Kintaro Hattori founded his company in 1881 and led it until his death in 1934. His philosophy was that his company should be “Always one step ahead of the rest” and nothing better proves the power of his vision than Grand Seiko with its uncompromising standards and relentless determination to push back the frontiers of fine watchmaking. To mark the anniversary, the Japanese brand launched the Grand Seiko quartz GMT SBGN023.
Today sees the release of a new 9F86 quartz GMT creation that adds a new dimension to the Grand Seiko Sport collection. The case is simple in design but, with its muscular shape and sharp, Zaratsu polished surfaces, it presents a powerful sports aspect. The dial has gold colour details and it is offered as a limited edition of 2,021 to mark the 140th anniversary of Seiko’s foundation. Two other versions with red and blue accents join the main Grand Seiko collection.
legibility at any angle.
A design perfect for both sport and daily use.
All three new creations are all quintessentially Grand Seiko in every way, combining the highest level of precision and durability with supreme legibility and the quiet yet instantly recognizable brilliance that is the Grand Seiko hallmark. The case ridges are sharp and crisp. The bezels are ceramic and so are almost impervious to scratches. Every detail is fashioned to enhance the legibility of the time and the precision that Caliber 9F86 delivers. The two-tone dial ring allows the night and day hours indicated by the GMT hand of matching colour to be read instantly. Legibility at night is ensured by the use of two colours of LumiBrite: green for the hour hand, minute hand and indexes, and blue for the GMT hand. The ceramic bezel allows the time to be read instantly and accurately in the GMT 24 hour format.
The hour hand is independently adjustable so that the precision is maintained even when adjusting the time to a second-time zone. A date with an instant change mechanism, a sapphire crystal, 20 bar water resistance and magnetic resistance of 16,000 A/m complete the specifications. Even with this high functionality, the case diameter is a modest 40mm, making the watch perfect for sport and daily use.
The blue creation features a deep blue dial and bezel to match the bright blue colour accents of the dial. All three watches will be available in June 2021 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected Grand Seiko retail stores worldwide.
About Caliber 9F
When Caliber 9F was created in 1993, the goal was straightforward but ambitious. As the quartz calibre for Grand Seiko, it should set new durability and precision standards and allow all the aesthetics of Grand Seiko to be fully expressed. A backlash auto-adjust mechanism eliminates any shudder in the seconds’ hand. The date changes in the blink of an eye. A twin-pulse control system allows the minute and seconds hands to extend right to the edge of the dial. The use of aged and selected quartz crystals and thermo-compensation ensure high precision of ‒10 to +10 seconds per year. Thanks to these unique characteristics, Caliber 9F can lay a strong claim to be the world’s highest performance quartz watch. Calibre 9F86 was created in 2018 and offers a GMT function in addition to the base characteristics of Calibre 9F. Full details of Calibre 9F86 and the story of its creation can be found at https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-en/special/9f9s9stories/vol9/1/
Grand Seiko quartz GMT Technical Specifications
Calibre 9F86
Accuracy: ±10 seconds per year (at temperatures between 5°C and 35°C)
Instant date change
High-torque stepping motor
Protective shield construction
GMT function / Independent hour hand adjustment function
Specifications
Stainless steel case and bracelet
Ceramic bezel
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Diameter: 40.0mm Thickness: 13.1mm
Water resistance: 20 bar
Magnetic resistance: 16,000 A/m
Approximate recommended retail prices in Europe:
€4,450 (SBGN019, 021) / €5,350 (SBGN023)
Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGN023): limited edition of 2,021
