Grand Seiko SBGC275 Sport Hotaka Lion's Mane

This limited-edition watch commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Caliber 9R Spring Drive movement.

The vast Hotaka mountain range rises in the Shinshu region of central Japan, where all Grand Seiko Spring Drive creations are made. The sun reflecting off this soaring landscape at dawn creates beautiful mountain scenery with ebullient colors transforming from pink to orange as the early morning progresses. This model features a powerful, angular case design inspired by the lion, a symbol of the brand since the first Grand Seiko watch in 1960. Synonymous with strength and courage, the lion represented the aim of the original Grand Seiko team to create the very best timepiece of which they were capable in terms of accuracy, legibility, durability, and beauty, and these values remain today. The lion’s presence is demonstrated in every detail of the new watch, such as the angularity of the case and the claw-like, hairline-finished lugs, which provide a point of contrast to the Zaratsu-polished surfaces.

Water resistant to 20 bar, the watch is made to ensure the highest level of performance in any sporting situation. The hour and minute hands are designed for heightened legibility, and the wide indexes further enhance the superior legibility for which Grand Seiko is renowned. The case and bracelet are made of high-intensity titanium, which is about 30% lighter than stainless steel and has a brighter color. The bracelet, too, is designed for comfort, with thick, H-shaped links that easily conform to wrists of all sizes. The hour and minute hands, as well as the hour markers, have Lumibrite that glows green, while the GMT hand and the numbers on the bezel glow blue, enhancing the watch’s legibility in dark conditions.

Early on summer mornings before dawn, the sun’s red light illuminates the peaks of the Hotaka mountain range. Eventually, the light spreads to the surface of the mountains, turning the entire range a light crimson color, which gradually changes to the color of shinonome, or dawn. This beautiful moment, which can only be seen for about 30 minutes before and after sunrise, is expressed on the dial. A new technique called Optical Multilayer Coating makes this color-changing dial possible.

Caliber 9R96 is a version of Caliber 9R86 that has been specially adjusted to deliver an even higher level of precision. The Grand Seiko lion in 18K gold graces the oscillating weight to symbolize this enhanced accuracy.