Japanese metalwork art has uniquely evolved to meet the needs of the times, sometimes for Japanese swords and other times for tea utensils. In a sense, “Kanagasane,” a tea caddy by Seikichi Hasegawa, can be considered one of its culminations. By applying traditional metal engraving techniques such as “Ke-bori,” “Nanako,” “Zogan,” and “Sukashi” to three different metals—silver, cop-per, and brass—and layering them, he achieved an effect never seen before. The precise overlapping of geometric metal shapes in exquisite balance is reminis-cent of the beauty of the gear train within the Spring Drive movement of the SBGA499.
Grand Seiko’s Caliber 9R Spring Drive celebrates its 20th anniversary with a limited edition featuring an impressive red dial. The Hotaka mountain range, which can be seen from the Shinshu Watch Studio, the birthplace of Caliber 9R, becomes a vivid red with autumn leaves in the fall. This limited edition captures the scene of brilliant autumn mountains with morning sunlight. It does so by combining the red dial with the rose gold color of the GS logo and the copper-pink hue of the power-reserve indicator. The classical exterior components—such as the box-shaped sapphire crystal, the Zaratsu-polished lugs with gently curved lines, and three-dimensional hands with diamond-cut surfaces—further enhance the dial color.
Photography = Naohiro Tsukada
Text = Natsuki Ando
