If you look at the Grand Seiko collection, you can highlight one watch that has always been among our favorites at WatchTested, a restrained piece that can be interpreted as a Japanese Calatrava, a watch that will stay here, disarmingly simple manual-wind watch SBGW231. Compact, elegant, simple yet detailed, equipped with a magnificent movement, they are the best 'sleeper' in the brand's collection. And we know for sure that Grand Seiko's president in Europe, Frédéric Bondoux, shares the same feelings. So, when he decided to create a watch exclusive to the Old Continent, it was these watches that were chosen to create the Grand Seiko Elegance European Editions SBGW267 and SBGW269 with dials (of course) inspired by Japanese culture.
In most of Grand Seiko's creations, there is a genuine Japanese influence, not only in the production process. Most of the brand's watches are influenced by local nature, architecture, or classic elements of Nippon culture. And these new watches released exclusively for the European market are no exception. Although these watches are based on the well-known hand-wound dress watch reference SBGW231, the dials developed for them are directly inspired by the brand's Paris flagship boutique, which itself is a fascinating journey into Japan.
The use of shade and light is an important element of Japanese architecture, where the beauty of shadow is celebrated in spaces and corners. Due to the island's specific climate, Japanese buildings, often made of wood, would not last long if exposed directly to the elements. To protect wooden structures, roofs with overhanging eaves, reaching two to three meters, were built. As a result, only horizontally penetrating light under the eaves could illuminate the interiors, and many areas within these buildings were immersed in shadow. To combat this effect, a classic element of Japanese architecture was used. Known as shoji, this movable paper screen is placed where it can diffuse light to achieve maximum artistic effect. Shoji is made by covering a wooden lattice with traditional Japanese paper called washi and is used for windows, doors, and even exterior walls.
At the heart of the new Grand Seiko Elegance European Editions SBGW267 and SBGW269 is a textured dial inspired by the texture of shoji paper with a graphic pattern that brings the dial to life. In line with the brand's motto, 'The Nature of Time', these two watches feature this textured pattern. However, being applied to two completely different colors, the result is two completely different watches.
The first of the two models, SBGW269, is dedicated to Yukage, 'the faint orange light of twilight that is absorbed by the shoji, filling the room with warmth'. The watch has a dark brown color that contrasts well with the polished elements of the dial. This color is quite difficult to convey in metal. The other model, SBGW267, is bright and relates to Asakage, 'the dazzling morning sunlight that is absorbed by the shoji and gently illuminates the entire room'. This means a warm silver color that reveals the rich fibrous texture of the shoji pattern.
In the SBGW267 and SBGW269 models, the dial is curved and creates a slight gradient effect - this is merely a play of light, not a result of color degradation. To make these models slightly more appealing and a bit less classic than the SBGW231, the brand chose a casual-style calf leather strap instead of the formal black alligator leather strap fitted to the base model.
FAMILIAR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Excluding these design elements from the equation, the Grand Seiko Elegance European Editions SBGW267 and SBGW269 are identical to the model presented in the permanent collection. And we are very pleased with this decision. As mentioned, the SBGW231 model, which served as the basis, is a true sleeper element of the collection, but a watch that has much to offer.
For example, these are compact and elegant watches, but not too thin or tuxedo-like. They have charm and characteristic elements. The case diameter is only 37.3 mm with a height of 11.6 mm. Its design is elegant, but some elements remind us that behind every GS watch there is always great attention to detail. The bezel is slightly curved, the lugs are short and quite sturdy, but have beautiful bevels on each side - in the same spirit as the GMT SBGM221 - and the case combines sharp angles with rounded surfaces, making the distortion-free polishing of the case only more attractive.
Typical of Grand Seiko products, the dials feature ultra-thin, faceted, and perfectly polished hands and applied indices, contributing to very pleasant readability in daylight. There is also a beautifully executed applied GS logo, and... that's all. No date, no mention of the number of jewels, no sub-dial typology. Just a pure dial focused on its color and texture.
Under the sapphire caseback lies the Grand Seiko 9S64 caliber, a thin hand-wound movement introduced in the Grand Seiko line in 2011. One of the few hand-wound GS movements, it pays homage to its 1960 predecessor (caliber 3180, hand-wound, 25 jewels, chronometer class). The movement is capable of providing a 3-day (72 hours) power reserve thanks to a thinner and longer mainspring made of Seiko's proprietary alloy. These watches are regulated in 6 positions, and their timekeeping accuracy is from -3 to +5 seconds per day. The watches also feature a stop-seconds function. The bridges are adorned with Grand Seiko stripes, which effectively play with the surrounding light.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
Grand Seiko Elegance SBGW267 and SBGW269 will be available only in Europe at Grand Seiko boutiques and retail stores in Europe from October 2021. They will cost 4,800 EUR and will not be limited in production.
For more detailed information, visit www.grand-seiko.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – GRAND SEIKO ELEGANCE EUROPEAN EDITIONS SBGW267 & SBGW269
Case: 37.3 mm diameter x 11.6 mm height – stainless steel case, Zaratsu polishing – box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating – screw-down caseback with sapphire crystal and etched Grand Seiko logo – water resistance 30 m
Dial: curved dial with fibrous 'washi' pattern – available in warm silver (SBGW267) or dark brown (SBGW269) – polished and faceted hands – applied indices
Movement: Grand Seiko 9S64 caliber – hand-wound – 28,800 vph – 72-hour power reserve – regulation in 6 positions – accuracy from -3 to +5 seconds per day – 24 jewels – stop-seconds function – hours, minutes, and central seconds
Strap: calf leather strap, light or dark brown, with matching stitching – steel pin buckle
References: SBGW267 silver
SBGW269 brown
Availability: unlimited – available at Grand Seiko boutiques and retail stores in Europe in October 2021
Price: 4,800 EUR