The Grand Seiko Icefall Returns, with the 40mm Titanium SBGH349

In September this year, Grand Seiko unveiled a rather striking new model, the Icefall SBGH347. Not only did this watch come with a new dial pattern and a stunning colour, but it also celebrated an important milestone in the brand’s history, the launch in 1998 of the purely mechanical 9S series. This initial Icefall watch was true to the original 1998 model, with a 37mm case and an identical design. Today, using this well-received model as a base, Grand Seiko unveils a larger but lighter Icefall watch, still powered by a Hi-Beat movement. Meet the new SBGH349. 

Below: the 37mm steel Icefall SBGH347 on the left and the 40mm titanium Icefall SBGH349 on the right. Note the difference in size but also the colour of the case.

Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH347

Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH349

Last year, Grand Seiko celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Calibre 9S, a precision in-house automatic movement designed from scratch that would become the new Grand Seiko Standard for mechanical watches – it is still used today in many different variations, with several complications such as GMT, hand-wound versions and even modern architectures with proprietary escapement. Earlier this year, GS unveiled a watch that combines the beauty and compact of the historically important 1998 model – the first within the 9S series – with a brand-new dial, a tribute to the frozen waterfalls of Iwate Prefecture. Made of steel and measuring 37mm, this Hi-Beat SBGH347 now gets a larger, lighter counterpart, the new Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH349.

While visually similar, the SBGH347 and the SBGH349 are fairly different watches. First, while the inaugural Icefall was made from Ever-Brilliant Steel (a harder and shinier proprietary alloy), the new Icefall SBGH349 relies on a High-Intensity Titanium for its case and bracelet – a specific alloy that can be polished (like grade 5 titanium) but with a higher hardness of about 250 to 350HV (about twice that of normal titanium). Also, High-Intensity Titanium is 30 percent lighter than steel and highly resistant to rust, corrosion and scratches. The result is a watch that, despite the larger case of 40mm x 13mm, feels comfortable and soft to the wrist. Also, the case has a different sheen, slightly darker than steel.

Other than these evolutions of materials and dimensions, we find here the same overall design concept as the 1998 model, with strong lugs, a curved profile, large polished bevels and a polished bezel, all benefitting from the well-known distortion-free Zaratsu technique. The case of the Icefall SBGH349 is equipped with sapphire crystals on both sides as well as a screw-down crown, guaranteeing a comfortable 100m water-resistance. Compared to the smaller version, the slightly larger case compensates for the relative thickness and offers a more balanced look.

The dial of the Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH349 is the same as the smaller edition, with an irregulate, vertical pattern combined with an ice-blue colour – both created to remind the texture and hue of the frozen Nanataki waterfall near Mt. Iwate and the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, where the brand’s mechanical watches are manufactured. This handsome base dial is paired with highly detailed and refined polished, bevelled applied markers and hands and a framed date window.

Inside the case is the well-known calibre 9S85, an automatic movement beating a high frequency of 5Hz (36,000 vibrations/hour) and offering a comfortable power reserve of 55 hours. Its accuracy is rated at +5/-3 seconds per day. The decoration of the movement, visible under the sapphire back, is detailed and refined, even if mostly industrial. The Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH349 is worn on a 3-link, brushed, and polished High-Intensity Titanium bracelet closed by a folding clasp with push button release. We’re still missing a quick-change system or a micro-adjustment mechanism (even if the brand said recently that it was “on its way”)

Released as part of the permanent collection and available from January 1st, 2025, the 40mm Grand Seiko Icefall SBGH349 Titanium will be priced at EUR 8,000. For more details, please visit Grand-Seiko.com.