Grand Seiko Launch ‘Sakura-Wakaba’, ‘Sakura-Kakushi’ and ‘Sunrise at Mount Iwate’ Hi-Beat Collection

Normally we talk about Seiko having a packed release schedule but so far it’s Grand Seiko who are launching an avalanche of watches in February. So far we’ve had the 37mm Snowflake, Diamond Snowflake, Morning Glow of Hotaka Peaks and Pink Snowflake. Now, joining that line up are the Sakura-Wakaba SBGH343G, Sakura-Kakushi SBGH341G and Sunrise at Mount Iwate SBGH345G hi-beat watches.

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat ‘Sakura-Wakaba’ SBGH343G and ‘Sakura-Kakushi’ SBGH341G

Let’s kick things off with the Sakura pair, which are the same watch with dials in either green or pink. The theme of these two watches is early spring with Sakura-Wakaba translating to cherry blossom and young leaves and Sakura-Kakushi meaning hiding cherry blossoms – a reference to late winter snows covering blossoms. This isn’t the first time Grand Seiko have used the Sakura-Kakushi concept with a 44GS model in 2022.

However, the new watches aren’t 44GS models, falling in as part of the 62GS family instead. Which you can tell because of the broad surfaces of the 38mm titanium case, with sweeps of brushed metal running directly from lug-to-lug on either side of the dial and a kind of bezelless design. It gives the watches a strong, bold aesthetic that contrasts with the delicate decoration of the dials.

The dials themselves feature a dappled texture in light green or light pink. It’s a sort of less intense interpretation of the Snowflake that’s flatter but with greater colour variance. More frosty than a full on flake. The timekeeping display is then pretty staple for Grand Seiko with sharply facetted hands and hour markers, there’s also a date window at 3 o’clock.

Powering both watches is the Calibre 9S85 hi-beat movement with 55-hour power reserve and -3/+5 seconds per day accuracy. Plus, of course, the signature 36,000 vph. Paired with the 62GS case and the Sakura-Wakaba and Sakura-Kakushi, these watches are priced at £6,950.

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Hi-Beat ‘Sunrise at Mount Iwate’ SBGH345G

The third new watch is the Sunrise at Mount Iwate SBGH345G, another hi-beat timepiece but with a completely different case and style of dial. Starting with the case, it’s 40mm in diameter and made from their ‘ever-brilliant’ steel, a particularly corrosion resistant steel alloy. It’s based on the 44GS design that has been popular for the previous Mount Iwate editions.

As for the dial, it’s red with a subtle flecked pattern in a radial sunray pattern. As the name of the watch suggests, it’s inspired by the sunrise at Mount Iwate – making it a sort of cousin to the Morning Glow of Hotaka Peaks, each dedicated to sunrise at significant mountains in the north and south of Honshu respectively. It’s actually one of my favourite interpretations of the Mount Iwate pattern, which in previous editions has looked a little plain in comparison to watches like the Sakura-Wakaba. Here it’s vibrant and energetic.

It houses the same movement as the two watches above, the 9S85 hi-beat with 55-hour power reserve. It’s really interesting that in the three drops GS have done in February, the first was entirely quartz, the second was exclusively Spring Drive and now this latest suite is Hi-Beat, giving some love to all of their calibres across the spectrum.

The Sunrise at Mount Iwate SBGH345G is an online boutique exclusive and is priced at £6,500. That puts it in the middle of the Mount Iwate price range between the smaller models at £6,250 and the GMT editions at £6,650. It makes me excited to discover what, if any, new dial textures and patterns Grand Seiko have planned for the rest of the year.

More details at Grand Seiko Boutique.

​Oracle Time 

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