Spring Drive 8 Day SBGD201

The first Grand Seiko from the Micro Artist Studio

Since 2000, the skilled craftspeople of the Micro Artist Studio at the Shinshu Watch Studio have been producing masterpieces based on Spring Drive, combining the best of horological technology with hand craftsmanship of the highest order. In 2016, the Micro Artist Studio unveiled their first watch for Grand Seiko, SBGD201.

The development of SBGD201 began with Caliber 9R01, a technical and aesthetic powerhouse boasting the full potential of Spring Drive. It offers a precision rate of 10 seconds per month and an incredible 8-day power reserve thanks to a system of three barrels arranged in sequence. To ensure the movement’s stability and to secure any wheels from becoming displaced in case of shock, a single solid bridge was used. The visually stunning layout and finishing of the caliber are inspired by the scenery of Lake Suwa. The bridge traces the contours of Mt. Fuji, the glide wheel represents the sun sitting behind the mountain, the rubies and tempered blued screws evoke the lights of Suwa city at night, and the power reserve indicator echoes the shape of Lake Suwa. The caliber is finished with convex beveling along the edges of the bridge, and the top surface is done in a beautiful linear graining known as “hairline finishing.”

Reference SBGD201 features a stunning case rendered in Platinum 950, made denser and hardened via a process called cold forging. The case also has Grand Seiko’s trademark Zaratsu polishing thanks to a special technique created especially for working with platinum. The white dial of SBGD201 has a distinct “diamond dust” texture, reminiscent of a winter morning in the Suwa region near the studio.