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Click here to read along and see the photos in our show notes as you listen – http://www.scottishwatches.co.uk/2022/04/07/scottish-watches-podcast-350-the-grand-seiko-show-with-rob-brook/
Welcome to the Scottish Watches Podcast – Episode 350!
The history and technical prowess of Grand Seiko with our good friend Robert Brook who is the brand manager in the UK and Ireland.
Plus we travel to W&W to go hands on with Grand Seiko’s new pieces including the Evolution 9 collection and the king of watches that is the Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon.
New Grand-Seiko Shizukuishi Studio Designed by architect Kengo Kuma. Rob joined Grand Seiko 5 years ago, helping the brand launch their first boutique in the UK at Knightsbridge, London (57 Brompton Road Knightsbridge London). Now he is the brand manager for the UK and Ireland. Wristwatch check: Rob is wearing his Grand Seiko sbga407g Skyflake Grand Seiko Sowflake sbga211 Dave is wearing his Grand Seiko sbge245g. Rikki’s wearing his Seiko Prospex Special Edition PADI SPB071J1. Grand Seiko history: The brand came from the Seiko umbrella and had the double branding of Seiko at 12 and Grand Seiko at 6 before 2017. 1964 Grand Seiko Self Dater. 2016 Spring Drive 8 Day Power reserve. The corporation has been in the same family since it’s founding in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori. Then known as Seikosha. (1920 factory bellow)Today it’s run by Shinji Hattori. Grand Seiko was born out of inner competitions between the two main factories of the brand in 1960. The first Grand Seiko. Designer Taro Tanaka started designing for the brand in 1962 and introduced the sharp aesthetic that persists today, which allows for light and shadow play.1967 44GS Grand Seiko was established as a global brand in 2010. 2010 9S65 series. Seiko’s and the world’s first quartz watch, the Seiko Astron. (1969)Yoshikazu Akahane conceived the idea of the Spring Drive initially during the development of Twin Quartz, which would evolve into the Spring Drive, in 1977, and in 1978. The first Spring Drive prototype from 1982. Second from 1993. The Caliber 7R68, introduced in 1999, was the first to be brought to market, inside the Seiko SBWA001. In 2004 Spring Drive was introduced in continuous production for the first time, approximately 27 years after Akahane conceived it, as the calibre 9R65. Grand Seiko – Inspired by Nature A few pieces:Join the GS9 club – https://grandseikogs9club.uk/ Grand Seiko sbga413g Pictures of this watch by @tick_tick_vroom Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours wins the Men’s Watch Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève This is one of the first watches to follow the Evolution 9 design philosophy. The Caliber 9SA5 has these upgrades: A new overcoil has a unique curved shape that was decided after more than 80,000 simulations, as a result of which its performance is optimized in every possible position. Free-sprung Balance regulates the isochronism for long-term precision and stability. Dual Impulse Escapement which increases the transfer efficiency of the power of the mainspring to 10 beats per second while delivering a continuous operation period of 80 hours thanks to twin barrels.It’s 15% slimmer than other GS calibres because of its vertical gear train. The calibre 9RA5 achieves a high accuracy of ± 10 seconds per month in large part by using a high precision Spring Drive package IC, which is a vacuum-sealed package consisting of a carefully selected crystal oscillator aged for three months and an IC that is powered by an extremely small electric current. It also utilizes a temperature sensor to collect temperature data 540 times daily, determine the influence of temperature changes within the IC and compensate for variations in the oscillator’s performance. Furthermore, placing both the crystal oscillator and the IC within a single, vacuum-sealed package eliminates temperature differences between the IC and the crystal oscillator. It achieves 120 hour power reserve due to the Dual-size Barrels and greater winding efficiency and a slimmer movement thanks to the Offset Magic Lever. Watches and Wonders: Grand-Seiko Evolution 9 collection The Evolution 9 Style focuses on improving the legibility, comfort, and beauty of its pieces. Although I haven’t seen them in person the renders show a refined case design with more compact features that can make this the most comfortable GS case so far. All cases in this collection are made of high-density titanium which adds to the comfort while wearing these.
SBGE285SBGE283SBGC249SBGC251SLGA015 43.5mmSLGT003 Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon. This mechanism is engineered in a manner that allows it to supply energy directly to the tourbillon (which also improves accuracy by minimizing gravitational effects), thus eliminating energy loss through changes in torque that would have occurred otherwise. They’ve perfected this movement into its new Caliber 9ST1 that is accurate to -3/+5s, has 72 hours power reserve (50 hours of Constant Force) and is merely 7.98mm thick. This movement is beautifully finished and shown off through both the display case back and the open-worked front. The dial is made up of two concentric rings with batons applied to them for the indices, thus maximizing the view of the movement. It is also appropriately positioned nearer to the 12 o’clock position above the Constant-Force Tourbillon which completes a very artistic skeletonized view of the whole watch.
Grand Seiko website – https://www.grand-seiko.com
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