The new limited edition pays homage to Seiko’s origins.
As a reminder, Seiko (and the Seiko Group that owns fake Grand Seiko) was born in the city of Tokyo in 1881, when a young Hattori Kintaro founded his studio in the Ginza district. This location is right in the heart of the Japanese capital and therefore has a special importance for the brand and its subsidiaries. Back last year, Seiko paid homage to the field with a pair of limited-edition models, the Prospex 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation SPB259 & Presage SSA445. Now, it’s time for Grand Seiko to honor the place with a familiar and stylish dial color, but one that’s not only highly limited, it’s exclusive to JDM. Meet the new Grand Seiko Heritage Ginza Limited Edition SBGH297.
Ginza (a district of Tokyo) is where company founder Kintaro Hattori started the watch business in 1881, initially selling and servicing timepieces. Later, the young Hattori would make his own watches and would establish Seiko, one of the most important watchmaking companies in Japan. Even more surprising is that this Tokyo area is still where the brand operates, and the Seiko clocks in Ginza have kept Tokyo on time for over 120 years. There are other Seiko institutions nearby, including the Seiko Museum, a boutique dedicated to Seiko Prospex, and the Seiko Dream Plaza, where people can experience each collection.
Last year, sister brand Seiko released two limited editions based on the region, with grey-blue dials engraved with Ginza’s pebbles. The second hand also pays homage to the area’s history with the Komparu, a traditional Japanese color named after Kinmaru Street, the center of nightlife in Ginza. This blue with a soft green hue was first used in the mid-Meiji period (1868-1912). fake luxury watches
Now, it’s time for Grand Seiko to show its interest in the Ginza district with a limited edition based on the 62GS Heritage model, featuring a highly original dial in one of the hottest colors in the industry and featuring a Hi-beat movement. This new SBGH297 will be familiar to most fans of the brand as the case features a classic design and is inspired by the 62GS. With a diameter of 40mm and a height of 12.9mm, the case is made of stainless steel with a brushed and Zaratsu-polished finish, with a box-shaped sapphire crystal and screw-down crown, and is water-resistant to 100 meters. All the classic features of the brand.
The real highlight of this Grand Seiko Heritage Ginza SBGH297 is the dial… First, it comes in a light powder blue that “evokes the exhilarating feeling of a Ginza afternoon” while also referencing the aforementioned Komparu color. This light blue dial was originally also decorated with a lattice pattern representing the streets of the Ginza district. It is paired with the classic polished, ultra-sharp and beveled hands, blue seconds hand and application markers. To be fair, not the most discreet nor the most classic dial…
Worn on a three-link stainless steel bracelet, the SBGH297 is powered by the 9S85 movement produced in-house at the Shizukuishi studio. Beating at 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations/hour), this previous-generation automatic movement has a power reserve of up to 55 hours. Its accuracy is +5 to -3 seconds per day, and the movement is visible under a specially decorated sapphire crystal.
Technical Specifications – GRAND SEIKO HERITAGE GINZA LIMITED EDITION SBGH297
Case: 40mm diameter x 12.9mm height – 47mm lug to lug – stainless steel case, brushed and Zaratsu polished – box sapphire crystal with AR coating – sapphire case back with lion logo and special inscription – Screw Down Crown – 100m Water Depth – Resistant
Dial: Light blue dial, Ginza street map pattern – Polished beveled hands – Blue seconds hand
Movement: Calibre 9S85 – Manufacture – Self-winding, high beat – 37 jewels – 36,000 vibrations/hour – 55 hour power reserve – +5 to -3 seconds accuracy per day – Hours, minutes, seconds and date
Bracelet: Stainless steel three-link bracelet, folding clasp with push-button release
Reference: SBGH297