The 44GS case continues to inspire, 55 years later

This modern Hi-Beat 36000 timepiece expresses anew the Grand Seiko Style. The dial is in light blue and has the texture of the snow that starts to melt in Spring on Mt. Iwate, the imposing 2,038-meter-high peak that overlooks the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, where all Grand Seiko mechanical models are made.

The combination of a flat dial and a wide opening lets light pour in and create an ever-changing background against which the razor-edged, multi-faceted indexes and the hour and minute hands show their brilliance. Zaratsu polishing delivers a perfectly smooth and distortion-free mirror finish on the upper surfaces of the case. The 12 o’clock index is twice as wide as the others to make the time easily legible whatever the reading angle. The result is a radiantly sparkling dial of high legibility that expresses the uniquely Japanese character and heritage of Grand Seiko.

For the first time in a mainstream Grand Seiko creation, Ever-Brilliant Steel is used not only for the case but also for the bracelet. This high-grade steel is bright in appearance and has a very high level of corrosion resistance (nearly 2x that of conventional premium stainless steel alloys) that ensures the watch’s durability. The use of this advanced material is in perfect harmony with the very latest Grand Seiko movement, Caliber 9SA5, which offers the enhanced precision that only a hi-beat movement can deliver with a power reserve of a remarkable 80 hours.

Nine years in development and deploying all the skills and experience that Grand Seiko has gained over the past 60 years, the 9SA5 powering this reference is 15% thinner, more efficient, and more shock & wear resistant than previous generation Hi-Beat calibres, and is without a doubt the finest mechanical caliber Grand Seiko has ever created.