Grand Seiko is no stranger to drawing inspiration from the splendors of the natural world. In particular, one of the hallmarks of its Heritage Collection is the thematic use of seasons based on Japan’s traditional calendar. And while the brand’s famed nature-inspired dials have largely been confined to its dressier pieces, that changes today with the unveiling of two snowy-dialed sports watches. In celebration of its first Grand Seiko GMT watch’s 20th anniversary, as well as the 15th anniversary of its first spring drive chronograph watch, Grand Seiko has unveiled two sports watches that combine the brand’s twin masteries of dual-time complications and intricate nature-inspired dial work.
The Grand Seiko SBGE275 GMT and SBGC247 Chronograph GMT sport snow-themed dials that channel the beauty of the snow-covered mountains that surround Grand Seiko’s design studio in Shinshu, Japan. These icy dials feature a rugged texture reminiscent of freshly fallen snow on the ground, similar to the dial seen on the brand’s iconic “Snowflake” model. Aside from mirroring the natural beauty of wintertime Japan, the white dials also provide an excellent canvas for the blue accents to pop. The SBGE275 features a blue and white lumed 24-hour bezel, as well as Lumibrite on its second, minute, and hour hands and bezel, while the more subtly-themed SBGC247 features a largely white design, with blue accents used more sparingly so as not to overcomplicate the busy dial that combines chronograph and GMT complications.
From a construction standpoint, both timepieces sport rugged designs to mirror the mountains from which they take inspiration. The GMT features a stainless steel case and bracelet construction, while the Chronograph version sports a high-intensity titanium case and bracelet. While both pieces have smooth-sweeping Spring Drive movements powering them, the GMT features a Caliber 9R16 movement, and the Chronograph version sports a Caliber 9R96, which Grand Seiko boasts is one of the most precise chronograph movements in the world. Both of these movements can be appreciated by their wearers thanks to the watches’ exhibition case backs.
These gorgeous timepieces celebrate a long history of excellence by the Japanese watchmaker and are now immortalized with a fantastic set of winter-themed dials. Available from Grand Seiko in limited quantities, the SBGE275 GMT retails for $7,300, while the SBGC247 Chronograph GMT goes for $11,000.
