BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Grand Seiko’s journey through time continues with the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 44GS SBGW297 and SBGW299. These watches pay homage to the iconic 44GS design, originally introduced in 1967, which set the foundation for the Grand Seiko Style. The design made a modern comeback in 2013 with a larger 37.9mm case, and now, Grand Seiko presents the latest additions in the form of SBGW297 and SBGW299.
The core design elements, including case dimensions, movement, finishing, and bracelet, remain the same for both models. What distinguishes them are the dial colors, hands, and markers, giving each a unique visual character. The dials of both SBGW297 and SBGW299 are inspired by traditional Japanese fans, with SBGW297 featuring a pristine white dial and SBGW299 showcasing a captivating dark blue dial, both adorned with a sunray pattern. The applied multi-faceted indexes and hands were redesigned to fit the smaller dimensions, ensuring a clean, uncluttered appearance, all protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating.
These watches have a compact, Zaratsu-polished and brushed stainless steel case, measuring 36.5mm in diameter, 11.6mm in thickness, and 42.7mm from lug tip to lug tip. The design was reimagined to accommodate Grand Seiko’s slim hand-wound Caliber 9S64, resulting in an elegant and well-proportioned timepiece that reflects the aesthetics of the original 44GS model. The caseback is screwed down with 100m water resistance.
The hand-wound Caliber 9S64, featuring the iconic lion emblem, is housed in the stainless steel case back. Crafted by Grand Seiko artisans at Studio Shizukuishi, this precise mechanical movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, boasts a 72-hour power reserve, and rigorously meets the Grand Seiko Standard of -3 to +5 seconds daily rate in static conditions.
Both models feature stainless steel bracelets with a folding clasp and push-button release. They come with drilled lug holes and an 18mm lug width for versatile strap options. The Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 44GS SBGW297 and SBGW299, both Mastershop models, will be available at Grand Seiko Boutiques and authorized retailers for €5,700 or US$5,400 starting in November 2023.
