Deep in a primeval forest in the Shinshu region, one will find the majestic Tateshina Waterfall, whose roaring cascade of white water imparts a mystic quality to a sylvan corner of Japanese wilderness. In the Shinshu region, the craftspeople of the Micro Artist Studio, located within Seiko Epson’s Shiojiri facility, pursue a form of watchmaking unique in the world – designing, engineering, and hand-crafting Grand Seiko Spring Drive Masterpiece Collection watches prized for their beauty, artistry, and exquisite hand-finishing.
At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko introduces a new limited edition that pays tribute to its iconic 44GS – the watch that inspired the Grand Seiko Style – while placing the exquisite artistry of hand engraving on full display. Both the dial and Platinum 950 case feature hand engraving inspired by flowing water. The dial expresses spring water as it emerges from the earth with engraved lines that run in multiple directions and converge in a seamless flow. Echoing the engraving on the dial, the case is covered in countless hand-engraved lines inspired by the mystic Tateshina Waterfall. The radiating patterns seamlessly traverse the sharp angles of the 44GS case in a breathtaking expression of creativity and craftsmanship. Thanks to the manually wound movement within, the 40mm diameter watch adopts a slim profile. At just 9.6mm thick, this watch has the same height as the original 44GS from 1967.
The hour and minute hands, as well as each of the hand-applied, diamond-cut markers, are made of 14k white gold, and the minute hand and tempered-grey Spring Drive seconds hand bend gently toward the dial to enhance legibility. The lettering and the minute track are carved directly into the dial’s surface, and the star mark denotes solid gold hour markers.
The watch is powered by the Spring Drive Calibre 9R02, the second movement created by the Micro Artist Studio exclusively for Grand Seiko. With an accuracy of ±15 seconds per month and noteworthy features designed to enhance performance, it’s as ingeniously engineered as it is beautiful to behold. The Dual Spring Barrel draws on two mainsprings set in parallel to deliver power, and the Torque Return System, unique to the Micro Artist Studio, reclaims energy that would otherwise be wasted when the watch is fully wound to rewind the movement. This extends the overall power reserve to 84 hours from a baseline of 72. The barrel, a focal point of the movement, is decorated with a bellflower motif, paying tribute to the city of Shiojiri, the place where the watch is made, while two hand-decorated bridges speak to the uncompromising standards of the Micro Artist Studio. An 18k gold plaque on one bridge is engraved with the words “Micro Artist,” though the client can customise this engraving if they so wish.
The watch is offered with two straps that evoke different expressions of water, each complementing the engraving on the case and dial. A classically styled crocodile strap is finished with glazing on the outer leather, and there is also a leather strap, made by KYOTO Leather, with metallic accents and a design inspired by the shimmer of splashing water.
Limited to 50 examples worldwide, the SBGZ011 will be available exclusively at Grand Seiko Boutiques beginning in July.
