As the year of the 160th anniversary of Seiko’s founder, Kintaro Hattori, draws to a close, Grand Seiko proudly celebrates his life and achievements with a Spring Drive masterpiece. The watch is powered by Caliber 9R02 and features a Platinum 950 case with indexes and hour and minute hands in 14K white gold. A second watch is the re-creation of the first Grand Seiko in 18k rose gold.
Press Release with Editorial Commentary in italics
Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Kintaro Hattori 160th Anniversary Limited Edition (Platinum, LE 50 pieces) Recommended retail price in Europe: €106,000 / USD 103,000 (10,500,000 Yen + tax)
Re-creation of the first Grand Seiko in rose gold Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition (Rose Gold, LE 350 pieces) Recommended retail price in Europe: €29,800 / USD 31,500
Kintaro Hattori 160th Anniversary & Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Editions
Commentary
This is possibly the last of a long line of special anniversary editions released by Grand Seiko and Seiko this year. It is a pity that the Grand Seiko Summit event in Tokyo was not able to go ahead due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it would have been very interesting to attend and see these new pieces when it was released.
This latest release is perhaps the most interesting. The very beautiful tribute to the founder Kintaro Hattori, whose great grandson Shinji Hattori is currently at the helm of the company. In traditional Japanese style, this is indicative of the honour Grand Seiko is placing on this new piece.
Very classical in aesthetic design of the case, dial and hands, and the platinum version is equipped with the superb Caliber 9R02 Spring Drive hand wound movement made in-house by the Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri. This is a remarkable movement, and is a derivative of the 7R14 movement used in the Eichi II. While the re-creation is in 18k gold and fitted with the Caliber 9S64, first introduced in 2011. Both these movements are the highest levels Grand Seiko offers and have been used in various Elegance Collection watches.
Seiko’s founder Kintaro Hattori was born in central Tokyo in 1860 at a time in Japanese history characterized by rapid modernization and westernization. The young entrepreneur saw the sudden and momentous changes in Japanese life as a moment of opportunity. In 1881, at the age of just 21, he set up his own company, “K. Hattori”, to wholesale and retail imported timepieces and, just twelve years later, he established a factory which he called Seikosha, “The house of precision”, to produce his own clocks and, later, watches. His aim was for Seikosha to be able to manufacture and assemble all the components for its timepieces in-house by mastering every aspect of the horological art. Step by careful step under Kintaro’s leadership, the company achieved his aim. Its long list of watchmaking innovations down the decades bears testament to his remarkable vision and continues to inspire it to this day.
https://youtu.be/u3NKLeLuohM
Now, as the year of the 160th anniversary of his birth draws to a close, Grand Seiko proudly celebrates the life and achievements of Kintaro Hattori with a Spring Drive masterpiece. 2021 will be the 140th anniversary of the founding of his company and this landmark is also commemorated with another exceptional timepieces. Both watches exemplify Kintaro’s dedication to complete mastery of every aspect of the watchmaker’s art.
Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Kintaro Hattori 160th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGZ005
The 160th anniversary of Kintaro Hattori’s birth is marked with a remarkable timepiece made by the elite team of watchmakers at the Micro Artist Studio. The softly rounded case is made of Platinum 950 and is Zaratsu polished to a perfect distortion-free finish. The sapphire crystal glass is dual-curved and each surface is shaped to ensure perfect legibility.
The dial’s intricate pattern is made possible by processing techniques that create a delicate dial surface with varying depths. As has been the tradition since the 1960’s, a star mark located at six o’clock denotes that the indexes are of solid gold. The interplay of light and shadow on the dial that is an essential part of the signature of every Grand Seiko watch is accentuated by the application of seconds markers that enhance the legibility of the time. The indexes and the hour and minute hands are in 14K white gold and are specially cut to create a sharpness that amplifies the enduring beauty of the gold.
The watch is powered by Caliber 9R02 which is assembled, adjusted and finished by hand by the craftsmen and women of the Micro Artist Studio. It delivers a power reserve of 84 hours thanks to the Dual Spring Barrel in which two independent thin, long mainsprings are set in parallel in a single barrel, and the Torque Return System*. This power reserve is longer than the 7R14 movement’s 60 hours used in the Eichi II.
The caliber also incorporates an 18k yellow gold plaque which carries the engraved words “Micro Artist” but which can, if the owner so wishes, be replaced with a word of their choice. This slim and exquisite timepiece has a depth of just 9.6mm and will be available in January 2021 as a limited edition of 50 in the Grand Seiko Boutiques worldwide.
*Torque Return System: When the mainspring has been fully wound and the torque output is at its highest, approximately 30% of the available power is not needed to maintain the precision of the watch, and is in effect wasted in a normal movement. The Torque Return System uses this energy to rewind the mainspring, resulting in an increase in the power reserve. In Caliber 9R02, this system is activated for 48 hours after the mainspring has been fully wound.”
Re-creation of the first Grand Seiko in rose gold Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGW260
The release in January 2021 of a new re-creation of the first Grand Seiko from 1960 opens a year of celebration of the 140th anniversary of the company’s foundation.
This commemorative timepiece offers a remarkable blend of slimness, efficiency and precision. The case is just 10.9mm in depth, the power reserve is 72 hours and the accuracy rate is +5 to –3 seconds per day, all made possible by the hand-winding Caliber 9S64 which powers the watch. The case and indexes are in 18k gold and the anniversary is marked by the trademark “S” engraved on a gold plate set into the movement’s bridge. Kintaro Hattori registered this mark in 1900 as the symbol of the Seikosha factory. The watch will be presented in January 2021 as a limited edition of 350 in Grand Seiko Boutiques worldwide.
Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Kintaro Hattori 160th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGZ005 Specifications
Spring Drive Caliber 9R02
Driving system: manual winding
Power reserve: 84 hours
Accuracy: ± 1 second per day (± 15 seconds per month)
Dual-Spring Barrel and Torque Return System
Power reserve indicator
Number of jewels: 39
Specifications
Platinum 950 case and clasp
Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
See-through screw case back
Water resistance: 3 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Diameter: 37.5mm, Thickness: 9.6mm
Crocodile strap with three-fold clasp with push button release
Limited edition of 50 available exclusively at the Grand Seiko
Boutiques
Re-creation of the first Grand Seiko in rose gold Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGW260 Specifications
Caliber 9S64
Driving system: manual winding
Vibrations: 28,800 vibrations per hour (8 beats per second)
Accuracy: +5 to –3 seconds per day (when static)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Number of jewels: 24
Specifications
18k rose gold case and clasp
Crocodile strap with three-fold clasp with push button release
Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
See-through case back
Water resistance: 3 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Diameter: 38.0mm, Thickness: 10.9mm
Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €28,000
Limited edition of 350 available exclusively at the Grand Seiko
Boutiques
