[New for 2022] Grand Seiko releases the 55th anniversary model of the "44GS" with a dial depicting a sea of ​​clouds

Grand Seiko has unveiled a limited edition model commemorating the 55th anniversary of the birth of the "44GS," the watch that established the brand's design grammar. The dial of this model, themed around the sea of ​​clouds in Shinshu, features a unique embossed pattern and is equipped with a high-precision movement with an annual accuracy of just ±5 seconds. It will be released on Friday, July 8, 2022, with a limited run of 2000 pieces.

The beautiful sea of ​​clouds seen in Shinshu is reproduced on the dial

　Grand Seiko has unveiled the new "Heritage Collection 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition Quartz Special Precision Model" SBGP017, a limited edition model celebrating the 55th anniversary of the birth of the "44GS" which was released in 1967.

　The 44GS, the origin of this work, established the "Seiko style" and is an important masterpiece for the brand. It is a design grammar that aimed to create a brilliant watch, conceived to give Grand Seiko, which was born with the aim of achieving the pinnacle of precision, an appearance that could be proudly presented around the world as a luxury watch.

　The foundation of the Seiko style is Japanese aesthetics. It is a design that is made possible by the advanced techniques of artisans, including a unique design grammar based on polished, distortion-free flat surfaces and "Zaratsu polishing," which polishes the surface to a smooth, beautiful surface.

　The most eye-catching feature of this piece is the dial, which is inspired by a sea of ​​clouds. In Shinshu, where the Shinshu Toki no Takumi Kobo, which manufactures Grand Seiko quartz models, is located, a magnificent sea of ​​clouds can be seen in the early morning when various weather conditions come together.

　The motif is a beautiful yet fleeting scene that appears and then disappears, and the dial combines a light blue with a stamped pattern reminiscent of overlapping clouds to express a fleeting scene. The blue second hand ticks away the seconds as it flows over a sea of ​​clouds.

　This model is also equipped with a specially designed quartz movement, the caliber 9F85, which has a standard timekeeping accuracy of ±10 seconds per year, but which has been refined to ±5 seconds per year. As proof of this, a gold-colored five-pointed star shines at the 6 o'clock position on the dial.