The watch also celebrates its "made in Japan" roots (All photos: Grand Seiko)
Designed entirely from scratch, the Calibre 9S, which debuted in 1998, represented Grand Seiko’s never-ending pursuit of high accuracy and marked the beginning of a new age for the brand’s mechanical watchmaking.
Over the past 25 years, the original Calibre 9S has been developed into a full series of movements with different functions and become the platform on which Grand Seiko mechanical movements are built.
Grand Seiko is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first Calibre 9S with two new watches inspired by Mount Iwate, the brand’s home. Both have the same case design and diameter as the first watch that housed the 9S movement in 1998.
One of the models is graced with a silver dial whose texture and colour evoke the sight of the sea of clouds that cover Mount Iwate. This scene is only visible at daybreak when the air is so still and humid that dense clouds overlap to create a beautiful silvery-white sea.
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Through the clear sapphire crystal case back, the Grand Seiko emblem is easily visible, set into the titanium oscillating weight coloured to suggest the deep-blue sky above the sea of clouds that so often surrounds the mountain’s peak.
The second model features a blue dial, expressing the clear and broad sky seen from the top of the volcanic mountain. Its striking sunray finish reflects light from every angle, creating a stunning azure backdrop for the diamond-cut hour and minute hands and indices. The signature Grand Seiko blue colour is realised on the oscillating weight by the same anodic oxidation process and can be enjoyed through the sapphire crystal case back.
Both watches are limited to just 1,200 pieces each.
This article first appeared on Jan 30, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
