While the very first Spring Drive movements appeared in 1999, the first Grand Seiko Spring Drive watch didn’t appear until five years later, and 2004 marks the official start of the brand’s now-famous 9R family of Spring Drive movements. Consequently, 2024 represents the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches, and to celebrate the occasion, the Japanese manufacturer has created two different limited-edition models. Known as the Spring Drive SBGA497 and Spring Drive GMT SBGE305, both of these new Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary watches are (naturally) powered by Spring Drive movements. Each one offers a different take on the “Morning Glow of the Hotaka Peaks” theme that serves as the inspiration for this latest duo of nature-themed models.
The first of the two new watches is the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGA497, and this model is essentially a sunrise-themed version of the classic “Snowflake” Spring Drive SBGA211. Consequently, the case is made from the brand’s High Intensity Titanium alloy and measures 41mm in diameter by 12.5mm thick, with 20mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 49mm. Similarly, the rest of the watch’s externals are more-or-less identical to what you will find on the standard “Snowflake” model, with a dual-curved sapphire crystal above the dial (with anti-reflective treatment on the inner surface), along with a display-style caseback, signed screw-down crown at 3 o’clock, and 100 meters of water resistance.
Along with its case, the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA497 also shares a bracelet and movement with the standard “Snowflake” Spring Drive SBGA211 watch. What this means is that the new Spring Drive SBGA497 comes with Grand Seiko’s usual style of solid-link bracelet, consisting of brushed surfaces with two thin rows of contrasting high-polished center links. This bracelet is crafted from the brand’s High Intensity Titanium alloy to match the case. Additionally, powering the new Grand Seiko SBGA497 is the brand’s Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive movement, which offers users a power reserve of approximately 72 hours, along with an accuracy rating of just -/+1 second per day, and an average timekeeping deviation of less than 15 seconds per month.
Now, where the new Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGA497 differs from the standard-production “Snowflake” model when it comes to its dial and hands. The dial surface still showcases the same fan-favorite “Snowflake” textured pattern throughout its surface, although it now appears in a pink gradient color to symbolize the morning sun on the snowy surface of Hotaka’s peaks. Additionally, the brand’s “GS” logo at 12 o’clock appears in gold, while the hand for the power reserve indicator is finished in red to further lean into the warm color profile of the SBGA497 and evoke the images of sunrise in the snowy mountains. Given that this new limited-edition model is essentially the pink version of the classic “Snowflake” Spring Drive model, you can virtually guarantee that it will end up getting nicknamed the “Pink Flake” within collecting circles.
The other new model that is part of this launch is the Grand Seiko Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGE305, and it offers a significantly different appearance compared to its titanium SBGA497 sibling. Although both models are part of the same “Morning Glow of the Hotaka Peaks” concept, each one takes its inspiration from a different point of time within the year. Rather than being inspired by the winter months and snowy mountains, the new Grand Seiko SBGE305 Spring Drive GMT draws its inspiration from the summer months. It features a black ceramic bezel paired with a dark red dial to create a colorway that is intended to be reminiscent of a vivid sunrise illuminating the dark mountain landscape.
Based upon the brand’s Spring Drive GMT series, the new Grand Seiko SBGE305 is crafted from stainless steel, and its case measures 40.5mm in diameter by 14.7mm thick, with 20mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 48.7mm. The top of the case is fitted with a dual-curved sapphire crystal (with anti-reflective treatment on its underside surface), and this is surrounded by a fixed black ceramic bezel that features a white 24-hour scale for use with the watch’s GMT complication. Meanwhile, the reverse side of the SBGE305 receives a solid screw-down caseback, and its signed winding crown at 4 o’clock also screws down to the middle case to help guarantee the 200 meters of water resistance that is offered by the model.
Similar to its standard-production siblings, the new Grand Seiko Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGE305 is fitted with a stainless steel version of the brand’s usual bracelet with largely brushed surfaces and two thin rows of high-polished center links. Additionally, just like the various core-collection versions of the Sport Collection Spring Drive GMT, the new Grand Seiko SBGE305 runs on the brand’s Caliber 9R66 Spring Drive GMT movement, which offers a power reserve of approximately 72 hours, along with an accuracy rating of -/+1 second per day (-/+15 seconds per month), plus GMT functionality with an independently adjustable local hour hand.
In regards to their pricing and availability, the new Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary SBGA497 in titanium will be produced as a limited edition of 1,500 examples, and it will be accompanied by an official retail price of 6,300 USD. Meanwhile, the stainless steel Grand Seiko Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary SBGE305 Spring Drive GMT will have an official retail price of 6,200 USD, and it will be offered as a slightly smaller production run of 1,300 examples. Both of these new limited-edition Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary models embrace colorways that are similar to ones that we have seen on previous Grand Seiko watches. However, both of these limited-edition models are also objectively rather good-looking timepieces, and they are priced right in line with their standard-production counterparts, despite being limited-edition anniversary models. For more information on the Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA497 and Spring Drive GMT SBGE305 Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary watches, please visit the brand’s website.
