In celebration of 100 years of Seiko watch-making, the Japanese watch brand recreates a Grand Seiko classic timepiece of the 1960’s. The Re-edition of the 44GS from the 2013 Grand Seiko Historical Collection is available in stainless steel, pink gold, white gold and yellow gold versions.
Grand Seiko 44GS, 1967
In 1967, the Grand Seiko 44GS was launched. It was the first Grand Seiko watch to embody and express the design ideas that a young designer had recently defined for the brand.
When the very first Grand Seiko watch was created in 1960, its sights had been set on the purely functional goals of precision, practicality and comfort, and its appeal rested on the engineering excellence of the movement.
In the early 1960’s, a young university graduate who had recently joined the company saw that this focus on movement engineering was not enough. As he studied the watches on display at the Wako luxury specialty store in Tokyo, he realized that Seiko needed to create watches which sparkled more brilliantly and he determined to set a style for the brand.
He invented the “grammar of Seiko design” and the 44GS was the first watch designed to this new specification. The distinctively sober, but sparkling, look of Grand Seiko was born. The razor-sharp edges to the hands and hour markers are signature characteristics of Grand Seiko.
Recreation of the Grand Seiko 44GS
The new Limited Edition replica of the 44GS is as faithful as can be to its predecessor. It uses a hand-winding movement, carries the emblem on the case back and is the same size. In the stainless steel execution, the dial, hands and indexes are identical.
There are four models in the collection. All use the 9S64 caliber, first launched in 2011. It is a high accuracy 8-beat caliber (+5 to -3 seconds a day) with a 72 hour power reserve and 24 jewels.
Three pieces are in gold (white, yellow and rose) and one is in stainless steel. The cases are 37.9mm in diameter and the sapphire crystals have Seiko’s proprietary anti-reflection coating on the inner surface.
Thanks to the precision of Seiko’s latest machining and polishing techniques, to hold and to study the new Grand Seiko 44GS Re-edition is to experience the quiet perfection of traditional craftsmanship re-invented for a new era. The craftsmanship and skill of the polishing create the clean edges and perfectly flat surfaces of the Grand Seiko case.
Technical details
Model: Grand Seiko 44GS Replica Limited Edition
References SBGW043, SBGW044, SBGW046 and SBGW047
Movement
Caliber 9S64
Driving system: Manual winding type
Vibrations: 28,800/hour (8/second)
Power reserve: over 72 hours (when fully wound)
Jewels: 24 jewels
Loss/gain Mean daily rate: -3 to +5 seconds
Case
18K White Gold (SBGW043), 18K Yellow Gold (SBGW044), 18K Rose Gold (SBGW046), Stainless Steel (SBGW047)
Diameter: 37.9 mm, Thickness: 11.5 mm
Water resistance: 3 Bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Glass: Box shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating on inner surface.
Band
Crocodile with buckle 18K White Gold (SBGW043), 18K Yellow Gold (SBGW044),
18K Rose Gold (SBGW046), Stainless Steel (SBGW047)
Approximate recommended retail price range in Europe
- 18K White Gold Version (SBGW043): Euro 20,000
- 18K Yellow Gold Version (SBGW044): Euro 19,000
- 18K Rose Gold Version (SBGW046): Euro 19,000
- Stainless Steel Version (SBGW047): Euro 5,700
Edition
Limited edition of 700 pieces of SBGW047
Limited edition of 70 pieces each of SBGW043, SBGW044, SBGW046
