While a simple dial change for other watch brands may often seem like much ado about nothing, Grand Seiko’s new dial iterations are always so notable that they warrant entire conversations.
Literally meaning “snow-makeup” in Japanese, Yukigesho is metaphoric for a light brush of snow powder. The new white dial of the Hi-Beat GMT SBGJ27 “Yukigesho” — part of the brand’s Elegance Collection — is a reminder of the fading frost on the ground as the season changes. Housed in a familiar 39.5mm stainless steel case, the same in-house Hi-Beat GMT Caliber 9S86 movement is used here as in previous models.
The seemingly organic, yet deliberate vertical grooves on the dial first popped up in the red-dial Heritage SBGH269 “Autumn” watch from 2019. Fortunately, we’ve gotten to see several usages of this pattern in models across Grand Seiko’s range, including this snow-inspired piece and a recent bamboo-inspired Heritage SBGJ259 GMT. However, the flat white of the Yukigesho fits nicely with the Elegance Collection’s dressier configuration.
Expected to debut this March and not limited in edition size, the Elegance Hi-Beat GMT SBGJ27 “Yukigesho” will be priced at $7,100 from Grand Seiko’s website.
