BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Grand Seiko continues its 60th-anniversary celebrations by adding more special releases to its catalog. A short while back we looked at the high beat reference SBGH281 and here we are today with the new SBGR321. This watch features a blue sunburst dial that attempts to re-create the beauty of the sky during sunrise at Mt. Iwate.
The dial of the SBGR321 is inspired by the beautiful scenery at Mt. Iwate that can be witnessed at the break of dawn. The deep blue sunburst dial mimics the color of the sky at Mt. Iwate at dawn, whereas the red tip of the seconds hand mirrors the hue of the early morning sun. The layout is typical Grand Seiko with applied and highly faceted markers used for hours, a nicely bordered date display at 3, razor-sharp sword-style hands for hour and minutes, and a red-tipped stick style seconds hand. Overall, the dial is well executed with a heavy focus on legibility.
Like the case, the dial also reflects the Gand Seiko design DNA. Crafted from stainless steel the case measures a modest 40mm in diameter and has a thickness of around 13mm. Finely brushed surfaces combined with Zaratsu polished mirror-like surfaces make for a case that exudes a sense of luxury and plays extremely well with the light. There is a sapphire crystal on the front as well as the back, and the case is also water-resistant to a healthy 100 meters that is ensured with the help of the threaded crown at 3. One intriguing detail on the case is the use of drilled lug holes, which makes swapping straps a breeze.
Under the hood of the SBGR321 is Grand Seiko’s in-house caliber 9S65. This is an automatic movement that operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of around 72 hours. The movement is highly accurate and has been finely regulated to stay within a deviation range of -3 to +5 seconds. The movement has been nicely decorated and can be appreciated through the sapphire case back. features a distinctive blue oscillating weight, the color of which is achieved through an anodic oxidation process, wherein metals are subjected to electrolysis to generate an oxide film that produces color according to the light refraction index.
The new Grand Seiko SBGR321 comes attached to a stainless-steel bracelet and is limited to 2500 pieces. The watch would retail for EUR 5,300.
