Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm: SBGX359, SBGX361

First introduced in 2005, Grand Seiko’s Snowflake dial evokes the beauty of the snow-covered Hotaka mountain range in Nagano Prefecture, where Grand Seiko Spring Drive and quartz watches are created. Its finely textured surface, shaped by subtle variations in depth across the pristine white dial, remains a hallmark of Grand Seiko and its philosophy, the Nature of Time.

This celebrated dial design later inspired a light blue variation, affectionately known as the Skyflake, whose gentle hue captures the image of wind-swept snow shimmering beneath a clear sky. Today, Grand Seiko unveils two new creations featuring the renowned Snowflake and Skyflake dials. Each timepiece is presented in a 33.0mm x 9.1mm case, the slimmest and smallest in diameter of any Grand Seiko 9F creation to date. These compact dimensions are made possible by Caliber 9F51, the first new movement in the 9F family in six years.

Inspired by nature’s beauty

SBGX359 - Snowflake

SBGX361 - Skyflake

Visible from the Shinshu Watch Studio, housed in the Shiojiri facility of Seiko Epson Corporation, the Hotaka mountain range remains blanketed by snow for several months each winter. Fierce winds sculpt the alpine snow into intricate patterns, providing the inspiration for this distinctive dial design. To capture the rugged texture and pure whiteness of the snow-covered Hotaka slopes, a special process combining silver-plating, clear coating, and finishing is used rather than an application of white paint. By refining the plating’s thickness and using a combination of coating and finishing techniques, the dial achieves superior light reflection and brilliance, resulting in the pristine white finish that defines its beauty. Adding a striking contrast, the vivid blue of the tempered steel seconds hand shines as an elegant accent against the pure white dial.

The ultimate quartz movement: Caliber 9F

Caliber 9F

Introduced in 1993, Caliber 9F was created to be the ultimate quartz movement, combining exceptional performance with enduring beauty. Delivering an accuracy of ±10 seconds per year, the movement features a regulation switch for manual fine-tuning of accuracy during servicing, the Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism to eliminate the shudder of the seconds-hand, and the Twin Pulse Control Motor, which generates the torque required for Grand Seiko’s large hands. Each movement is assembled by hand by the watchmakers of the Shinshu Watch Studio and features individually selected quartz crystals aged for three months and a thermo-compensated IC for excellent rate stability regardless of temperature differences.

SBGX359 - Snowflake

SBGX361 - Skyflake

The new Caliber 9F51 retains these hallmark features of the 9F series while introducing the most compact design to date. With a diameter 0.6 mm smaller than the long-standing Caliber 9F61 without date, the new construction allows Caliber 9F51 to power watches with slimmer cases, making these new creations perfectly suited for smaller wrists.

Both creations will be available as continuous-production models starting April 2026 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide.