In 1960 the world was introduced to the first-ever Grand Seiko model with the Ref. 3180 — with the moniker stemming from the timepiece’s movement: a manual-wind Caliber 3180 unit. In the six decades that have followed, the Grand Seiko name has become something of a juggernaut in the horological world, and with 2020 marking the 60th anniversary since the debut of the 3180, the famed Japanese watch outfit is celebrating the occasion via a rerelease of the original Grand Seiko Ref. 3180 from 1960, albeit bestowed with a brand-new movement.
Dubbed the “Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH002,” this horological recreation is the first model to receive the company’s highly-anticipated Hi-Beat 9SA5 movement. Accurate to 5 to -3 seconds per day, water-resistant to 100M, ticking at 36,000 VpH, and developed entirely in-house, this new movement builds off the previous 9S85 item, benefitting from a myriad of patented components and offering up an 80-hour power reserve — a 25-hour jump over its predecessor. Housing the movement is a 40mm 18k yellow gold case complemented by a genuine crocodile leather strap, and a dial with gold indices that wonderfully replicates the original watch from 1960. Limited to only 100 units and priced at $43,000, the SLGH002 is scheduled for a release in the Summer of 2020.
