Japan is probably one of the few places today that where you can experience a lifestyle high-technology with AI support on one side of the city, and then you suddenly walk through one of many traditional temples and learn about their rich history of ancient Japanese culture and traditional craftsmanship on the other side of town.
In a small town of Shizukuishi, deep in the mountains of the Iwate Prefecture, more than two hours north of Tokyo by the bullet train, is known to watch enthusiasts as the cradle of mechanical watchmaking in Japan. That’s because it is the home of the studio that makes several brands of Seiko mechanical watches, including Grand Seiko, the company’s crown jewel.
Grand Seiko was born out of Seiko’s pursuit of creating “the ideal watch” – a beautifully handcrafted timepiece that would be durable, legible and with higher chronometric standards than Swiss watches. Grand Seiko are known for excellence in most areas of watchmaking, but case finishing and dial execution are up there at the top as one of the major powerhouse in the watch industry today. The range of dials Grand Seiko have produced over the years are so unique and beautifully design.
We were was fortunate enough to get our hands on one of the limited edition models of the SBGR311 from the Grand Seiko collection, which I think by the way has one of the nicest dials I have ever come across. The most famous Grand Seiko dials you would normally hear about are probably the Snowflake and Mt. Iwate dials. However, the design of the dial for the SBGR311 is on another level.
According to the press, the richly tessellated brown color is reminiscent of the local traditional blacksmiths working iron with flames. The Spiral radial pattern is intriguing and unique. Looking at the dial from different angles, and under various lighting conditions, the design shines bronze. The pattern on the dial is made up of 80 spiraling lines. The G and the S obviously stand for Grand Seiko, matching up with the signature at the top of the watch face.
The other symbol is a second S but in a different font. It is the symbol of Daini Seikosha, currently known as Seiko Instruments Inc, the manufactures in Morioka. The hands showcase Seiko’s reputation for craftsmanship. The three sets of hands reportedly look great even under a microscope. The hour markers are also sculpted to levels of detail beyond the human eye. The stainless-steel case of the Grand Seiko SBGR311 is 42mm in diameter, making it one of the largest Grand Seiko out there.
Despite the size, It sits comfortably on the wrist, due to its narrowed lugs. Grand Seiko refers to this as the large-size movement and it is based on the smaller 9S65, both have 72 hours of power reserve. The 9S68 movement ticks at 28,800vph with 35 jewels. Seiko holds themselves to a higher standard, still hoping to overtake the Swiss brands as they set out to do sixty years ago. It has a daily average deviation between -5 and +3 seconds.
The limited-edition of 1300 pieces Grand Seiko SBGR311 is an absolute beauty of a watch that is only worth buying if you are fond with the richly tessellated brown color dial. There are cheaper Seiko models and ones with more impressive components if you’re willing to spend a little more. It’s a bonus to be able to deal with all kind of watches while working here at Strapcode without having to pay for them. To this date, this was my second time to check out another Grand Seiko beauty from Seiko’s top collection, let alone to be able to try on one of them.
REFERENCE : SBGR311G
LIMITED EDITION OF 1300 PIECES
CASE
- Stainless steel
- Diameter 42mm × Length 47.9mm × Thickness 13.1mm
- Dual-curved sapphire
- Anti-reflective coating on inner surface
- Case back with lion emblem
- Screw case back
- Screw-down crown
- See-through case back
RESISTANCE
- Water resistance : 10 bar
- Magnetic resistance
MOVEMENT
- Caliber 9S68
- Movement Type : Automatic with manual winding capacity
- Power reserve : Approx. 72 hours(3 days)
- Accuracy : +5 to -3 seconds per day (when static) / +10 to -1 seconds per day (normal usage accuracy)
- 35 jewels
- Stop seconds hand function
FUNCTIONS
- Hours & Minutes
- Central Second
- Date
STRAP & BUCKLE
- Stainless Steel
- Perimeter of bracelet : 205mm
- Three-fold clasp with push button release
OTHER DETAILS
- Serial number engraved on the case back
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Written by Sam
Photo by Toni
@strapcode team
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