Natural Supremacy

Capturing the essence of Grand Seiko’s distinctly Japanese aesthetic, the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection stands at the core of the brand, embodying a philosophy of balance and purity truest to the brand itself. Rooted in the fundamentals of fine watchmaking, these timepieces pay homage to Grand Seiko’s earliest designs, reinterpreting classics like the 44GS and 62GS from 1967 with state-of-the-art movements, modern manufacturing techniques, and refined finishing. Among these icons, the 62GS holds a special place in Grand Seiko’s history as the brand’s first automatic timepiece. Originally introduced in 1967, it stood out with its bold mirrored, multi-sided case and expansive dial, achieved through a bezel-free construction that enhances legibility and presence on the wrist.

Two of the latest timepieces from the Heritage Collection pay tribute to Japan’s revered seasonal calendar. These watches, the SBGH351 Rikka and the SBGH353 Shūbun, take on the form of the iconic 62GS. As the 2025 successors to the previous Rikka and Shūbun models (SBGH271 and SBGH273 respectively), these new watches continue Grand Seiko’s legacy of capturing the fleeting elegance of Japan’s landscapes through masterful design.

The SBGH351 embodies Rikka, the seventh of Japan’s twenty-four sekki, marking the transition from spring to summer. To elaborate, in Japan, a calendar year is divided into twenty-four sekki or solar terms. The rich green dial of the Rikka has been textured to evoke the gentle breeze over the lush grasslands surrounding the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi. It exudes vitality and depth, assisted by the gold-toned accents on the Grand Seiko logo and seconds hand that provide a striking contrast.

Conversely, the SBGH353 reflects the essence of Shūbun, the sixteenth sekki, which coincides with the autumn equinox when Japan’s night skies are at their clearest. As though illuminated by the moon and stars, its deep blue dial becomes reminiscent of those crisp autumn evenings. Here, the whole scene is also elevated by the gold detailing on the Grand Seiko logo and seconds hand, mirroring the celestial glow of the season.

Arriving in April 2025 are two more stunning Grand Seiko timepieces. Being also new additions to Heritage Collection, these watches, the STGK031 Sakura-Kakushi and STGK033 Sakura-Tsukiyo, also draw inspiration from the classic 62GS design. This time around, they showcase dials that beautifully capture the delicate charm of cherry blossoms in early spring. Moreover, at their heart beats Grand Seiko’s smallest automatic mechanical movement, the Calibre 9S27, which ensures they remain the brand’s slimmest automatic models to date.

The first watch, the Sakura-Kakushi, captures the poetic beauty of cherry blossoms hidden beneath a veil of spring snow. It is, after all, a rare and fleeting sight in northern Japan, where Grand Seiko’s Studio Shizukuishi resides. This graceful phenomenon inspires the watch’s finely textured dial, rendered in a soft, greyish-pink hue that echoes the delicate balance of sakura and snow. With every shift in light and angle, the dial reveals subtle variations in tone, exuding a quiet elegance that feels both serene and dynamic, thus embodying the refined artistry and natural beauty that define the brand.

On the other hand, the Sakura-Tsukiyo presents another aspect of the revered cherry blossom as it reflects the quiet enchantment of these blooms at night, bathed in soft moonlight. In early spring, as temperatures fluctuate between day and night, a delicate mist often blankets the landscape, diffusing the moon’s glow into a gentle, ethereal radiance. This serene beauty is captured in the watch’s intricately textured silver dial, which shifts in tone with every change in light and angle. With its understated elegance and luminous depth, the timepiece brings a refined expression of nature’s quiet poetry to the wrist.