Released in 2015, fifty-five limited edition, steel
Grand Seiko box sets were made to celebrate the 55th anniversary of
Grand Seiko. Fifty sets were kept for domestic sale, each with uniform silver dials and steel cases (for the complete edition). The set includes a 2016
62GS, 2013
44GS and a 2014
“Self-Dater”.
Starting with the latter, the 2014
“Self-Dater” pays homage to the original reference (from 1964), with similar proportions and distinctive case styling. The radial-brushed dial is classically understated, balancing the inclusion of an outer-minute track perfectly. The crown is also inspired by the original. At its heart, the
“Self-Dater” boasts one of the most advanced quartz movements ever produced, the
Grand Seiko 9F. The movement is accurate within 10 seconds a year (owing to thermo-compensation), with a high torque motor and adjustment screw for regulation, accounting for quartz drift.
The 2013
44GS, similarly, harks back to one of
Grand Seiko's most historical references, the 1967
44GS. The original concept focused heavily on the case, replicated in this 2013 version. Its execution is arguably unique to
Grand Seiko, with multiple polished angles throughout. The 2013
44GS is completely faithful to the original, with a 37.9mm case. It also holds the
Grand Seiko seal on the case-back, just like the 60s model. Like the above mentioned
“Self-Dater”, it displays three hands - hours, minutes, and centre-seconds for the time. Overall, the dial layout is clean, with the highly-polished, steel hands visible in a variety of lighting conditions, forgoing the need for luminous material. Inside, is the manually-wound
Grand Seiko 9S64, with a frequency of 4hz and power-reserve of 72 hours.
Rounding-off the collection, the
Grand Seiko 2016
62GS recreates the original
62GS, from 1967. Seiko announced the
62GS Historical Collection at
Baselworld, 2015, to mark the 55th anniversary of
Grand Seiko. The
62GS was the fourth
Seiko historical recreation, after the
Self-Dater and
44GS.
The distinctive, bezel-free case is slightly larger than the original (at 37.6mm), to accommodate its larger movement. It has a box-shaped sapphire crystal resting directly onto the case, with faceted lugs and polished surfaces throughout. The case is finished with the
zaratsu technique (also used for Japanese swords). Like the original, the 2015
62GS displays the crown at 4 o’clock. This feature was originally designed to indicate automatic-winding, additionally serving as a reminder to keep the watch wound on the wrist, while rendering the crown less obtrusive. The
Grand Seiko emblem on the case-back is taken from the original, and differs slightly from the current logo, seen on modern
Grand Seiko watches. The buckle is also “vintage” style. It comes equipped with
9S65 movement, with 3-day power-reserve and -3 to +5 seconds per day rating, which is the
Grand Seiko standard.
This limited edition,
Grand Seiko steel set comes complete with its original
Grand Seiko box, paperwork, warranty card and
Guarantee Repair Coupon. Each is fitted to their respective, original gloss-black strap and steel
Grand Seiko buckle.
Until recently,
Grand Seiko watches were a
Seiko sub-brand (featuring the
Seiko logo at 12 o’clock and
“Grand Seiko” at 6). In 2017,
Seiko announced its decision to present
Grand Seiko as an independent brand, with only
"Grand Seiko” visible on the dial. This limited edition, steel box set therefore represents an excellent opportunity to acquire three limited edition,
Grand Seiko pieces, with original inspired design.
Viewings can be arranged in Central London by appointment.
