GRAND SEIKO SBGJ275 ‘Unkai’ – ‘Sea of Clouds’ Hi-Beat GMT Limited Edition

There are just 2,000 pieces of this limited-edition design available globally, created to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9S Calibre.

The signature textured dial is inspired by the natural phenomenon of clouds surrounding Mount Iwate near the Shizukuishi Watch Studio where Grand Seiko mechanical timepieces are made. We call this scenery the ‘sea of clouds’ or ‘雲海=Unkai’ and it is seen only for a short time when all the weather conditions are right.

‘The Nature of Time’ theme features prominently in Grand Seiko watch designs – a Japanese spirituality where each moment is a unique expression unveiled through light and shadow. The watchmakers’ pride in their surroundings is represented from engineering watch movements which emulate the smooth motion of time passing, to creating dials reflecting the beauty of Japanese nature.

This Hi- Beat watch is powered by the mechanical in-house Calibre 9S86 with a power reserve of 55 hours, an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day. Equipped with a GMT hand, the rotating 24-hour bezel can simultaneously display three different time zones.

As a true ‘manufacture,’ Grand Seiko incorporates the latest in-house technical developments alongside its breadth of craftsmanship in all mechanical movements – with around 300 individual components, they exhibit near-perfect consistency to ensure precision. Mere parts alone, however, cannot constitute the level of accuracy for which Grand Seiko is renowned; Grand Seiko Takumi craftspeople adjust parts by hand to tolerances of one hundredth of a millimetre – detailed craftsmanship ensuring the precise timekeeping delivered by the 9S mechanical movement.

Above the 44mm case sits a rotating bezel over which the sapphire crystal extends, giving the watch extra protection and a quietly powerful depth. The dual curved sapphire has an anti-reflection coating both inside and out to deliver enhanced legibility. The case back showcases a sky-blue oscillating weight making the SBGJ275 the first 9S mechanical model with 200m water resistance and a sapphire glass case back. The titanium section of the oscillating weight is treated with an anodic oxidation process – a surface treatment in which metal is subjected to electrolysis to generate an oxide film that enables the production of the desired colour.

Every Grand Seiko features signature high standards of precision, durability and legibility, handcrafted in Japan by Takumi artisans. Grand Seiko: beautifully, precise Japanese watchmaking, from the pinnacle of Seiko Watch Corporation’s in-house ‘manufacture.’