Description
About Grand Seiko SBGW289
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection
44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition
The 1967 44GS was the watch that first embodied the design code known as the “Grand Seiko Style”, the set of nine principles which gave Grand Seiko its distinctive look and which still inspires every new creation. Now, 55 years on from its first appearance, the 44GS design is commemorated with a limited edition manual-winding watch whose slender case profile pays full respect to the “Grand Seiko Style” and whose dial is inspired by the beauty of spring in northern Japan, where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are made.
Blessed with four distinctive seasons, Japan’s natural world offers a rich variety of sights that are both ephemeral and lastingly memorable. One such is Sakura-kakushi, the brief moment in spring when, in northern Japan, snow and cherry blossom co-exist. The dial of this new creation is a delicate pink with a slight silver hue that, together, perfectly capture the moment when the cherry blossom peeks through the snow as it shimmers and begins to melt in the spring sunshine.
The unique quality of this watch is that it combines a slim 36.5 mm profile with all the characteristics that made the 44GS such a memorable and lasting design. To make this possible, every aspect of the watch’s construction was considered afresh. The case was designed to take full advantage of the slimness of Grand Seiko’s manual-winding Caliber 9S64, while retaining the flat surfaces and sharp angles of the original 44GS. The bezel, indexes and hands are slender to match the case design, creating a fresh yet classical Grand Seiko look.
The movement is assembled by hand by the craftsmen and women in the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, and the case is Zaratsu polished, also by hand, to give the distortion-free surfaces that have always been a defining characteristic of the “Grand Seiko Style.”
Limited edition of 1,200 pieces.
Grand Seiko SBGW289 Features :
- 24 jewels
- LIMITED EDITION on the case back
- Serial number engraved on the case back
- Solid case back
- Stop second hand function
Grand Seiko SBGW289 History :
Prior to 1960, to challenge the status of Swiss watches and change the perception of Japanese watches, Daini Seikosha and Suwa began the discussion of a product line that can match the quality of Swiss watches under the suggestion of the parent company. At the time, Suwa Seikosha Co. was in charge of manufacturing men’s watches, so it was decided that Suwa would be producing the first Grand Seiko (GS).
The first Grand Seiko was released in 1960, it was based on Seiko’s previous high-end watch, CROWN. This Grand Seiko has a 25-jewel, manual-winding, 3180 caliber, and only 36,000 units were produced. This was also the first chronometer-grade watch manufactured in Japan, and it was based on Seiko’s own chronometer standard.
Design style
The design language of the Grand Seiko was set in 1967, with the creation of Grand Seiko 44GS. The 44GS set the ground for all future Grand Seiko with nine elements. These elements help improve the legibility of the watch under different situations, and create a sharp, crisp visual impression:
- Double width index at 12 o’clock
- Multi-faceted rectangular markers
- Highly polished bezel
- Highly polished planes and two-dimensional surface
- Half recessed crown
- Flat dial
- Multi-faceted hour and minute hands
- Curved side line
- Reverse slanted bezel wall and case side
- Dress style with simple but beautiful design
- Zaratsu polishing
source : wikipedia
