Grand Seiko has released two new models to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spring Drive movement Cal. 9R!

Grand Seiko has announced two limited edition models to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the birth of the Cal. 9R. These models are part of the Heritage Collection and the Sports Collection, respectively, and feature designs inspired by the Hotaka mountain range as seen from the Shinshu Toki no Takumi Kobo (Time Master Workshop).

Limited edition model commemorating the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko's "Third Movement"

　Spring Drive is an ingenious movement that combines the powerful torque of a mechanical watch with the high precision of a quartz watch, thanks to its mainspring power source and a speed-regulating mechanism using an IC and quartz oscillator. Seiko began developing Spring Drive in the late 1970s and commercialized it in 1999. Five years later, in 2004, they created the Cal. 9R Spring Drive movement exclusively for Grand Seiko, marking the culmination of their longstanding passion for this unique movement.

　This year marks the 20th anniversary of the birth of the Cal. 9R, and Grand Seiko has announced two limited edition models from the Heritage Collection and the Sports Collection.

The Heritage Collection depicts the snowy fields of the Hotaka mountain range bathed in the morning glow.

　The Ref. SBGA211, part of the Heritage Collection, follows the design of Grand Seiko's first Spring Drive-equipped watches, the SBGA001 and SBGA003. It features classic Grand Seiko design elements, such as clean case lines and sharp hour and minute hands and indexes.

　One notable feature is the pale red dial. This color represents the snowy fields of the Hotaka mountain range, as seen in the morning glow from the Shinshu Toki no Takumi Atelier, where the Spring Drive movement is made. The delicate pattern is inspired by the wind-blown patterns that emerge on a snowy field.

　The case and bracelet are made of bright titanium, which is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing.

　The movement is the Cal. 9R65, which was introduced as a Spring Drive movement exclusively for Grand Seiko in 2004. It is still used in various models today and boasts a highly practical automatic winding mechanism and a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.

The "Sports Collection" expresses the summer morning glow, revealing the rocky surface of the Hotaka mountain range.

　The Sports Collection includes the Ref. SBGE305, which boasts a functional design suitable for active scenes, including a sturdy stainless steel case that is water resistant to 20 bar, a ceramic bezel, and a crown at 4 o'clock that prevents interference with the wrist.

　The dial of this model is colored dark red. The combination of the black bezel and the red dial evokes the vivid summer morning glow that reveals the rugged rock faces of the Hotaka mountain range.

　The case and bracelet are primarily satin-finished, with polished accents added in various places to give the watch the refined look that is characteristic of Grand Seiko.The lustrous bezel is made of zirconia ceramic, which is known for its particularly high strength and toughness among fine ceramics.

　The Cal. 9R66 movement has a power reserve of approximately 72 hours and is equipped with a GMT function. In this model, a second time zone can be read using the silver-colored GMT hand and the numerals on the bezel or flange.

　The Ref. SBGA211 is limited to 1,500 units worldwide, of which 650 will be sold in Japan. The Ref. SBGE305 is limited to 1,300 units worldwide, of which 600 will be sold in Japan.