Grand Seiko has added another new addition to the Heritage Collection to commemorate the 55th anniversary of its historic model 44GS. Despite the flood of new 44GS this year, the all-new dial design catches the eye.
With a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of 11.7mm, the case is made of Ever Brilliant Steel, a steel alloy independently developed by Grand Seiko. Previously, two limited editions of the Heritage Collection 44GS 55th Anniversary – Spring Drive version (SLGA013) & Hi-Beat version (SLGH009) – were first introduced, and then they are expanding. Ever brilliant steel has superior durability compared to 316L steel, which is generally used as an exterior material for luxury watches, has a brighter white tone when continuously polished, and has a pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN) of 1.7 times compared to general steel. The brand emphasizes that it boasts excellent corrosion resistance due to its high degree of precision.
All Ever Brilliant Steel is used, from the case to the bracelet, and it has been finished with the Zaratsu Polishing technique that Grand Seiko is proud of.replica watches
A sharp and sharp case reminiscent of the katana, a traditional Japanese sword, lugs that are beveled outward and polished like a mirror, and curved lines that run from the thin round bezel to the case, etc. Designer Taro Tanaka in 1967 It inherits the characteristic case design of the original 44GS that was born at the fingertips of . And the irregular texture of the dial with a very light blue tone completes the character of the watch. As you can see from the enlarged image, it was inspired by snow crystals. It is said that the dial reproduces the feeling when the snow on the top of Mt. Iwate facing the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, the cradle of the mechanical Grand Seiko model, begins to melt in the spring sun. As those who are more serious than ever in the storytelling of dial making, they continue to research new dial designs.
The movement debuted last year and is a high-beat model (aka birch wood dial) that won the ‘Best of the Best’, the highest award in the product design category, at the prestigious Red Dot Design Award 2022 this year. ) Equipped with the next-generation hi-bit automatic caliber 9SA5 with the same 80-hour power reserve as the SLGH005. The 9SA5 caliber introduces a new type of Dual Impulse Escapement that improves upon the traditional Swiss lever escapement while sharing the signature design of Grand Seiko Hi-Beat at 10 vibrations per second (36,000 vph), not only the pallet fork but also the escape wheel. Energy efficiency is improved by transferring power directly from the to the balance. Escapement-related parts are processed very precisely with an error precision of 1/1,000mm by applying advanced semiconductor wafer manufacturing technology called MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System, Precision Electronic Control Technology), just like the existing Grand Seiko escapement parts.
In addition, the completely newly developed free-sprung balance and overcoil-type hairspring are installed instead of the conventional flat hairspring to ensure high isochronism. The double barrel design is applied to increase the power reserve performance, and the thickness is 15% thinner than that of the existing Hi-Beat Caliber 9S85, contributing to a superior fit. You can enjoy the unique and beautiful movement through the sapphire crystal caseback, and its 4,800 amps (A/m) magnetic blocking and screw-down crown are water resistant to 100m to enhance practicality.
The new Heritage Collection 44GS Hi-Beat (Ref. SLGH013) is released as a regular model rather than a limited edition, and the retail price is set at 9,300 EUR in Europe. It will be available at selected Grand Seiko boutiques and official retail shops worldwide from October.