Black Beauty
Grand Seiko
Widely acknowledged by timepiece aficionados as the standard-bearer for Japanese haute horlogerie, a Grand Seiko watch offers not just high-end horology’s triumvirate of performance, innovation and beauty, but also plenty of spirit and soul. In recent years, Grand Seiko has added another virtue—variety—to its merits. While Grand Seiko watches are normally known for their classical charms, the new Grand Seiko Black Ceramic Spring Drive Chronograph collection entices fans with a distinctive sportive allure. At the heart of the watch is Seiko’s proprietary Spring Drive movement, a groundbreaking hybrid electronic-mechanical automatic movement that offers supreme accuracy with deviation of +/-1 second a day, and long power reserve of 72 hours on a full wind. In this collection, the Spring Drive movement drives three key functions—hours and minutes, chronograph, and second time zone with a separate hour hand. Aptly, the watch’s stateof-the-art workhorse engine is clad in modern and muscular garb. One’s eyes are instinctively drawn to the sleek and substantial 46.4mm case and bracelet, set in a combination of silver and black. The sexy hues and potent mix of titanium and ceramic not only provide visual drama, but also endow the watches with lightness and strength. Available in three variations, the watches combine the brand’s craftsmanship and technological charms with athletic power and precision —topped with a dash of sexy machismo. The version with a white dial exudes a retro-sporty personality, while the option with a black dial offers a sense of mystique. The star of the collection, however, is the limited-edition Grand Seiko Black Ceramic Spring Drive Chronograph GMT (SBGC219). Capped at 500 pieces, it features a blue dial matched for the first time in a Grand Seiko watch with rose gold accents. The precious metal appears on the hands, indexes, logo and oscillating rotor. Unique good looks aside, the watch also comes with an improved Spring Drive movement, the 9R96, which is accurate to -/+0.5 seconds a day—just the kind of features that put the “grand” in Grand Seiko. • Seiko Boutique: 01-29 Jem, tel: 6339 4539 01-03 Vivocity, tel: 6376 8081 • World of Watches 2: 03-01E Wisma Atria, tel: 8556 8889