Mario Canonizado 
Take a trip into the Kirigamine (霧ヶ峰) Highlands with Grand Seiko, as they debut a duo of new Evolution 9 references equipped with their most advanced watch movement yet.
The Seiko brand has long been a watchmaking staple of the East. Since its founding in 1881, the Japanese conglomerate has maintained a reputation as one of the last great horological bastions of Asia. However, committing to the highest forms of watchmaking is no easy feat. By 1960, the Ginza (銀座)-based brand recognised that, to be truly taken seriously in the watch world, they needed to extend beyond their eponymous name and push their craftsmanship and engineering skills to the limit. This ambition ultimately led to the founding of Grand Seiko: a brand created to embody the very best of Japanese watchmaking, blending intricate design with groundbreaking mechanical innovations.
For what is now 65 years in the making, Grand Seiko set out to challenge the Swiss-dominated horological landscape. Unlike Seiko’s more accessible offerings, Grand Seiko watches were meticulously crafted with an obsession for legibility, durability and above all – precision. One of the most significant milestones of this era was their participation in the annual Neuchâtel Chronometer Competition. Competing under the Seiko banner, they achieved an impressive second-place ranking in the 1967 competition. Strangely, the Neuchâtel Chronometer Competition was discontinued the following year. Coincidence? Perhaps. But a more compelling theory suggests that Swiss watchmakers of the time weren’t too keen on seeing a Japanese brand disrupt their own playing field – especially after Seiko had given them a proverbial bloody nose in a contest they orchestrated for themselves. Two years later, they would also introduce the V.F.A., short for ‘Very Fine Adjusted.’ A designation for Grand Seiko watches that achieved extraordinary levels of precision, These timepieces were regulated to an insane accuracy of ±1 minute per month, setting the bar ever-higher for the watchmaking world.
In 1977, however, the development of the groundbreaking Spring Drive movement began. An ambitious project led by Yoshikazu Akahane (赤羽 好和), his vision was to merge the deadly accuracy of quartz with the traditional refinements of mechanical watchmaking. After 28 years and over 600 prototypes, Akahane-san’s dream was finally realised in 2004 with the official debut of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive movement. This innovation achieved a perfect marriage of mechanical and quartz mastery, boasting an unbelievable accuracy of ±1 second per day – an achievement that redefined the pursuit of precision for both the industry and Grand Seiko themselves. Over the years, the Spring Drive has evolved within the walls of Grand Seiko (and their sister brand, Credor), taking on many forms to widespread critical acclaim. However, it’s with these new Watches & Wonders 2025 releases that Grand Seiko have truly outdone themselves, embarking on a new quest for the highest form of mechanical excellence.
For the world’s biggest watch fair, Grand Seiko has officially unveiled a spectacular pair of Evolution 9 models under the new designation U.F.A. for their 65th birthday celebration. Measuring up to a delicate 37mm case diameter with an 11.4mm thickness, these new Grand Seiko models are as modest and as understated as it gets for the brand. However, the striking beauty elicited from both the case and dial structures are anything but. The first reference, SLGB003, has been outfitted with a High-Intensity Grade 5 titanium case, which is characterised by its brilliant Zaratsu (ザラツ) polishing and exceptional toughness that betrays its lighter-than-air feel.
The second reference, on the other hand – the 80-piece limited edition SLGB001 – has a more imposing wrist presence, thanks to its 950 platinum case construction. While benign from afar, these case materials carry properties that only serve to enhance the singular design philosophies and overall wearing experience of each Grand Seiko timepiece. One detail that may go unnoticed amongst all this splendour is that the titanium reference, which comes on a titanium bracelet, has finally been given a microadjustment option! This has been long requested from Grand Seiko, and after being teased by CEO Akio Naito (内藤 昭男) on social media months prior, it’s awesome to see it make its way into the catalogue.
As has become the trademark of Grand Seiko, the dial of these new Evolution 9 U.F.A. timepieces possess a dial finishing unlike any other in the global watch trade. Evoking the ice forests seen in the Kirigamine (霧ヶ峰) Highlands’ wintertime, both creations’ dials have been intricately textured to produce subtle yet eye-catching pale blue tones that add yet another feather to the cap of Grand Seiko’s knack for meticulous detail. The dial of the titanium version features a silver-tinged blue hue, evoking the serene beauty of ice forests seen through crisp, clear air, accentuated by a tempered blue seconds hand. In contrast, the platinum version showcases a slightly deeper blue dial, providing a refined backdrop for the seamless glide of a silver-coloured seconds hand.
That seamless gliding motion is only possible through the use of the Spring Drive movement – though, these new Evolution 9 U.F.A. models serve to truly take the brand to the next level. As a tribute to the 1969 release of the V.F.A., U.F.A. is a new designation within the Grand Seiko roster, short for ‘Ultra Fine Accuracy.’ This is thanks to the debuting Grand Seiko Calibre 9RB2 which, through the use of massive technological advancements and an upgraded integrated circuit (IC), is able to run within a ±20 second deviancy per year. To put that into perspective for the layman, a regular quartz watch – like ones you could get at a department store or standard jewellery shop – typically runs within that same deviance per month. In that respect, the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Spring Drive is 12 times more accurate than a battery-powered quartz watch – all while consuming so little energy that even a thousand Spring Drive movements wouldn’t be able to power a single light bulb.
My Thoughts
One of the craziest things I usually hear from watch snobs – online or otherwise – is that they “wouldn’t spend X amount of dollars on a watch that says ‘Seiko’ on it.” It’s a crazy derision of the Japanese brand that reduces them to nothing more than a stereotype of cheaply-made watches. Yes, I’ve said this before, but while the statement holds some layer of truth, it is still fundamentally incorrect. The case in point is Grand Seiko, who over the years have built themselves up as a powerhouse of the luxury watch industry; a name that still draws the ire and beads of sweat from the brows of many a European watch brand.
These Grand Seiko Evolution 9 U.F.A. models are but the next step on Grand Seiko’s road to being seated in the pantheon of watchmaking GOATs. It’s a truly special progression – both technologically and aesthetically – that is befitting of their 65th Anniversary, and only serves to make them harder and harder to ignore. The funny thing is, we already knew that something special was along the horizon. Don’t believe me? Here’s a quote from Sam:
For the brand’s 65th anniversary, we can possibly expect to see special and limited edition models that feature unique dials and textures, which [Grand Seiko] is well known for. On the mechanical side of things, we could see advancements in their spring-drive and Hi-beat movement technologies, but honestly, I’d expect something substantial like this to happen on their 70th anniversary!
Sam Gamage: What Are The Major Watch Anniversaries for 2025?
Okay, so maybe we were half right, because the Spring Drive advancements have come five years earlier than expected! In any case, through the use of tough titanium and precious platinum; the Ultra Fine Accuracy of the Cal. 9RB2; and even subtler changes like the micro-adjusting bracelet of the SLGB003, the Japanese brand has proven that their 65th anniversary celebration will not go unnoticed. Furthermore, it’s a sign of things to come, and the watch industry better be ready for the horological powers of the East to rise up once again.
References: SLGB001 (Platinum)/SLGB003 (Titanium)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 37mm case diameter x 11.4mm thickness
- Case Material: 950 platinum/High-Intensity Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Pale Blue/Silver Blue with ‘Kirigamine (霧ヶ峰) Highlands Ice Forest’ motif
- Movement: Automatic Cal. 9RB2 Spring Drive with U.F.A. Accuracy (±20 seconds deviation per year)
- Power Reserve: 72h
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Dark blue alligator leather strap with platinum & 18k white gold butterfly clasp/Titanium micro-adjustable bracelet with butterfly clasp
