Unveiled in 2017, the original  SBGJ227 “Peacock” was an immediate hit with watch collectors who fell in love with its distinctive green dial and pattern inspired by the peacock’s feathers. Today at COUTURE, Grand Seiko Corporation of America is proud to reintroduce the Peacock, this time as a U.S. Limited Edition of 500 pieces with a mesmerizing blue and purple dial.

The dial of SBGJ261 features a texture achieved through an intricate press patterning process. The effect, radiating from the dial’s center, is immediately eye-catching, recalling the vibrant plumage of a peacock’s train. Multi-faceted indexes and razor-edged hands offer high legibility, as well as a contrasting GMT hand for tracking an additional time zone. A dual-curved sapphire tops the dial.

The 44GS case was first introduced in 1967, establishing the design profile that came to be known as the Grand Seiko Style. In 2013, Grand Seiko unveiled the modern interpretation of the 44GS, created by Grand Seiko designer Nobuhiro Kosugi. 2022 marks the 55th anniversary of the original 44GS design.

Powering the watch is Hi-Beat GMT caliber 9S86, a movement assembled by the craftsmen and women of Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, the homeplace of all Grand Seiko mechanical watches. The caliber has an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds a day (when static), a beat rate of 36,000 bph, and a power reserve of 55 hours. Additionally, the GMT hand allows for the tracking of a second time zone, with the hour hand being independently adjustable.

The dial of the SBGK017 takes its inspiration from Nanbu tekki ironware, a form of traditional metalwork produced in the city of Morioka in Iwate prefecture. This renowned handcraft dates to Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), but it continues to this very day, and it is prized by many for its beauty, durability, and uniform heat distribution. Nanbu tekki ironware features a distinctive texture called arare, or hailstone, on its exterior. This texture finds its way onto the dark gray dial of SBGK017.

Grand Seiko’s Thin Dress Series case design. With the Thin Dress Series, Grand Seiko’s objective was to create thinner, dressier timepieces that could easily slip under a shirt cuff. To that end, the case measures 39mm in diameter, 11.6mm in thickness, and just 44mm in length. The shape features a pronounced curvature with softer, more organic lines than what one would find on more geometric designs like the 44GS. Additionally, the underside of the case is concave, which allows the watch to sit closer to the wrist. The dial and sapphire crystal are also curved to give the watches a classic look, and the minute and power reserve indicator hands are shaped by a craftsperson so that they follow the dials’ dome.

The dial of SBGK015 is inspired by the vivid blue and emerald-green underground lakes of the Ryūsendō (龍泉洞). Located in Iwaizumi in eastern Iwate Prefecture, Ryūsendō Cave is known for its extensive subterranean galleries arching over deep sunless lakes of clear blue water. This effect is captured beautifully by the dial’s vibrant color and dynamic pattern curving from its center.

Grand Seiko’s Thin Dress Series case design. With the Thin Dress Series, Grand Seiko’s objective was to create thinner, dressier timepieces that could easily slip under a shirt cuff. To that end, the case measures 39mm in diameter, 11.6mm in thickness, and just 44mm in length. The shape features a pronounced curvature with softer, more organic lines than what one would find on more geometric designs like the 44GS. Additionally, the underside of the case is concave, which allows the watch to sit closer to the wrist. The dial and sapphire crystal are also curved to give the watches a classic look, and the minute and power reserve indicator hands are shaped by a craftsperson so that they follow the dials’ dome.

The Zen-like calm of the bamboo grove at the Nezu Museum and Garden is the inspiration for the new U.S. Limited Edition SBGJ259, with its distinct striated bright green patterned dial and yellow GMT hand. Enclosed in a contemporary reinterpretation of the acclaimed 44GS design, the case offers highly polished, distortion-free surfaces, razor-edged hands for high legibility, and perfect comfort on the wrist.

2022 marks the 55^th anniversary of the original 44GS, a design that introduced the Grand Seiko Style. It is a foundational timepiece, informing Grand Seiko design for the nearly six decades that followed. SBGJ259 employs the modern interpretation of the 44GS, first introduced in 2013. Measuring 40mm in diameter and 14mm in thickness, it is rendered in stainless steel, and it features an angular form with broad lugs and distortion-free surfaces throughout. In profile, one can see the gentle curvature of the mid-case and the taper of the lugs, a critical design detail that allows for a very comfortable fit when worn.

The 1967 44GS was the watch that first embodied the design grammar known as the “Grand Seiko Style”, the set of nine principles which gave Grand Seiko its distinctive look and which still inspires every new creation today.  As part of the year-long celebration of the 55th anniversary of the 44GS, SBGP017 embodies the spirit of this seminal 1967 design and offers a remarkable precision rate of +5 to -5 seconds per year.The dial is as remarkable as the caliber that delivers this exceptional accuracy. It has the texture of the sea of clouds that form around the mountains on some mornings in the Shinshu region where this and all Grand Seiko quartz watches are made. Sometimes, the air is so still and humid that dense clouds gather and overlap to create a sea of clouds above Shinshu’s lowlands that stretches away to the horizon in every direction and that is tinged with blue, reflected down from the clear skies above them.