Grand Seiko Spring Drive Four Seasons "Winter" SBGA415 Grand Seiko Watch Review (40mm diameter; 12.8mm thickness)

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Taisetsu: The Deep Snow of Winter

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Jun 4, 2020

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WatchBox Reviews

The Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Spring Drive Four Seasons "Winter" SBGA415 is encased in 40mm of titanium surrounding a grey textured dial on a titanium bracelet. Features of this Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Spring Drive Four Seasons "Winter" include hours, minutes, seconds, date, and power reserve indicator. This Grand Seiko watch also measures 13.2mm in thickness and 46.7mm from lug-to-lug.

For complete details, watch the full Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Spring Drive Four Seasons "Winter" review by Tim Mosso!


FEATURES

Taisetsu: The Deep Snow of Winter

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Pine trees crusted with snow, silent under the sun of winter. It’s when the world has settled into a slumber only to awaken in the spring. This model’s dial celebrates the winter snow as it gathers and glitters against the sunlight.

Case Design: The Iconic 62GS Modern Reinterpretation
Launched in 1967, the 62GS was Grand Seiko’s first automatic movement. This timepiece gained popularity for its striking design featuring a mirrored, multi-sided case and wide dial opening, which was achieved with bezel-free construction and Seiko’s signature Zaratsu polishing technique. Pure, refined, and noble, the 62GS is a treasured classic.

Movement: 9R65 caliber that Grand Seiko assembles in its Shinshu Watch Studio, located in
Nagano Prefecture. This sophisticated movement combines modern technology with
the skilled hands of master craftspeople for its fine adjustments and high precision. The Spring Drive movement further reflects the smooth passage of
time with every revolution.

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https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/g...31683488383051

Only available in the United States, the dial of this Spring Drive-powered watch has a dramatic grey hue that is meant to recall a winter snow storm in Japan.

WHY WE LOVE IT

From Grand Seiko's U.S.-exclusive Four Seasons collection, the Winter watch gives the greyest parts of winter new perspective, condensing those mercurial days where the clouds won't stop circling overhead and there's an endless amount of snow underfoot into something worn on the wrist. While almost the entire watch features shades of grey, the seconds hand has undergone a heat-blued treatment to add a bit of color and levity to the wearing experience.

THE BACKSTORY

Grand Seiko released a collection of four U.S.-exclusive watches during the summer of 2019. These watches were not limited in production and featured dials inspired by the four seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter). Other than the individual dial executions, all four watches featured a brand new case design inspired by a signature of Grand Seiko's design language, the bold 62GS profile that was used to house the first automatic Grand Seiko movement in 1967. This original case construction featured prominent lines and defined facets with a mirrored finish. It lacked a bezel, meaning the box-shaped crystal had to be attached directly to the case itself, which allowed it to have a wider dial opening, enhancing legibility. The lugs of the Four Seasons collection have been slightly redesigned with sharp angles that contour to the wrist and form a seamless connection with the curved end-link of the bracelets. The modern proportions of all four watches is 40mm by 12mm, which allows for a perfectly solid wearing experience that feels slightly smaller than the listed size when worn. It toes the slim line between dressy and sporty, a combination ideal for a daily wearer. On the subject of wearability, the actual on-the-wrist feeling between the Spring and Winter models and the Summer and Fall versions is quite different. Why? Because Grand Seiko used different case metals and movements between the pairs. The SBGA415 features a brushed titanium case and the Spring Drive 9R65 caliber. It has a date window at three o'clock and the movement is visible through a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback.


FEATURES
  • Model: Four Seasons Winter U.S. Exclusive Spring Drive
  • Reference: SBGA415
  • Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve
  • Material: Titanium
  • Dimensions: 40mm diameter; 12.8mm thickness
  • Caseback: Sapphire crystal
  • Dial: Grey with texture
  • Lume: N/A
  • Caliber: 9R65 Spring Drive
  • Power Reserve: 72 hours
  • Water Resistance: 100 meters
  • Bracelet/Strap: Titanium bracelet
  • Lug width: 21mm
  • Manufactured: Japan
ABOUT THIS BRAND

Grand Seiko released its first watch in 1960, challenging the perception that the Swiss were the undisputed masters of fine watchmaking. In the nearly 60 years since the first Grand Seiko, the company has become known the world over for producing some of the most elegantly designed timepieces in the world while developing innovative technologies such as Spring Drive. Even while maintaining its high quality standards, it delivers tons of value in its watches, making it popular with collectors at all levels. In 2017, Grand Seiko became its own brand within Seiko’s expansive watchmaking portfolio.

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/grand-s...ches-hands-on/

https://wornandwound.com/first-look-...3-and-sbga415/

The SBGA415 is the winter reference, and this one absolutely builds on the themes in the vaunted and modern classic Snowflake (reference SBGA211). Equipped with a Spring Drive movement, the smooth sweep of the seconds hand across a picaresque Japanese snow scene remains the emotional touchstone, but the dial has a texture that’s more elaborate and immediately dynamic than the older reference. If the SBGA211 is a quiet, windswept, snow covered landscape, the newer version is more akin to a blizzard in progress.
 
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