GRAND SEIKO HI-BEAT 36000 VFA SBGH265
2018 is important for Grand Seiko. It’s the second year the Japanese brand stands independent of Seiko and, more importantly, the 20th anniversary of the Grand Seiko mechanical Calibre 9S launched in 1998. Warmly welcomed since its debut, the Grand Seiko Calibre 9S has been fine-tuned to near perfection with the use of Spron alloys for the main and balance springs, as well as its construction using MEMS engineering that allows key components to be manufactured to tolerances down to one thousandth of a millimetre. The result is a mechanical movement that’s precise, robust and keeps the watch ticking longer than most of its peers. Thus, it is only befitting that the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 VFA SBGH265 makes an appearance to mark the calibre’s milestone. The VFA title – which stands for ‘Very Fine Adjusted’ – carried by this timepiece is testament to the precision of the 9S85 Hi-Beat 36000 calibre inside, rated to +3 to -1 seconds per day that has been regulated and tested over 34 days to reach such impeccable standards. At 36,000 vibrations per hour, the automatic winding movement keeps basic timekeeping and date functions running for 55 hours. While the movement is indeed the star of this 39.5mm timepiece, the design is also an ode to joy with a Zaratsu polished Platinum 950 case that encloses an intricate mosaic dial engraved with Daini Seikosha and Grand Seiko logos in a geometric pattern that’s simply mesmerising. Limited to only 20 pieces, serious collectors will find this anniversary model seriously impossible to resist.
