Grand Seiko SBGY009 – 44GS Tsuki Tenshin High Moon
The Grand Seiko SBGY009 – 44GS Tsuki Tenshin High Moon is the latest interpretation of the now-legendary model of 1967, the Grand Seiko 44GS. This new model features a sumptuous blue dial and, unlike its predecessors, is fitted with a super-precise Spring Drive movement.
I am delighted to say that an increasing number of horophiles are discovering the delights of Grand Seiko ownership. I’ve been a fan of the brand for a number of years and I’ve been a proud owner of GS watches for some time. I regularly spend time extolling the virtues of these high-end Japanese timepieces, explaining to friends why they should consider a watch from the land of the rising sun.
Founded in 1960, Grand Seiko is comparatively young when compared with Switzerland’s old guard, however, its amassed know-how is staggering. There are numerous milestones that punctuate the history of this luxury marque. In 1967, the firm released its first automatic watch, the 62GS. However, Grand Seiko’s creativity was not limited to just one model that year, it also released the now-iconic 44GS.
The Grand Seiko 44GS (1967)
The Grand Seiko 44GS set in place a design language that has endured for decades. The model was the first Grand Seiko watch to be produced by Daini Seikosha. At the time all Seiko watches were produced by two subsidiaries of Seiko Corp, Daini Seikosha and Suwa Seikosha. The latter firm produced the very first GS model back in 1960.
Returning to the design of the 44GS of 1967, the case featured Zaratsu polishing. This technique was performed using a specialist machine, produced in Switzerland by Sallaz Brothers. The polishing method endowed the case with its now-legendary distortion-free, mirror-polished finish. In addition, the bezel was also presented in a highly polished form.
The hour and minute hands were sword-shaped and facetted. Likewise, the applied baton-style indexes were also facetted, readily engaging with ambient light, thereby heightening readability. The display sat beneath a box-glass lens, again inviting light to flood the dial plane.
Grand Seiko certainly didn’t make life easy for itself. The caseband was curved, smoothly arcing along a north-south axis. Moreover, it swooped inwards from the middle of the flank towards the caseback, affording the wrist greater room to flex. Similarly, from the middle of case flank, the caseband sloped diagonally upwards towards the aforementioned glass box.
The Grand Seiko SBGY009 (2022)
Now, there is a new version of the 44GS, the Grand Seiko SBGY009. Housed in a 40mm stainless steel case, the new model is larger than its forefather of 1967. The sword-shaped hour and minute hands, along with the facetted indexes, are faithful to the original. The central sweep seconds hand is now executed in a bewitching shade of gold, usurping the steel-hued version of 1967. However, when viewed from the front, the most obvious difference with the Grand Seiko SBGY009 is its blue dial, featuring a sunray-style motif.
The case, dial and hands all engage readily with light. The Japanese firm has deliberately played with darkness and light, but also a myriad of other shades in between. It’s this becoming sensitivity to light that differentiates Grand Seiko from many of its European counterparts.
Spring Drive Caliber 9R31
The hand-wound Caliber 4420B which sat at the heart of the inaugural version of the 44GS has been set aside. Although it was a highly precise movement, equipped with a Swiss-lever escapement, Grand Seiko has never shied away from the notion of continuous improvement in its quest for perfection. Hence, the new Grand Seiko SBGY009 is fitted with a Spring Drive Calibre. This form of movement, unique to Grand Seiko, and some of its sister brands, is a hybrid of mechanical watchmaking, electronics and quartz. Spring Drive took 28 years to develop, but with a stated accuracy of ± 15 seconds per month, the efforts of its creator, Yoshikazu Akahane, seem justified.
Unlike most movements which feature several bridges, the Spring Drive Caliber 9R31 features one single bridge. By adopting this approach the movement is more stable and stronger. In addition, this bridge features a subtle brushed grain, thermally blued screws and a power-reserve indicator positioned to the rear. Equipped with two barrels, this movement will run autonomously for 72 hours.
Continuous improvement
As any middle-aged reader will attest, not every change in life represents progress, however, as Grand Seiko has repeatedly shown, it is possible to deliver tangible continuous improvement. Indeed, Grand Seiko models just keep getting better and better, something an increasing number of horophiles are now discovering.
The brand’s press release
The 1967 44GS was the watch that first embodied the design code known as the “Grand Seiko Style”, the set of nine principles that gave Grand Seiko its distinctive look and still inspires every new creation. Today, a new limited edition Spring Drive watch joins the celebration of the 55th anniversary of this defining landmark in the history of Grand Seiko: the 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition.
The moon, the mountains and the serenity of the night sky
The dial has a deep blue colour that captures the alluring beauty of the full moon in the night sky above the Shinshu mountains that can be seen from the studio in Shinshu where this and all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches are created. The sunray pattern on the dial catches the light at every angle and recreates the gentle sparkle that the moon casts over the landscape when it is at its very highest point in the sky. In this new watch, Spring Drive’s signature glide motion seconds hand is gold in colour. As it sweeps silently across the wide dial, it captures the grandeur of the night sky, bringing the wearer closer than ever to the serene and eternal nature of the passage of time. The minute and seconds hands are shaped by hand so that they curve gently down towards the minute track at the edge of the dial, enhancing the legibility of the exact time. The watch is presented on a dark blue strap that harmonises perfectly with the rich tone of the dial.
This new creation is powered by the manual-winding Spring Drive Caliber 9R31. This movement incorporates an innovative Dual-Spring Barrel that contains two mainsprings set in parallel and so delivers a power reserve of 72 hours. The thinness of this movement, the slim construction of the case and the box-shaped sapphire crystal all combine to allow the craftsmen and women of the Shinshu Watch Studio to create a slim and classical design that captures the spirit of the original 44GS, while also achieving a low centre of gravity that provides excellent comfort on the wrist. This new addition to the Heritage Collection will be available in August at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retail partners worldwide.
The watch is offered as a limited edition of 1,500. Each individual serial number and the words “Limited Edition” are engraved on the case back.
This new addition to the Heritage Collection will be available in August at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retail partners worldwide.
Price: £6900 (RRP as of 16.7.2022)
Further reading