Grand Seiko extends their reach in the high accuracy, high end quartz watches with a new 9F movement encased in two new 33mm references.
Press release information with commentary in italics.
Two new Grand Seiko Heritage Quartz 33mm references with 9F movement
The two new Grand Seiko 33mm Ref. SBGX359 and SBGX316 retails at EUR 3,300 inclusive of tax in Europe.
Commentary
Two smaller references for the famed Grand Seiko 9F quartz movements. This 33mm model is cased in a stainless steel case and bracelet, and carries a new version of the 9F, now designated as 9F51. The main difference is that is smaller than the 9F61 / 9F62. The precision remains at 10s a year, and the entire movement is in a hermatically sealed chamber, with the battery outside to facilitate ease of change.
The speciality in Grand Seikos is usually in the dial. And here they again take inspiration from the snowy winters experienced at Shiojiri, where the Hokata mountain range is under snow cover for several months. The dial is made in typical GS fashion, capturing a rugged texture with pure white brilliance using processes they developed in-house with a combination of silver plating, clear coating and finishing. The white surface is not achieved by painting the dial white.
The light blue variant is a re-interpretation of their Grand Seiko Skyflake model, which is hugely popular SBGX357 released only in Dec 2025, which was housed in a larger 37mm titanium case. This novelty is cased in the same 33mm case as with the white dial version, and can be seen as a “mini” Skyflake.
The Skyflake SBGX357 carries a retail price of EUR 4.3k, and the both the novelty models are proposed at EUR 3.3k. This is consistent with the smaller case and bracelet size, and the change from titanium to stainless steel.
Release information
First introduced in 2005, Grand Seiko’s Snowflake dial evokes the beauty of the snow-covered Hotaka mountain range in Nagano Prefecture, where Grand Seiko Spring Drive and quartz watches are created. Its finely textured surface, shaped by subtle variations in depth across the pristine white dial, remains a hallmark of Grand Seiko and its philosophy, the Nature of Time.
This celebrated dial design later inspired a light blue variation, affectionately known as the Skyflake, whose gentle hue captures the image of wind-swept snow shimmering beneath a clear sky. Today, Grand Seiko unveils two new creations featuring the renowned Snowflake and Skyflake dials. Each timepiece is presented in a 33.0mm x 9.1mm case, the slimmest and smallest in diameter of any Grand Seiko 9F creation to date. These compact dimensions are made possible by Caliber 9F51, the first new movement in the 9F family in six years.
Visible from the Shinshu Watch Studio, housed in the Shiojiri facility of Seiko Epson Corporation, the Hotaka mountain range remains blanketed by snow for several months each winter. Fierce winds sculpt the alpine snow into intricate patterns, providing the inspiration for this distinctive dial design. To capture the rugged texture and pure whiteness of the snow-covered Hotaka slopes, a special process combining silver-plating, clear coating, and finishing is used rather than an application of white paint. By refining the plating’s thickness and using a combination of coating and finishing techniques, the dial achieves superior light reflection and brilliance, resulting in the pristine white finish that defines its beauty. Adding a striking contrast, the vivid blue of the tempered steel seconds hand shines as an elegant accent against the pure white dial.
Introduced in 1993, Caliber 9F was created to be the ultimate quartz movement, combining exceptional performance with enduring beauty. Delivering an accuracy of ±10 seconds per year, the movement features a regulation switch for manual fine-tuning of accuracy during servicing, the Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism to eliminate the shudder of the seconds-hand, and the Twin Pulse Control Motor, which generates the torque required for Grand Seiko’s large hands. Each movement is assembled by hand by the watchmakers of the Shinshu Watch Studio and features individually selected quartz crystals aged for three months and a thermo-compensated IC for excellent rate stability regardless of temperature differences.
The new Caliber 9F51 retains these hallmark features of the 9F series while introducing the most compact design to date. With a diameter 0.6 mm smaller than the long-standing Caliber 9F61 without date, the new construction allows Caliber 9F51 to power watches with slimmer cases, making these new creations perfectly suited for smaller wrists.
Both creations will be available as continuous-production models starting April 2026 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide.
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm: SBGX359, SBGX361 Specifications
Caliber 9F51 Accuracy: ±10 seconds per year (at temperatures between 5°C and 35°C) * Diameter: 26.4mm, Thickness: 2.2mm
Case Stainless steel case and bracelet * Dual-curve sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface * Three-fold clasp with push-button release * Diameter: 33.0mm, Thickness: 9.1mm * Screw case back * Water resistance: 10 bar * Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
For further information: Visit the Grand Seiko pages for SBGX359 SBGX361
