The new SBGY043 from the Grand Seiko Elegance Collection combines distinctive design elements packaged in a way that seems sure to catch the attention of the brand’s admirers. To start, it features the popular “Thin Dress” case, made popular through references like the SBGY007 “Omiwatari.” This pure, subtle, and understated design is a relative newcomer in the history of Grand Seiko, having been introduced in 2019 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Spring Drive. In that short time, the slender, curved case has earned many fans and held numerous dials and movements. To many a Grand Seiko fan, this is the Grand Seiko dress design.

The blue dial in this 38.5mm reference features the iwao, or rock pattern, which appears as if hewn by hand. Its deep blue shade is known as katsuiro, a colour long associated with Japan’s traditional indigo industry, where it was used for the darkest shade of the natural dye. The colour was favoured by the samurai in Japan, where it was believed to bring good luck and could be found on the armour of many warriors.

Powered by the Calibre 9R31, a manually wound Spring Drive movement, the SBGY043 offers that unique moment of regular interaction that comes from winding one’s watch by hand, in addition to the many benefits of Spring Drive. Calibre 9R31 is the only manually wound Spring Drive movement not in the Masterpiece Collection at the moment. A pure design created with collectors in mind, there is no date window to interrupt the beautiful dial, and the power reserve, indicated on the back of the movement, measures 72 hours.

The SBGY043 is presented with a seven-link bracelet widely recognised for its comfort and beauty. The links are small and thin – fitted with exacting tolerances to create a luxurious sensation when worn. Fluid comfort meets sturdy quality in a way that only the finest multilink bracelets can.

The SBGY043 will be available exclusively from Grand Seiko Boutiques beginning in June.