Inspired by springtime in northern Japan, Grand Seiko debuts the 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition.

Revered for their precise mechanical movements, the beauty of Grand Seiko SBGW289 with its delicate pink dial cannot be overlooked. PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAND SEIKO
Revered for their precise mechanical movements, the beauty of Grand Seiko SBGW289 with its delicate pink dial cannot be overlooked.

For Grand Seiko, it all started with the 44GS. In 1967, it was the first timepiece that completely embodied the “Grand Seiko style”—a set of nine principles that curates Grand Seiko’s distinctive look and continues to inspire new creations. Now, 55 years aft er the first launch, the brand pays homage to the 44GS design with the debut of the limited-edition manual-winding watch with a unique dial inspired by springtime in northern Japan, the place where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are made. “The new Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition is a very exciting watch for us,” says Brice Le Troadec, president of Grand Seiko Corporation of America. “This modern interpretation, with its delicate pink dial and easy-to-wear 36.5 mm case, commemorates a significant milestone in the storied history of the Japanese luxury watch manufacturer.”

One of the most ephemeral sights of a spring in northern Japan is sakura-kakushi—a fleeting moment when snow and cherry blossoms find a way to perfectly align and coexist in nature. Capturing that moment, the dial seamlessly blends a delicate pink with a slight silver hue to embody the brief time where the flowers peek through the melting snow. Completing the look, the 36.5 mm profile is accompanied by the manual-winding Caliber 9S64, box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating and a stainless-steel case and bracelet. Staying true to the sharp angles and flat surfaces of the original 44GS, the bezel, indexes and hands are slender to match the case design, developing a fresh take to the classic Grand Seiko look. As for the movement? Craft smen and women in the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi assembled it by hand, and the case is also Zaratsu-polished by hand to establish a distortion-free surface. As part of the Heritage Collection with a limited release of only 1,200 timepieces, the finished product of this endeavor is as impressive as its inspired transient moment in nature and time.