Description
About Grand Seiko SBGA407
Grand Seiko Skyflake Elegance Collection
A Spring Drive model with a classic case and blue “Snowflake” dial
The unique dial pattern is inspired by the wind-swept snow in the mountains of Shinshu. This texture is commonly known as the “Snowflake” and has gained popularity from around the world. To emphasize the delicate dial, it is treated with a subtle blue coloring.
A classic mechanism with a detailed focus, Spring Drive enables high precision equal to that of a quartz watch while using a mainspring used in a mechanical watch as a power source. The maximum winding duration is 72 hours. The movement of the blue steel second hand glides across the snow blue dial.
About Spring Drive
Spring Drive is Seiko’s exclusive movement that achieves an unprecedented level of accuracy (+/- 15 seconds per month on average, equivalent to +/- 1 second per day) by regulating a spring-driven watch with state-of-the-art electronic technology that functions without batteries or other external power source.
As in conventional mechanical watches, the sole power source of Spring Drive is a mainspring that can be wound by the motion of an oscillating weight or by winding the crown. And just as in mechanical watches, the mainspring drives a series of gears that rotate the hour, minute and second hands. A rotor, connected to the end of these gears, generate a small electrical charge that activates an electronic circuit and quartz oscillator.
The Tri-synchro regulator is a unique speed controller for Spring Drive that replaces the escapement, which is a mechanical speed control device used in almost all conventional mechanical watches. The Tri-synchro regulator moves the second hand in a smooth motion, without ticking and with extreme accuracy.
Some 80% of the components in a Spring Drive caliber are the same as those in a luxury mechanical watch. Spring Drive is a movement powered by a spring, just like a mechanical watch, with a different kind of regulator and combines the long-lasting autonomy of a mechanical watch with the precision that, until now, only electronic watches could provide.
To ensure reliable and accurate operation, all these parts need to be manufactured to the highest standards of precision, and assembling them requires superior craftsmanship.
The development of the Spring Drive movement caliber 9R was made possible because Seiko is one of the very few manufactures with expertise in both mechanical and quartz watches.
Since the first Grand Seiko Spring Drive in 2004, new movements have been created with even more complex mechanisms–including the GMT in 2005 and chronograph with GMT in 2007. Showing that with the Spring Drive caliber 9R, time never loses momentum.
Grand Seiko SBGA407 Features
- 30 jewels
- Case back with 6 screws
- Date display
- Power reserve display
- See-through case back
- Stop seconds hand function
Grand Seiko SBGA407 Details
CONCEPT
A classical case that conveys the atmosphere of the first GS, and a spring drive model that reflects the “snowflake blue” dial, has emerged. The distinctive dial pattern, which is inspired by the beauty of the snow in the Shinshu region. This pattern is known as “Snowflake” and used mainly as dial finish, and has gained popularity from around the world.
DESIGN
Snowflake dial
The Snowflake dial used for the first time in 2005 was colored with pale blue to image the snow from the Shinshu Watch Studio, the birthplace of Spring Drive.
It has succeeded in realizing a designer’s idea of expressing the beauty of Shinshu on the dial, and is characterized by a texture that shows a rough snow surface, which is caused by severe cold.
Classic style
The design embodies a pure classical elegance with a box-shaped sapphire crystal, Zaratsu polished lugs, and a blue steel seconds hand complementing the Snowflake dial.
MOVEMENT
AUTOMATIC SPRING DRIVE 3-DAY
Caliber 9R65
Our company unveiled Spring Drive in 1999, but its lack of a sufficiently effective automatic winding mechanism and 72-hour power reserve prevent its adoption in the Grand Seiko line. After a further four years of development, the first Grand Seiko 9R Spring Drive was created.
The winding system and drive time were improved from the existing 48-hour manual winding system to an automatic 72-hour power reserve. The automatic winding mechanism uses Seiko’s original Magic Lever mechanism developed in 1959, but with improved productivity, maintainability, and durability to enhance winding efficiency.
Caliber 9R65 is currently the most standard of the 9R Spring Drive movements, and is used in many Grand Seiko models.
Grand Seiko SBGA407 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
