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The Watches

Grand Seiko Expands U.S. Special Editions

Grand Seiko adds two new U.S. special edition models with nature-inspired dials to its Elegance collection. As two highlights among the brand’s June debuts, both new manual-wind watches exhibit beautiful handcrafted dials set within 39mm steel cases. Both are also powered by Grand Seiko’s superb Caliber 9S63 with a power reserve of seventy-two hours and an accuracy rate of +5 to -3 seconds per day.

The new Grand Seiko SBGK015 Ryūsendō is a U.S. limited edition of 250 watches.

One watch, reference SBGK015 Ryūsendō, is a limited edition of 250 watches and features a dial inspired by the blue and green underground lakes of the Ryūsendō located near Grand Seiko’s Shizukuishi Watch Studio. And while the color is certainly evocative of crystalline underground streams, it’s the dial’s curvy, patterned texture that catches my eye. Note how lines gather along the perimeter of the dial to create a gentle frame for the patchwork dial.

The second debut, Grand Seiko U.S. Special Edition SBGK017, is not a limited edition but will be made available within Grand Seiko’s ongoing Elegance collection in the United States.

Grand Seiko U.S. Special Edition SBGK017, also available on a steel bracelet.

Here Grand Seiko says it was inspired by Nanbu tekki ironware, a form of metalwork produced in the city of Morioka in Iwate prefecture. The tableware is prized for its distinctive texture called arare (hailstone) on its exterior. Grand Seiko artisans mimicked that texture on the watch’s dark gray dial.

As manual-wind watches, both these debuts are thin and beautifully polished using Grand Seiko’s much-heralded Zaratsu method, which is specially tuned to highlight curved surfaces. Similarly, the dials and their sapphire crystals are also curved, with the minute and power reserve indicator hands shaped to follow the curve of the dial.

Both watches display a small seconds hand at the nine o’clock position and a power reserve indicator at three o’clock. +5 to -3 seconds per day (when static).

The SBGK015 Ryūsendō and the U.S. Special Edition SBGK017 will be available starting in September at Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retail partners in the United States.

Prices: $7,500 (SBGK015 “Ryūsendō) and $8,900 (SBGK017 U.S. Special Edition).

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The Watches

Zenith and Voutilainen Update Vintage Chronometer

Zenith teams with Phillips and independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen to restore and hand-decorate a batch of vintage Zenith Caliber 135-O movements. As a result of this partnership, Zenith is launching the Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition, a stunning 38mm platinum chronometer watch rife with vintage design cues that complement the 1950s-era manual-wind movement inside.

The new Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition.

The modern Zenith star logo on the dial may be the only contemporary design detail on this retro beauty. Its tapered lugs, sapphire glass box crystal, triangular hour markers, faceted gold hands and seconds subdial recall the mid-20th century era when Zenith routinely took prizes in Swiss chronometry competitions – frequently with its Caliber 135. With more than 230 chronometry prizes, the Caliber 135-O holds the most awards of any observatory chronometer caliber in the history of watchmaking.

The Zenith Caliber 135.

In addition to hand finishing the movement, Voutilainen (through his atelier) also applied an eye-catching guilloché engraving in a fish-scale motif to the dial along the bezel. Inside the seconds subdial, you’ll find the movement’s serial number inscribed, a gesture meant to note that each movement, regulated originally by revered chronométriers Charles Fleck or René Gygax, has been updated by Voutilainen and his team.

“The persons working on these movements were the best watchmakers at the time. They had the know-how to make things precise. That precision doesn’t disappear after 70 years,” says Voutilainen. “Our duty was not to touch that performance.”

Voutilainen has refined the historical movement’s aesthetic appearance with hand chamfered and polished edges on the gold-colored bridges, beveled and polished screw-heads, circular graining on the main plate, snailed brushing on the ratchet and crown wheels and more.

Unusually, Zenith and Voutilainen has signed “Neuchâtel” at the bottom of the dial. This denotes the historical Observatory where the Calibre 135-O competed and won so many of it Swiss chronometry competitions.

Zenith and Phillips will offer the new Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition as a series of ten pieces sold exclusively by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. Price: CHF 132,900.

 

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The Watches

MB&F Launches its First Chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO

For its first chronograph, independent watchmaker MB&F teams with Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell to launch the Legacy Machine Sequential EVO, a two-column-wheel chronograph with split-second, independent and lap timer modes – a watchmaking premiere.

The new watch, powered by MB&F’s twentieth caliber, boasts a ‘Twinverter’ switch that controls both chronograph systems.

The new MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO,

The binary switch inverts the start/stop status of each chronograph. As MB&F explains: “this means that if both chronograph displays happen to be stopped (at zero position or otherwise), pressing the Twinverter (at 9 o’clock) will cause both of them to start simultaneously. If they are both running, the Twinverter makes them stop. If one is running and the other is stopped, the Twinverter stops the one that is running and starts the one that is stopped.”

Belfast-based McDonnell previously worked with MB&F to finalize the MB&F HM1 and most famously developed the GPHG-award-winning MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual.

His design for the new watch allows the user to perform the same functions as a split-seconds chronograph. But overall, McDonnell focused the design for everyday use rather than specifically for sporting functions, according to MB&F’s Charris Yadigaroglou. Most of the new timing modes are novel to this design and not available when using a traditional chronograph.

For example, in ‘independent mode’ the wearer can assist with varied cooking times. In this so-called ‘pasta mode” the wearer could operate the two chronographs via their respective pushers. One might start when placing pasta into boiling water and the other can separately time when vegetables go in the oven. Additional modes include Simultaneous mode, Cumulative mode and Sequential mode.

MB&F places McDonnell’s caliber into its sporty EVO case much like the case that houses the latest example of the LM Perpetual. This is a 44mm by 18.2mm zirconium structure with no bezel, a domed sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown (offering 80 meters of water resistance) and MB&F’s own anti-shock FlexRing system.   

MB&F will launch the new watch in two versions. One features an ‘atomic’ orange CVD dial plate and the second features a ‘coal’ black PVD dial plate. Both come with an integrated rubber strap with a folding titanium buckle.   Price: $180,000.

 

Specifications: MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO

Movement: Fully integrated dual chronograph system developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring Twinverter switch allowing multiple timing modes. Manual winding with double mainspring; Balance frequency: 3Hz (21,600 vph). Three-days of power reserve. Flying balance wheel with regulating screws at 12 o’clock, Breguet overcoil. Superlative hand finishing; internal bevel angles highlighting handcraft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings, darkened bridges (NAC finish). Power reserve indication at the back of the movement.

Dial: Galvanic black dials with Super-LumiNova on numerals and hands.

Functions: Time display (hours/minutes) at 6 o’clock.

Left chronograph: Seconds displayed at 9 o’clock and minutes at 11 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 10 o’clock and reset at 8 o’clock.

Right chronograph: Seconds displayed at 3 o’clock and minutes at 1 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 2 o’clock and reset at 4 o’clock.

Twinverter pusher at 9 o’clock: binary switch that inverts the current start/stop status of both chronographs.

Case: 44mm by 18.2mm zirconium. Water resistance to 80 meters. Screw down crown. FlexRing annular dampener fitted between case and movement, providing shock protection along the vertical and lateral axes. Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces.

Strap: Integrated rubber with titanium folding buckle.

Price: $180,000.

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The Watches

Grand Seiko Introduces Blue-Dialed, Manual-Wind Beauty

Grand Seiko expands its Elegance collection with the blue-dialed SBGW279, the latest example of this watchmaker’s impressive ability to represent natural beauty using artisanal dial-making techniques.

The new Grand Seiko Elegance Collection U.S. Special Edition SBGW279.

For this U.S. Special Edition, Grand Seiko says it was inspired by the work of illustrator ShiShi Yamazaki to create a deep blue sunray-pattern dial meant to recall the blue feathers found on the Oruri songbird.

The watch’s blue sunray pattern is inspired by the Japanese songbird known as Oruri.

“Like the Grand Seiko craftsmen behind the Oruri watch, I was inspired by the journey of the Oruri bird as it travels to the mountains of Japan each summer,” says Yamazaki. “The watercolor animation I’ve created represents the beautiful movement of the bird and its stunning deep blue coloring.”

Caliber 9S64 manual-wind movement, visible through the clear caseback, boasts an impressive 72-hour power reserve.

Influenced by the first Grand Seiko of 1960, Grand Seiko frames the Yamazaki-inspired blue dial within a classically sized 37.3mm steel case. Inside you’ll find a Caliber 9S64 manual-wind movement that boasts an impressive seventy-two-hour power reserve and accuracy of -3 to +5 seconds per day.

Grand Seiko has wisely opted for a clear sapphire caseback to allow a view of the beautifully finished finished movement. The watchmaker pairs the Elegance Collection U.S. Special Edition SBGW279 with a brown crocodile leather strap.

Price: $4,600.

 

Specifications: Grand Seiko Elegance Collection U.S. Special Edition

Movement: Manual winding 9S64, power reserve of 72 hours, accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day (when static).

Case: 37.3mm by 11.6mm steel case with box-shaped sapphire crystal and anti-reflective coating, see-through screw case back. Water resistance to 30 meters.

Dial: Deep blue sunray pattern.

Strap: Brown crocodile leather.

Price: $4,600

 

 

 

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The Watches

Hublot Debuts First All-Ceramic Minute Repeater Tourbillon

Hublot extends its already wide-ranging collection of ceramic-cased watches with its first minute repeater entirely cased in the high-tech material. The new Big Bang Integral Minute Repeater Ceramic, a 43mm model in white or black ceramic, joins the firm’s Integral Ceramic collection, which debuted in 2020.

The new Hublot Big Bang Integral Minute Repeater Ceramic, made in black or white ceramic.

Beyond its in-house distinction, the new Big Bang Integral Minute Repeater Ceramic is also the first watch of its kind (a tourbillon minute repeater) made by any watchmaker that has been cased entirely in ceramic, according to Hublot.

Like its brethren in the Integral Ceramic collection, the new watch is made with an all-ceramic case (here at 43mm) and with an integrated all-ceramic bracelet, bezel and case back. And the new watch also is Hublot’s first model regulated by a tourbillon within the collection.

Inside Hublot fits its own existing manual-wind MHUB801 caliber with eighty hours of power reserve. The watchmaker will make eighteen watches in black ceramic and eighteen in white ceramic.

Hublot has placed minute repeating movements into numerous watches in the past, sometimes also paired with a tourbillon. You might recall that in 2014, Hublot received a Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) for its Classic Fusion Cathedral Tourbillon Minute Repeater.

Price: $295,000.

 

Specifications: Hublot Big Bang Integral Minute Repeater Ceramic

References: Black Ceramic (458.CX.1170.CX.YOS, 18 pieces) and White Ceramic (458.HX.1170.HX.YOS, 18 pieces).

Dial: Black matte: Rhodium-plated satin appliques with black SuperLuminova or Grey matte: Rhodium- plated satin appliques with white SuperLuminova. Satin-finished and polished white or black ceramic bezel.

Case: Black or white 43mm by 14.15mm satin-finished and polished ceramic. Water resistance to 30 meters.

Movement: Hublot MHUB8001.H1.RH Caliber Hublot Tourbillon with manual winding cathedral minute repeater, frequency: 21,600 vph, power reserve of approximately 80 hours.

Bracelet: Satin-finished and polished black or white ceramic with titanium folding clasp.

Price: $295,000

 

 

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