve. The steel versions of the Grand Seiko Homage 1964 Spring Drive watches are limited to 500 pieces (price: $6,500) and come on a stainless steel bracelet with triple-fold push-button clasp; the platinum version, which comes on a crocodile leather strap, is limited to 50 pieces (price: $34,500).
Ref. SBGA103 (steel)
Ref. SBGA105 (steel)
Ref. SBGA107 (platinum)
The other two Grand Seiko 1964 limited editions (References SBGV009 AND SBGV011) have 37.2-mm-diameter steel cases and contain Seiko’s high-precision, “super-sealed” quartz Caliber 9F82, with a high-torque stepping motor and an instantaneous date change. Accurate to +/- 10 seconds per year, the movement has been described by Seiko as “the most advanced quartz [movement] ever created.” Seiko offers both a silver-dialed (limited to 1,200 pieces) and black-dialed (900 pieces) version of the watch, each of which comes with both a crocodile leather strap and a stainless steel bracelet with triple-fold push-button clasp. Both are priced at $4,000.
May 3, 2014 By Mark Bernardo Leave a Comment
At Baselworld 2014, Seiko added several new models to its prestigious Grand Seiko watch collection. Along with the new hi-beat GMT models, which we covered here, the 2014 Grand Seiko watches include five new models that pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of a fondly remembered Grand Seiko from 1964.The Grand Seiko Homage to 1964 watches are all limited editions, with three of the watches equipped with Seiko’s hybrid mechanical-quartz Spring Drive movement and the other two containing a high-precisionquartz movement, Seiko Caliber 9F82. The clean simplicity of the new Grand Seiko models echoes that of the 1964 Seiko “Self-dater,” the very first Grand Seiko watch to incorporate a date window. The “Self-dater” — intended to be a more “practical” version of the original Grand Seiko — is a favorite among devotées of Seiko’s historical watch models.
The three watches with the Caliber 9R15 Spring Drive movement (References SBGA103, SBGA105, and SBGA107) include two in stainless steel cases (with silvered or blue dials) and one in a platinum case, with cream-colored dial. The Spring Drive caliber, which is characterized by a quartz oscillator powered by a traditional mechanical mainspring barrel system, gives the watches a high level of timekeeping precision, accurate to within +/- .5 seconds per day (+/- 10 seconds per month). The cases are 39.9 mm in diameter and water-resistant to The dials of the Spring Drive models also have a hand-type indicator for the watches’ 72-hour power reserve. The steel versions of the Grand Seiko Homage 1964 Spring Drive watches are limited to 500 pieces (price: $6,500) and come on a stainless steel bracelet with triple-fold push-button clasp; the platinum version, which comes on a crocodile leather strap, is limited to 50 pieces (price: $34,500).
Ref. SBGA103 (steel)
Ref. SBGA105 (steel)
Ref. SBGA107 (platinum)
The other two Grand Seiko 1964 limited editions (References SBGV009 AND SBGV011) have 37.2-mm-diameter steel cases and contain Seiko’s high-precision, “super-sealed” quartz Caliber 9F82, with a high-torque stepping motor and an instantaneous date change. Accurate to +/- 10 seconds per year, the movement has been described by Seiko as “the most advanced quartz [movement] ever created.” Seiko offers both a silver-dialed (limited to 1,200 pieces) and black-dialed (900 pieces) version of the watch, each of which comes with both a crocodile leather strap and a stainless steel bracelet with triple-fold push-button clasp. Both are priced at $4,000.
