Grand Seiko Heritage 44GS "Niishikigoi" mechanical red dial leather strap 36,5 mm

The story

In 1967, the Grand Seiko collection was enriched by a new creation, the 44GS, which would become iconic. This 44GS, destined to embody the distinctive Grand Seiko style, applied a set of 9 design principles, grouped together in a “grammar of design”, which, 55 years later, still inspire every new creation. This timepiece is no exception, and in turn expresses the Grand Seiko style. On this model, the reduced proportions are a nod to the original 1967 model

Grammar of Design

The “Grand Seiko Style” is also known as the Grammar of Design. This stylistic code was conceived by the first designer hired by the Seiko brand, the Japanese Taro Tanaka. He wanted Seiko watches to stand out in the shop window alongside their Swiss competitors. To achieve this, he drew up a list of fundamental 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 case facets are hand-polished in the Zaratsu style to create distortion-free surfaces, allowing the case edges to be sharp and precise. The hands and hour markers are also diamond-cut to ensure excellent legibility, even in low ambient light conditions. The dials are clear and easy to read. And it's thanks to all these elements, that you can recognize a Grand Seiko!

“Nishikigoi” inspiration

This Grand Seiko is inspired by the “Nishikigoi”, the iridescent carp inseparable from the “Chisen Teien”. Emblems of the country's own aesthetic, Japanese gardens harmoniously integrate the beauty of nature into everyday life, bringing to the fore the perpetual cycle of the seasons. The Nishikigoi, or iridescent Japanese carp fish, is the inspiration for this limited-edition European watch. It is an essential natural element of the pond needed to create a unique Chisen Teien or Japanese garden. Originating in the 9th century as a pastime for the aristocracy, watching ornamental carp in the “Chisen Teien” is a soothing practice that has lost none of its appeal. Today, these colorful carp, which enjoy worldwide popularity, are often referred to as “living jewels”. With its black strap, bright red dial and silvered stainless steel case with gold detailing for the logo and seconds hand, the color palette of the SBGW321 recalls the nuances of the Japanese Koi carp. On the dial, a radial spiral pattern extends from the center outwards, evoking the glistening scales of a carp illuminated by the sun's reflections on the surface of the pond.

The slenderness of the hand-wound caliber 9S64 offers a comfortable and elegant seat on the wrist. This watch is topped by a box-shaped, sapphire crystal, giving it an aesthetic that is both modern and vintage-inspired.

A manufacture caliber

At the heart of this watch is the manufacture caliber 9S64. This is one of the lion brand's rare hand-wound mechanical movements, and one of Shizukuishi's jewels in the crown. Offering a comfortable power reserve of around three days (72 hours) when fully wound, it is stable and precise at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. As Grand Seiko's chronometric standards are more stringent than those of the COSC, the movement has been adjusted to 6 positions over 17 days, and guarantees a precision of -3 to +5 seconds per day.

For your information, this hand-wound caliber features a sliding flange, allowing it to wind its mainspring ad infinitum, without risk of damage.

In brief:

• A limited edition of 300, only available in Europe
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• An ideal diameter of 36.5 mm
• Iconic GS design