Grand Seiko Introduces a New 44GS Model with the 55th Anniversary Limited Edition

Now that Watches & Wonders has died down, we’ve seen a lot less of the hype surrounding it bubble up to the top. Lucky for us, Grand Seiko has delivered something really unique utilizing it’s new 44GS Steel case. This time with a cool new color to the Kirazuri dial finishing that the brand has become so known for.

THE BASICS:

Brand: Grand Seiko

Model: 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition (ref. SBGW289)

Case Material: Stainless Steel

Case Size: 46.5mm x 11.6mm

Water Resistance: 10 Bar

Crystal: Boxed Sapphire Crystal

Movement:  GS Caliber 9S64

Movement Specs: Manual Winding, 72-Hour Power Reserve

Strap Options: Stainless Steel Bracelet

THE JUICE:

We’ve seen some killer releases come out of Grand Seiko the last few months. A personal favorite of mine was the SBGA429 released in November. With such a solid release cycle late last year, and early this year, I would have thought we’d see a slower faucet of releases after Watches & Wonders, but we have not. The SBGW289 is yet another hardcore release from the brand as it makes such a heavy push with it’s new 44GS case style.

This watch comes measuring in at 36.5mm, which many might find small, but I think fits just right into the brand’s overall catalogue. The Kira-Zuri dial has often been labeled “The Snowflake” due to it’s metallic and glistening texture. In this case, Grand Seiko has given it a pink-ish hue to emulate the Cherry Blossoms in the Winter.

The push for the 44GS case, I feel, has been a novel one. This watch celebrates it’s 55th Anniversary. The case style improves on the 62GS case style in every way. It features cleaner lines, more coherent finishing, and a slimmer profile. And while the watch isn’t explicitly stated as such, the sizing definitely puts the watch into the genderless position, and becomes unisex in nature.

Inside the SBGW289 is the manual wind Caliber 9S64. The movement is actually remarkably thin, which allows for the slimmed down profile of the watch. It features 24-jewels, and a power reserve of 72-hours when fully wound. Unfortunately, the watch comes faceted with Grand Seikos Stainless Steel caseback, so you unfortunately won’t be able to see the movement. The caseback is engraved with a lion motif, and the limited edition number on the back.

Overall, I really love this watch. I am definitely a fan of smaller case sizes being normal, and Watches & Wonders has shown me a lot of prominent brands agree with that trend.

So, How much is the Grand Seiko 55th Anniversary Limited Edition?

Price for the SBGW289 is $5,400 USD, and be limited to 1,200 pieces.

Read more about this watch on the brands website here.