One of the many attractions of Grand Seiko is the quality of its dials.
Press patterned dials in particular, which adopt unique technology when compared to conventional stamping methods, create a worldview that sets Grand Seiko apart from other brands and makes them highly prized in Japan and abroad.
But what, actually, is so great about them? To find out the secret, we visited Seiko Epson’s Shiojiri facility, where the famous “Snowflake” and “Hana-ikada” dials among many other popular dials, are born.
Hideo Hata, a master dial maker in the Shinshu Watch Studio at the Shiojiri facility, and Kohei Egashira, a product planner, discuss the source of their world-class press patterned dials.
—In recent years, Grand Seiko’s pressed dials have become very popular, attracting more and more fans. Journalists and other enthusiasts have commented that Grand Seiko’s dials are created by several advanced technologies that no other brands can match. What exactly makes them so special?
Kohei Egashira (hereafter Egashira): We admit that one of the reasons why Grand Seiko’s press patterned dials have been highly acclaimed in recent years is due to the three-dimensional patterns and beautiful colouring that evoke a uniquely Japanese sentiment. There are three technical aspects worthy of special mention in achieving such superior dials: mould making, metal plating (often referred to as galvanizing), and clear coating.
Hideo Hata (hereafter Hata): Using the dial of a Spring Drive model as an example, regarding mould making, our biggest advantage is that we can produce our own moulds internally. Once a pattern is selected from a huge number of prototypes, we engrave the pattern into the mould by hand. Depending on the pattern, it sometimes has been transferred to a different metal to produce the final dial mould, to have the desired texture when pressed. But in any case, only one mould is made for each pattern.
There are three methods for making moulds: machine engraving, etching, and engraving by hand. Here at the Shinshu Watch Studio, however, we particularly focus on engraving by hand. While machine engraving excels at producing geometric patterns or flat surfaces, the results tend to be ordinary. We believe that hand-engraved organic patterns are better suited to Grand Seiko’s nature-themed dials.
Egashira: The Shinshu Watch Studio possessed great skills for engraving on precious metals such as gold or platinum from the beginning, and such expertise is applied to the creation of metal moulds. As a result, the watches can realize the uniqueness of an engraved wristwatch in a larger scale of production with higher consistency through the use of press patterning, while engraving can generally only be applied in very small quantities. Pressed dials also have the advantage of not being limited to use with precious metals, which helps to have more variations available.
Egashira: The second key technical aspect is a delicate finishing process that exploits the characteristics of metal plating. For example, to achieve the pure white snow-like effect on the “Snowflake” dial, it is not simply a matter of spraying white paint. The paint would fill in the delicate, uneven “valleys” and spoil the pattern. In fact, we do not use any white paint on the “Snowflake” dial. Instead, the key to expressing this pure white colour is silver plating.
Hata: We cannot explain the process in detail, but we developed a surface treatment technique by trial and error that utilizes the properties of silver plating, which appears almost white when there is no lustre. Finally, we were able to achieve that pure white colour.
Silver plating turns yellow when exposed to air, so we first spray the surface with a thin layer of clear undercoat and seal it to avoid oxidation. By applying layers of paint, sometimes called lacquer, on top of the pure white base, we are able to expand the colour variations and beautifully express delicate colours such as the pale pink of the “Hana-ikada” dial or the pale blue of the “Omiwatari” dial.
On top of this coat, a thick layer of clear coating is applied by spraying. This is the third point. Then, after carefully grinding the clear coating with a whetstone, it is dried once and then further polished down to a thin film level.
The coating tends to loosen, especially during the hot summer seasons, which causes the debossed areas of the pattern to deepen and the surface to become uneven. It is a very delicate, uneven surface, but the result of the pattern does not look three-dimensional. That is why the step of spraying a thick layer of clear coating and grinding it off to create a smooth, thin surface is extremely important even if it seems inefficient.
Egashira: In other words, the advanced layering techniques of moulding, metal plating, and coating achieve a greater three-dimensional effect and more beautiful colouring than just a pressed pattern. We are persistently seeking to create dials with a profound expression by fusing metalworking and coating technologies carried out by human hands. Each dial is composed of multiple layers, which render various impressions depending on the light and angle. Of course, we aim to create the ideal balance while considering the high legibility that is essential for Grand Seiko.
Egashira: The above points are the most important with regard to realizing dial patterns, but there are other aspects of Grand Seiko’s dial manufacture that make use of master craftsmanship.
Hata: Yes, they are, for example, cutting processes for the calendar window, power reserve indicator, or holes made for mounting the indexes. Many brands proceed with this in large quantities and in a short time with a press die, but in the Shinshu Watch Studio, we insist on cutting. The reason for this is to create indexes with sharp and flat finish.
When we punch out the parts with different materials (raw material, metal plating, colour coating, clear coating) overlaid onto one another like a “mille-feuille” using a pressing machine, the rupture layer may curl up or the topcoat may peel off, causing corrosion. The most effective way to cut out the shape cleanly is to use a special blade suited to the working conditions. It takes more time and effort, but such blades are effective for a variety of shapes, which helps to expand the possibilities.
Egashira: We would also like to remark about the printing process on the dials, which requires extremely delicate and highly skilled techniques.
Hata: I’m glad you touched on that topic! In fact, my specialization is printing. Many brands use a silicon pad to mechanize the process, which can create thick letters through successive thin layers. However, the ink tends to flow easily and letters become untidy and heavy as a result.
The Shinshu Watch Studio, on the other hand, uses gelatin pads with good transferability. This allows us to add depth to the printed letters with fewer applications, while also creating a clean finish without the heavy traits.
Egashira: I was surprised when I first learned that the letters are not printed in a single layer. I wondered how you could accurately print the layers without missing the target even by a fraction.
Hata: However, gelatin is a very difficult tool to handle. The ink is oil-based, while gelatin contains water. Due to the properties of oil and water, high humidity will cause the ink to repel and transfer poorly. How to manage this balance is what requires skill and experience.
Since we produce the pad in-house from powdered gelatin, we can alter its shape and hardness. We select the best one depending on each situation, and the ink is also mixed by hand and well balanced. Then, it is manually inserted into the slots engraved on the dial base, and any excess is wiped off. Only when all of these highly skilled techniques are combined can we print in high quality throughout the year. There are probably few brands that go to such lengths.
Egashira: Many people consider printing a simple process, but in reality, without high-quality craftsmanship, it is impossible to achieve a finish like that of Grand Seiko timepieces. In that sense, printing is a process that embodies the high precision of Grand Seiko’s unique manufacturing, which can only be achieved by human hands.
Hata: Craftsmanship also comes into play in the manufacture of the tempered blue hand. The hands made with pressing are mounted on a jig and polished to a mirror finish, after which any distortions are adjusted before they are heated on a hot plate until they turn blue. Heating several hands at once may cause variations so they are tempered one by one. As the craftsperson uses his or her eyes to check the colour and condition of the hands, it is not possible to make many at the same time.
Egashira: For this reason, Grand Seiko only uses tempered blue hands on models for which we judge them to be truly necessary, after carefully examining their characteristics or design.
—We can clearly see that the beauty and uniqueness of Grand Seiko’s press patterned dials is achieved through the combination of numerous techniques by skilled artisans. Lastly, could you tell us about the worldview that the Shinshu Watch Studio is aiming for in its dials?
Hata: We feel that the dials we create are already different from those of other brands from the beginning of their birth. The manufacturing process begins with our craftsmen and women developing their own images in response to requests by the product planners and designers. The product planner or designer requests to make a dial that resembles fire or that conjures an image of snow, using the words and visual materials they provide as inspiration. Since Shinshu is a land surrounded by rich nature, including Lake Suwa and the Hida Mountains, the fact that we live and work here is also a source of inspiration.
Egashira: In other words, it is a world of mitate, or “representation.” We want to express such themes not in a figurative way, but through abstract and organic designs. What is more, after all the patterns, colours, and lustre are layered on top of one another, a representation of the desired scene emerges. This is a very Japanese approach to creation that makes full use of a uniquely Japanese aesthetic. We think this is where our creativity differs from that of other brands.
Hata: Even with the same theme, the output can be completely different depending on the craftsperson involved. There are infinite possibilities for development as each person has his or her own viewpoint. We think this is the strength that Grand Seiko has. We are currently working on the development of a new dial. We hope you will look forward to seeing what visual expression it will have.
photography = Kenta Yoshizawa
text = Akiko Inamo
