Inspired by the end of Autumn. Soko Special Edition.
Chris goes over the highlights of an insider webinar unveiling the SBGA427 and SBGA429 Light and Shadow US Edition Grand Seiko timepieces.
As a continuation of Japan’s twenty-four sekki1 that signifies nature’s ever-changing seasons, Grand Seiko introduces two new Special Edition timepieces in its Heritage Collection, only available in the United States. Each timepiece, design and movement, is a tribute to Japanese nature and expresses the natural and continuous flow of time.
1. Japan celebrates the twenty-four sekki, dividing each season into six for a total of 24.
Celebrate sōkō!
The new timepieces celebrate sōkō, the end of Autumn, when the first frost embraces the forest. The green accent colors featured on the seconds hand and power reserve indicator epitomize the life of the Arashiyama2 bamboo forest in Kyoto in its peak season at the end of Autumn. The vertical texture of the dials reflects the majestic stalks of the bamboo.
Together, the 39.0mm timepieces pay tribute to this moment in nature, when its green hues are dramatically enlivened in the contrasting expression of “light” – silver dial of SBGA427 and “shadow” gray dial of SBGA429. These remarkable timepieces display the deeply satisfying beauty created by the highest level of Japanese craftsmanship unique to Grand Seiko.
2. Arashiyama’s bamboo forest in Kyoto, Japan is globally acclaimed for its majestic bamboo stalks and the mesmerizing slashes of light as sun filters through the densely packed grove. A narrow path paves the area where the tens of thousands of bamboo grow and is a place where one can feel the natural passing of time of the forest that has graced the region for over 1,000 years. The stroll through Arashiyama has been described as dreamlike for the soothing sound of the rustling bamboo, Arashiyama is one of the many beautiful bamboo forests in Kyoto, and they have been selected as one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan” by the Japanese Ministry of Environment.
The Spring Drive 9R65 Caliber is designed, adjusted and assembled by hand, by acclaimed craftsmen and women at the Shinshu Watch Studio in Japan. Spring Drive, recognized as one of the great innovations in modern watchmaking, is a spring-driven movement with a state-of-the-art electro-magnetic regulator that functions without an external power source. Its sole power source is a mainspring, which drives a series of gears as a traditional mechanical watch, and delivers a precision of one second a day, a rate unprecedented for a watch powered by a mainspring. The Spring Drive movement further celebrates the passage of time as a poetic journey with every revolution of the seconds hand around the dial.
Grand Seiko Soko U.S. Special Edition – Heritage Collection
Movement: Caliber 9R65
- Driving system: Spring Drive
- Accuracy: ±1 second per day / ±15 seconds per month (average)
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Number of jewels: 30
Specifications
- Stainless Steel case
- Dual curve sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Screw see-through case back
- Diameter: 39mm x Thickness 12.5mm
- Bracelet: Stainless Steel
- Band material: crocodile leather with three-fold clasp push button release
