Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Purple Dial of the Grand Seiko 44GS SBGW323 ‘Kiri’
A lilac dial with a Mt. Iwate texture joins the more compact member of the 44GS dynasty.
What’s particularly reassuring about Grand Seiko’s more compact watches is that they don’t cut corners. When Grand Seiko introduced its 44GS reference in a 36.5mm case, the characteristics of its 1967 ancestor, the model that cemented the tenets of the “Grammar of Design”, were dutifully respected. Everything admired about Grand Seiko was present but in a more compact package. Following several very attractive editions, including the pleated Sensu dials, Grand Seiko proposes a soft purple textured dial inspired by the lilac Kiri flower, a sacred and cherished tree engraved on the 500-yen coin.
The 100m water-resistant steel case, which has a diameter of 36.5mm and a thickness of 11.6mm, has inherited the iconic profile of its 1967 ancestor, the 44GS, the model that incarnated the aesthetic and technical parameters laid down in Taro Tanaka’s “Grammar of Design”. Revealing its powerful architecture of angles, broad flat surfaces and razor-like flanks, the lugs and bezel gleam with the brand’s signature mirror-like Zaratsu polishing and contrasting hairline brushed surfaces.
The novelty here is the lilac dial, a colour that evokes the Kiri (also known as the paulownia or Empress tree), the prefectural flower of Iwate, home to Grand Seiko’s Studio Shizukuishi, where all mechanical 9S timepieces are crafted. Like so many GS models, the dial is also textured with a pattern that recalls the ridges of Mt. Iwate. The applied markers and hands, faceted and polished to GS’s high standards, catch the light. A box-shaped sapphire crystal protects the dial.
Beneath the caseback is the familiar calibre 9S64, a manual-winding movement with a 4Hz frequency and a robust 3-day power reserve. Adjusted in six positions, the average accuracy is reported at +5 to -3 seconds per day. The Grand Seiko Heritage 44GS Mechanical SBGW323 will be available in May 2025 at Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide. The retail price is EUR 6,000.
For more information, please visit Grand-Seiko.com.
