The Grand Seiko SBGD201 which is a member of the spring drive family which is part of the Heritage collection. Released in 2017 by the Japanese watch giants, the SBGD201 characterized by the technical excellence, micro artiste treatment design, and the sophistication synonymous with the heritage collection members. The SBGD201 was produced by Grand Seiko specialist at their facility in Shiojiri – Micro Artiste studio near Nagano Japan, for men’s casual, business and sports needs.
EXTERIOR
The Grand Seiko SBGD201’s round casing is made from platinum, and it is about 43mm in diameter and 13.2mm in thickness. The Zaratsu technique was employed to give the case a befitting mirror polish finish, giving it a clean and reflective look. The protective glass covering is made from box-shaped sapphire and is protected with anti-reflective coating to protect its inner surface. The Grand Seiko SBGD201 strap is leather which is made from alligator/crocodile skin and is usually black in color, and it comes with a deployment clasp.
MOVEMENT
The Grand Seiko SBGD201 is one of the first watches to use the 9R01 caliber, automatic movement system with manual winding capability. The 9R01 spring drive movement system was designed to reduce the friction between movable parts thereby reducing wear and tear, and this will result in a lesser need for servicing. Also, it maximizes energy better than most previous movement versions, which makes transmission in the watch more efficient. The 9R01 has 56 jewels, 307 components, has a staggering 192 hours reserve that can last as long as 8 days, making it one of the few watches with such high-power capacity. It has a +5 second accuracy per day, making it one of the most accurate watches in the Heritage collection. The 9R01 movement system alongside a power usage indicator is visible through the transparent screw-down back of the watch. The power reserve indicator is graduated from 1 to 8, and a hand indicates the level of power drainage. Finally, the plates of the 9R01 are beveled and are designed to outline Mt. Fiji, and the highly polished rubies and blued screws to signify the lights in the Suwa region of Japan.
FUNCTIONS
Aside from its beautiful design which makes it an accessory of class, the Grand Seiko SBGD201 has many other functions that justifies its value to its bearer. The watch has a water resistance of 10 bars making it safe even at 100 m deep. This eradicates the worry of wearing your watch in the rain or while doing shores that get you exposed to water. For safety reasons, the Grand Seiko SBGD201 is also antimagnetic enabled making which makes it have little or no deviation if used near a magnet or in a magnetic field.
DISPLAY
One of the things Grand Seiko got exceedingly right is the display of the SBGD201. Its analog pure white dial reflects a glittering diamond-crust design which was inspired by winter mornings in the Nagano region of Japan, and although there are no Arabic numerals on it, its 12 hours indicator indexes are beautifully arranged to maximize space and accuracy. Two five-sided silver hands representing the hour and minutes sit on the dial alongside a blue second hand which contrasts beautifully against the white dial to enhance its visibility.
PRICE
You can get the Grand Seiko SBGD201 at a price of $59,000
