The 44GS is Grand Seiko’s most iconic timepiece. Introduced in 1967, it put the Japanese watchmaker on the map as far as watch design was concerned. Its deceptively simple surface forms, sharply defined facets, and mirror-shine finishing set it apart and it became the brand’s defining aesthetic. Even now, the 44GS stands out and its modern interpretation forms a good portion of Grand Seiko’s current-day portfolio.
Less well-known is a watch that Grand Seiko released only one year later, in 1968: the 45GS. What its predecessor did for aesthetics, the 45GS did for mechanics, as it hosted the brand’s first manual-winding high-beat movement. Calibre 4520 ticked at 5Hz—double that of the movement found in the 44GS—which brought about significant advantages in stability and performance. High-beat movements continue today to be another Grand Seiko signature.
The 45GS is getting its time in the limelight, thanks to a pair of new special editions: the SLGW004 and SLGW005 are limited-edition re-creations of the 45GS. SLGW004 (RM137,100) has a solid yellow gold case, is limited to 200 pieces, and is exclusive to Grand Seiko boutiques. Meanwhile, SLGW005 (RM44,300) is limited to 1,200 pieces.
The original was styled very closely after the 44GS, adding only a touch of refinement and slimness; the re-creations follow suit. At slightly less than 39mm in diameter, they are just a bit bigger than the originals, but would be considered appropriately sized for a contemporary dress watch. The thickness is a touch more than 10mm.
It is a lot more difficult to impress with a manual-winding movement today, high-beat or not—but then again, this is Grand Seiko. The re-creations contain Calibre 9SA4, introduced earlier this year to great anticipation as the manual-winding version of the brand’s revolutionary Dual Impulse Escapement. Engineered especially to have the tactile, aural and visual considerations of hand-winding, 9SA4 has a power reserve of 80 hours—no mean feat, given that it is also a high-beat 5Hz movement.
With polished baton markers and razor-sharp sword hands, the dials are classic Grand Seiko—unexpectedly classic, actually, because they have two logos: ‘GS’ at 6 o’clock, and ‘Seiko’ at 12 o’clock. This was the standard Grand Seiko badging until 2017, when the brand was officially spun off from Seiko to begin operating autonomously. Since then, the ‘Seiko’ logo was dropped, and the Grand Seiko signature moved to 12 o’clock. Until now, that is—the double logo has returned for the first time for SLGW004 and SLGW005.
Despite the consistent quality of its watchmaking, for decades Grand Seiko largely flew under the radar, with few international watch collectors seeming to understand that Seiko’s consumer-oriented reputation was largely not relevant to Grand Seiko’s high-level horology. The re-branding in 2017 was largely seen as a move to address this, and to push Grand Seiko into its own exclusive territory. The brand has come a long way since then, and it is much better known and acknowledged. Putting ‘Seiko’ back on the dial is thus a tribute to its history, and–ironically, perhaps—is something that will have serious collectors all the more appreciative.
