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Introducing Grand Seiko Remakes Their Ultimate Classic To Celebrate 110 Years of Japanese Wristwatches

In Brilliant Hard Titanium with a gorgeous urushi dial, Grand Seiko pulled out all the stops to commemorate a national milestone.

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What We Know

It was 1913, just one year after the death of Japan's Emperor Meiji and still in the early days of the Taishō era, when Kintaro Hattori, the founder of Seiko, would make a bold move that would change the company forever.  The "Laurel," Japan's first wristwatch, would set the company on the path to becoming a powerhouse of watchmaking worldwide. 

Ever a fan of anniversaries, Grand Seiko is bringing back another iteration of its own "First," collectors' nickname for the ref. 3180, Grand Seiko's first watch released back in 1960. The new SBGW295 celebrates the anniversary of the Laurel with "Brilliant Hard Titanium" and Grand Seiko's quintessential touch of Japanese craftsmanship. 

The Grand Seiko SBGW295 watch with gold accents

The watch uses the same framework as the 2020 regular-production releases of the GS "First" including the SBGW259, which was the first titanium case used for a vintage remake, made in a larger 38mm size, up from the original 35mm design from 1960. The same Brilliant Hard Titanium case is used here. As a reminder, this special alloy is brighter than traditional titanium (which often has a very matte color and finish), in turn creating a more dramatic from the Zaratsu-polishing we know and love from GS. The manually-wound Caliber 9S64 is the same as well, as is the sapphire case back. 

The 9S64 movement

The 9S64 movement.

As with a lot of Grand Seiko releases, it's the dial that makes the difference here. Urushi lacquer can be traced back to Japan's Jomon Period (13,100 BCE– 400 BCE), a gorgeous lacquer made with sap from the urushi tree found in Japan and China and used historically in a restrained form and befitting for a subtle watch like the GS "First". In this case, the lacquer is sourced solely from Japan and comes in a jet-black color thanks to the addition of iron. The dials, all hand-enameled by a master Japanese craftsman, have 24-karat gold indices and dial text, produced by slowly building up layers of enamel. Next, a gold powder called maki-e, which means "sprinkled picture," is applied over the raised enamel and then polished to the micron. Finally, the entire dial undergoes a special treatment to preserve it and prevent the color from changing over time.

On the topic of Japanese craftwork, the woven strap you see in the pictures is actually calf leather and fabric, made using a Japanese technique called yoroi-ori (armor weaving) that was once used for making samurai armor. Grand Seiko claims this gives the strap increased durability, but if it is too outside the box for your tastes, there's another traditional leather strap in the box, each pairing with the included titanium clasp with push button release.

The woven strap of the new Grand Seiko

The watch is available immediately from Grand Seiko boutiques and select retail partners in a limited edition of 500 for $13,800.

What We Think

I'm a Grand Seiko fan. Not a super-fan like the folks that attended the GS9 Collectors Summit I photographed last November, but I'm always excited to see the brand's new releases. "New" is the operative and somewhat flexible word here, however. Grand Seiko is meticulously iterative in its design approach, often choosing little flourishes instead of bold moves, and once the brand has its teeth in something good, it won't let go.

But nearly everything Grand Seiko does, they do fantastically, and that does include bold moves. The Constant-Force Tourbillon Kodo, for instance, is incredible. The SBGW263 with hand-engraved dial or the SBGZ001 with hand-engraved case are stunning examples of bold craftsmanship. And while the new SBGW295 with black urushi dial and gold maki-e markers might not have the same outside-the-box flair of those examples, nor a new case design, size, or even metal, it's one of my favorite Grand Seiko releases of at least the past year. Maybe it's not quite bold but this, my friends, is how you take something "old" and make it new again.

The new grand seiko urushi enameled dial

We've covered the history Grand Seiko "First" design in the past. Despite my love of small watches, brands know their market and I know our commenters and most buyers would have rejected a 35mm men's dress watch. The 38mm case is a solid and comfortable package with the right balance of heritage and modernity. Sure, the star is primarily the dial, but to dismiss this as just another dial in the GS stable would be a disservice to the watch. 

Even from the pictures, you can tell that the restrained and deep black urushi dial is a masterwork of craftsmanship. While master enamelers like Anita Porchet and Suzanne Rohr get their justly-deserved accolades for their work, it's fantastic to be reminded that people like urushi master Isshu Tamura in Kanazawa have quietly dedicated themselves to their own version of the same craft.

Enameling the grand seiko dial

Tamura at work.

Kanazawa, means "marsh of gold," and you couldn't come up with a more poetic name for the birthplace of these dials. On that jet-black marshy surface, the gold enameling almost looks like applied markers and text. The fact that this is all done layer-by-layer, all by hand, on a curved and unforgiving surface goes to show how much of a master Isshu Tamura truly is. I can imagine that owning one of his dials and looking at it closely every day would never cease to amaze me.

The dial of the grand seiko

Grand Seiko limited editions come pretty frequently and often go quite fast, sometimes leaving consternation in their wake as people feel the brand leans into FOMO. This watch, however, with the craftsmanship required on the dial is at a particularly expensive $13,800, a price which probably will make a lot of Grand Seiko fans balk. But to create even 500 of these dials must have been an arduous and expensive task so I can forgive such a great watch being relegated to such an expensive Limited Edition release. And yes, I will sit here with my own FOMO, just like a lot of you.


The Basics

Brand: Grand Seiko
Model: SBGW295

Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10.9mm
Case Material: Brilliant Hard Titanium
Dial Color: Black urushi lacquer
Indexes: Enameled gold
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Leather strap (two types) with three-fold Brilliant Hard Titanium clasp and push button release

The side profile of a Grand Seiko watch

The Movement

Caliber: 9S64
Functions: Hours, minutes, center-seconds
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 28,880vph
Jewels: 24
Additional Details: +5 to -3 seconds per day, see-through caseback, high-definition dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating


Pricing & Availability

Price:  $13,800
Availability: End of February, 2023
Limited Edition: Yes, 500 pieces

For more, click here.

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The Hodinkee Shop is an Authorized Retailer of Grand Seiko watches; explore our collection here.