The tide that is Grand Seiko’s popularity continues to rise, and the Japanese brand’s 2024 collection at Watches & Wonders sees no change in this trend.
Grand Seiko’s connection to nature is still a continual source of inspiration for some seriously textural dials, paired with some of the most technically impressive (and precise) movements in the business right now, and that’s very much in evidence with Grand Seiko’s 2024 releases.
Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection
One pair of watches that encapsulates the duality of Grand Seiko is the SLGW002 and SLGW003. With slender 38.6mm cases in rose gold of Brilliant Hard Titanium, this pair of dressy watches stands out from the pack thanks to the exceptional, finely textured ‘white birch’ dials, which see the bark-like grain running across the dial horizontally, adding texture and dynamism.
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Add to this Grand Seiko’s famously legible hand design, and these are some seriously stylish new additions to the collection.
But it’s what’s going on behind that white birch that’s really noteworthy here. The 9SA4 is a brand new mechanical, manually wound movement, packed with the brand’s latest innovations and user-friendly features, like the dual impulse escapement, free-sprung balance, twin barrels (for a total of 80 hours power reserve), and a power reserve indicator on the case back.
That’s a fairly wordy way of saying this is a very nice movement indeed, making either of these dressy Grand Seiko’s exceptional options.
Grand Seiko Sport Collection GMT “Snow Valley”
Of course, Grand Seiko hasn’t forgotten that some people like their watches a little chunkier, and there’s a pair of GMTs that offer the obligatory exceptional dial-in sportier packages. First up is the SBGJ277 ‘Snow Valley’, a 44.2mm steel GMT with a textured dial named ‘Sekki’ — or snow valley in Japanese.
The GMT details are picked out in green, adding a fresh edge to this sporty travel watch, powered by the automatic 9S86 movement.
Grand Seiko Sport Collection Automatic Spring Drive 3-Day GMT
The SBGE307 offers a more angular take on the travel watch formula. Here, the 44.5 mm case is made of titanium, and the champagne dial is inspired by the shining mane of a lion in sunlight. This bigger watch is also a little less colourful, with a black bezel 24-hour bezel and bright red GMT hand. It’s also powered by Grand Seiko’s proprietary (and exceptionally accurate) Spring Drive movement — the calibre 9R66.
These four watches represent a mere fraction of Grand Seiko’s 2024 collection, but they really encapsulate the spirit of the brand: a distinctive and evolved design language, exemplified by some of the best dials in the business, all utilising mature and sophisticated movements that are best in class.