Description
About Grand Seiko SBGX359
Grand Seiko Annual Accuracy Quartz Heritage Collection
The 33mm quartz “Snowflake”, capturing the snowy landscape of the Shinshu region of Japan
Visible from the Shinshu Watch Studio, home to all Grand Seiko quartz watches, the Hotaka mountain range remains blanketed by snow for several months each winter. Fierce winds sculpt the alpine snow into intricate patterns, inspiring the distinctive dial design.
The watch is presented in a 33mm x 9.1mm case, the slimmest and smallest in diameter of any Grand Seiko 9F creation to date, made possible by the new Caliber 9F51.
Grand Seiko SBGX359 Features
A dial of refine texture, crafted through exceptional techniques
To capture the rugged texture and pure whiteness of the snow-covered Hotaka slopes, a special process combining silver-plating, clear coating, and finishing is used rather than an application of white paint. By refining the plating thickness, and using a combination of coating and finishing techniques, the dial achieves superior light reflection and brilliance, resulting in the pristine white finish that defines its beauty. Adding a striking contrast, the vivid blue of the tempered steel seconds hand shines as an elegant accent against the pure white dial.
Quartz Caliber 9F51
Caliber 9F51 marks the most compact 9F caliber design to date. It retains hallmark features of the 9F series, including the Twin Pulse Control Motor, the Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism and a regulation switch for manual fine-tuning of accuracy during servicing.
- Stainless steel case and bracelet
- Dual-curved sapphire crystal
- Solid screw case back
- Pull out crown
- Three-fold clasp with push button release
Grand Seiko SBGX359 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
