Grand Seiko Heritage 44GS Spring Drive "Asaborake" white dial leather strap 40 mm

Grammar of Design

The "Grand Seiko Style" is also called the Grammar of Design. This style 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!

The iconic 44GS

In 1967, the Grand Seiko collection was enriched with a new watch destined to become one of its signature creations. It was the 44GS, the first watch to embody the Grand Seiko style that gave the brand its distinctive look and still inspires every new creation 55 years later. This hand-wound Spring Drive watch revives the spirit of the 44GS in a slim, elegant case.

On this reference SBGY011, the 44GS case comes in a diameter of 40 mm for 10.5 mm thick with a finish to match any Grand Seiko! Its dimensions have made a tapered model, which perfectly embodies the original spirit of this icon, while benefiting from a lower center of gravity, for an extremely comfortable wear.

A surprising dial!

The delicately textured white dial of this timepiece evokes "Asaborake," the brief moment at dawn when light penetrates the morning mist and begins to reveal the mountainous landscape of Shinshu, where all Grand Seiko watches with a Spring Drive movement are manufactured. Its texture catches the light in all directions and recreates a delicate glow. In addition, a golden blued steel second hand glides silently across the large dial with the Spring Drive movement, reflecting the true nature of time.

The minute and second hands are hand-fashioned and slightly curved toward the graduations at the edge of the dial, allowing the time to be read with extreme precision. The indexes are applied and diamond-cut to create a surprisingly reflective and highly legible surface. The watch has a black crocodile leather strap mounted on a folding clasp.

An exceptional mechanical design

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 its exposed rubies, blued screws and diamond-cut beveled bridges. Precisely, this 9R31 features a unique bridge with a brushed finish. Similar to the 3/4 plates used in German watchmaking, 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 plant of Seiko Epson Corporation.