In 2021, Grand Seiko introduced a high-beat watch inspired by the slender and beautiful white birch trees of the Hiraniwa Plateau in northern Japan. This timepiece was warmly praised by watch fans worldwide for its intricately textured dial and for the revolutionary Caliber 9SA5 that powered it. Its wide acclaim culminated in its selection as the winner of the Men’s Watch prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Today, a new creation powered by the latest and finest Spring Drive Caliber 9RA2 captures the atmosphere of a white birch forest but in a subtly new way that echoes the feeling of the forests
of Shinshu, home to the studio where all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches are made. The watch will be available at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retail stores worldwide in February 2022.
The organic texture of the dial and the continuous glide motion of the seconds hand unite nature and time in harmony.
The craftsmanship is evident in every detail. The delicately textured dial and the tempered blue seconds hand reveal an artistry that is matched by the ‘frost’ finishing of the movement, whose beauty is clearly visible through the sapphire case back. To watch the completely smooth glide motion of the seconds hand as it moves serenely across the subtly patterned dial is to be brought closer than ever to the tranquil, seamless and natural flow of time.
The ‘frost’ finish of the movement captures the feel of the Shinshu region in winter.
The delicate texture of the movement’s finish reflects the frost that winter brings to the trees in Shinshu. The bridge lines and hole edges are diamond-cut to reflect light from all angles and the jewels and the tempered blue power reserve indicator add a quiet sparkle that is a delight to behold. Caliber 9RA2 delivers a power reserve of up to 120 hours and is accurate to ±10 seconds per
month.
The watch’s design is true to the Grand Seiko Style defined back in 1967 with the celebrated 44GS. However, it also announces an important step forward in Grand Seiko design. To be known as the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Style, this new grammar of design takes Grand Seiko’s ideals of beauty, legibility and wearing comfort to new levels. Its Zaratsu polished, distortion-free mirror finish and delicate hairline finish alternate to give the case a quiet and harmonious glow. Its powerful hands and grooved, prominent markers ensure perfect legibility. The case’s center of gravity is lower, and the bracelet has just the right width and depth to ensure that the watch sits easily and securely on the wrist.
The Evolution 9 Style covers every aspect of the watch’s design and these three principles find expression in nine design elements, all of which can be further explored here: https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-en/special/evolution9style/
The ‘White Birch’ timepieces, both high-beat and Spring Drive, form the new Evolution 9 Collection starting in February 2022.
The dials of the hi-beat watch (left) introduced in March 2021 and the new Spring Drive creation (right) offer different interpretations of the white birch tree forest and will both be part of the new Evolution 9 Collection.
