TIME ZONE
BY CAROL BESLER
W hen it comes to luxury watches, Grand Seiko is one of the newest, yet one of the most established brands. It was created in 1960 as a premium luxury collection within the Seiko line, separate from the lower-priced core collections. In 2017, Seiko Corporation made Grand Seiko a stand-alone marque, with its own distribution and design philosophy, and its cachet among collectors has never been stronger. One of Grand Seiko’s strongest assets is its Spring Drive movement, which is unique in watchmaking. It is a traditional mechanical watch driven by an automatic winding system — a rotor powered by the motion of your wrist — but the energy gets transferred into GRAND SEIKO GMT S CELEBRATE THE PASSAGE OF TIME — AND THE SEASONS
a quartz module. Unlike other quartz, there is no battery needed, and it is extremely accurate compared to most traditional mechanical watches. The Evolution 9 collection GMT Titanium uses a new Spring Drive GMT caliber 9R66, with a three-day power reserve. Compared
to the -4/+6 seconds per day rating required for COSC certification by the Swiss Chronometer testing institute, this Spring Drive caliber is accurate to within +/- 15 seconds per month. The titanium case is 30 percent lighter than stainless steel, and the dial has a delicately textured surface inspired by the morning mist that envelopes the mountains of northern Japan, where Spring Drive movements are made.
GRAND SEIKO’S CACHET AMONG COLLECTORS HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER.
Limited Edition Evolution 9 GMT Spring Drive Chronograph. $12,400
The Grand Seiko GMT Bamboo is driven by a traditional mechanical movement, the Seiko caliber 9S86, a high-frequency movement that is accurate to within +5/-3 seconds per day. In Japan, each of the four seasons is experienced in six phases or sekki, and all have their own distinct characteristics. The SBGJ259 GMT celebrates Shōsho, or high summer, which marks the end of the rainy season,
when warm wind creates delicate ripples in the lakes and ponds that shimmer in the early summer sun throughout Japan. The wave pattern on the dial brings Shōsho to life. The meticulously finished dial is a reflection of the brand’s design philosophy, which mirrors Japan’s cultural reverence for nature. Something to appreciate every time you look at your watch!
32 DAVIS JEWELERS
U.S. Special Edition Hi-Beat GMT Urban Bamboo. $6,800
Powered by FlippingBook