BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
The lion is the brand emblem that first appeared on the back of the inaugural Grand Seiko watch in 1960. The case was revived in a trio of models that Grand Seiko unveiled in 2019. The case underwent another resurgence the following year in the form of a sophisticated and constrained chronograph, the 60th Anniversary reference SBGC238. Fast forward 4 years and the most recent model from the Japanese brand is here to make a powerful statement, the new Spring Drive Chronograph GMT SBGC253. Like its forefather, it draws its inspiration from the lion’s mane, ushering in a slick and potent design to the collection.
The bold, ultra-angular case is finished with brushed and Zaratsu polishing and it’s crafted from high-intensity grade 5 titanium. The case has a 44.5mm x 16.8mm size profile. The use of titanium as opposed to stainless steel makes it that much more durable in addition to being 30% lighter than a stainless steel equivalent. As with earlier editions, the case size and finishing are both substantial, have sharp edges, and combine polished and brushed surfaces. A fixed 24-hour bezel hosts a luminous scale coated with LumiBrite. With large pushers and screw-down crown, water resistance is rated at 200m.
The powerful Lion’s mane texture appears on the dial in ivory-white color. The lion mane texture projects the image of power and authority that the Grand Seiko brand seeks to achieve in watchmaking, and perhaps already did. A 24-hour additional time zone with a separate 24-hour hand, a chronograph with central seconds, a 30-minute counter, a 12-hour counter, small seconds, a date, and a power reserve indicator are among the features of the dial. The large hands and applied markers are all coated in LumiBrite and the dial is sealed with a dual-curved sapphire crystal which has an anti-reflective coating.
On a more technical side, it’s the Grand Seiko’s proprietary Spring Drive Caliber 9R86 that powers the watch. Visible through a sapphire screwed caseback, the 50 jewels movement is a column-wheel chronograph, has ±1 second per day accuracy and offers a 72h power reserve.
Grand Seiko Sport Tokyo Lion Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC253 is part of the permanent collection and comes paired with a high-intensity titanium bracelet, coupled by a three-fold clasp and a slide adjuster for micro-adjustments and push-button release. It will cost EUR 13,400 when it becomes available in March 2023 at Grand Seiko boutiques and retailers all over the world.
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