Grand Seiko Heritage 44GS Spring Drive 55th Anniversary "Tsuki Tenshin" blue dial leather strap 40 mm

Grammar of Design

The "Grand Seiko Style" is also called Grammar of Design. This stylistic code was conceived by the first designer hired by the Seiko brand, the Japanese Taro Tanaka. He wanted to make Seiko watches stand out in the window next to the Swiss competitors. To achieve this, he drew up a list of basic rules to follow, expressing simplicity, purity and practicality. The use of light and its reflection is one of the main rules, which is why the facets of the case are hand polished in the Zaratsu style to create distortion-free surfaces, allowing the edges of the case to be sharp and precise. The hands and hour markers are also diamond-cut to provide great readability, even in low ambient light. The dials are clear and easy to read. And it is thanks to all these elements that you can recognize a Grand Seiko!

An anniversary model

2022 marks the 55th anniversary of the 44GS, the watch that established the design code known as the Grand Seiko style. In commemoration of this founding timepiece, Grand Seiko presents the 44GS 55th Anniversary reference SBGY009. Powered by the Spring Drive caliber 9R31, this SBGY009 features a slimmer 44GS case and a dark blue sunray dial inspired by tsuki tenshin, the moment when the full moon is at its highest point in the Shinshu sky.

It was in 2013 that Grand Seiko introduced the modern interpretation of the 44GS style, adapting the historic model to meet contemporary sensibilities. In 2017, this modern case of the 44GS had been used for the first time, with the Spring Drive 9R15 automatic caliber with a 3-day power reserve. This was a 750 thousandth gold case and bracelet exclusive to Japan, while steel models were later introduced in 2018 to the global market. With this reference SBGY009, the modern design of the 44GS is once again used, this time made slimmer thanks to the Spring Drive 9R31 thin manual winding caliber. A first for this model!

A surprising dial!

The dial is a deep blue that captures the enchanting beauty of the full moon illuminating the night sky above the Shinshu Mountains, mountains that can be seen from the studio where this and all other Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches are created. Its sunburst pattern catches the light in all directions and recreates the delicate glow that the moon casts on the landscape when it is at its zenith. In addition, a gold-tone seconds hand glides silently across the large dial thanks to the Spring Drive movement, capturing the splendor of the sky, bringing the wearer closer to the calm and unchanging nature of time passing.

The minute and second hands are hand-crafted and gently curved towards the graduations at the edge of the dial, allowing the time to be read with extreme precision. The watch has a dark blue crocodile leather strap, in perfect harmony with the color of the dial.

An exceptional mechanism

This 44GS watch is powered by an exceptional caliber, the 9R31! Unveiled in 2019 alongside the 9R02 caliber that is produced by Micro Artist Studio, the 9R31 commemorated the 20th anniversary of Spring Drive. This slim, high-performance movement features a double barrel structure, which allows the moment to be compact and offer a larger 72-hour power reserve.

This movement is beautifully decorated, with exposed rubies, blued screws and diamond-cut beveled bridges. This 9R31 has a unique brushed finish bridge. Similar to the 3/4 plates used by German watchmakers, this construction is perfect for maintaining high shock resistance and improving the efficiency of the gear train. In total, the caliber 9R31 has over 200 components and is the second thinnest Grand Seiko Spring Drive caliber after the caliber 9R02. It is produced by the Shinshu Watch Studio, located in the Shiojiri factory of Seiko Epson Corporation.

This watch is available in a limited edition of 1,500 pieces, and features an individual serial number and the inscription "Limited Edition" engraved on the case back.