Grand Seiko - SBGD205

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Platinum / Shinshu

Case

Dial

Description

This model is a platinum cased Spring Drive jewelry watch whose design takes inspiration from the winter mornings in Shinshu, the area where this and every Grand Seiko Spring Drive watch is made.

Taking inspiration from the tiny ice crystals that shimmer on a cold, clear morning in the Shinshu region, the dial center has a "diamond dust" texture that creates a subtle sparkle and a unique beauty.

Carefully selected and tapered baguette diamonds and blue sapphires surround the dial as minute and hour markers, set over an 18k white gold base. The arrangement of the diamonds and sapphires side by side around the entire dial requires great dexterity; the gems are set between a very thin pair of rails with great precision by the most skilled of the jewelry craftsmen and women at the Shinshu Watch Studio.

The watch is powered by the manual-winding 8-Day Spring Drive Caliber 9R01 made by hand by the elite team of watchmakers at the Micro Artist Studio which has its home in the Shinshu Watch Studio.

The case is made of Platinum 950 and is finished with a form of Zaratsu polishing that is specially adapted for working with platinum to create the brilliant look that defines Grand Seiko.

Movement

Caliber 9R01 is a manual-wound movement based on Seiko's Spring Drive technology.

All Spring Drive movements already offer a remarkable 72 hours of power reserve, but this was extended for caliber 9R01. To maintain perfect timekeeping for up to eight days (192 hours) requires greatly increased power, which is provided by a linked series of three barrels. This remarkable caliber, 9R01, has also been designed throughout to maximize energy efficiency, reducing friction between parts that would otherwise lead to loss in the transmission of the energy derived from the mainspring.

Spring Drive is a unique watch technology. It generates energy like every other luxury mechanical watch but combines this with an electronic regulator to deliver a level of precision that no mechanical watch can match.
The development of Spring Drive was possible because Grand Seiko is one of the very few manufacturers with mastery of both electronic and mechanical watchmaking.

More watches using the Grand Seiko 9R01 caliber