Grand Seiko's "Evolution 9 Collection Spring Drive UFA Model SLGB003" has won the "Best of the Best" award, the highest honor in the product design category of the 2026 Red Dot Design Awards. It was recognized for its refined craftsmanship and beauty rooted in nature.
The latest model, a fusion of Japanese aesthetics and watchmaking technology, has won the top prize!
Grand Seiko's "Evolution 9 Collection Spring Drive UFA Model SLGB003" has won the "Best of the Best" award, the highest honor in the product design category of the 2026 Red Dot Design Award. The Red Dot Design Award, which has been held since 1955, is a globally prestigious design award organized by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, based in Essen, Germany, and consists of 52 categories. Entries are judged on nine criteria, including design innovation, ergonomics, functionality, durability, and ecology, and the "Best of the Best" award that Grand Seiko has received is the highest honor.
This high-precision Spring Drive model was announced as a new release for 2025. Following the "Evolution 9 style," it features a compact 37mm diameter case. It has an automatic Spring Drive movement (Cal. 9RB2), 34 jewels, and a power reserve of approximately 72 hours. It boasts a bright titanium case (37mm diameter, 11.4mm thickness) and 10 ATM water resistance. Price: ¥1,518,000 (including tax).
The award-winning SLGB003 is a high-precision Spring Drive model released in 2025. It is equipped with the Cal.9RB2 movement, which boasts the world's best accuracy of ±20 seconds per year for a spring-driven wristwatch, and the letters UFA (Ultra Fine Accuracy) are placed at the 6 o'clock position to indicate this.
The compact 37mm diameter case and bracelet, both adhering to the unique "Evolution 9 Style" design language, utilize bright titanium, which is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and scratch-resistant, ensuring comfortable wear. The dial features a stamped pattern and coloring inspired by the frost-covered trees that appear in the depths of winter near the "Shinshu Time Craftsman Workshop" within Seiko Epson's Shiojiri Plant, the manufacturing base for Grand Seiko's Spring Drive models.
The judges' comments were as follows: "This watch, rooted in Japanese aesthetics, expresses the balance of light and shadow through the interplay of mirror polishing and hairline finishes achieved by Zaratsu polishing. The dial, inspired by a winter forest, is layered to create poetic depth, and the small Spring Drive movement "Caliber 9RB2" ensures exceptional precision. All of these elements come together to express the refined craftsmanship and nature-rooted beauty that is unique to the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection Spring Drive UFA SLGB003."
The designer in charge commented, "We aimed for a design that would convey the functional value of 'unprecedented precision' not only through specifications but also through appearance. To achieve this, the challenge of a smaller size was a natural approach. By pushing the processing and finishing precision of each component, we have achieved both miniaturization and thinning of the case itself while ensuring texture and functionality. Furthermore, the distinctive dial pattern, which creates a sense of depth through multi-layer finishing, was inspired by the frost-covered trees that spread across the Kirigamine Plateau near our workshop. We have tried to express the serene and refined worldview of the frost-covered trees and embody the unique value of the Spring Drive UFA, which is characterized by high precision and silent hand movement." This comment emphasized the aim of harmonizing the high-precision movement with the design.
