Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Pink Dial

cazalea · 2022-04-12T20:46:37Z

Explore the Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition. This 36.5mm manual-wind watch features a unique pink Sakura-kakushi dial and Caliber 9S64.

cazalea

WPS member · Seiko forum

19 replies4120 views4 photos

Cazalea presents a new Grand Seiko Heritage Collection limited edition, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the 1967 44GS design. This article highlights the watch's unique pink dial, inspired by Japan's Sakura-kakushi phenomenon, and its slim profile achieved with the manual-winding Caliber 9S64.

Now is the time to buy.

The 1967 44GS was the watch that first embodied the design code 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.

Now, 55 years on from its first appearance, the 44GS design is commemorated with a limited edition manual-winding watch whose slender case profile pays full respect to the “Grand Seiko Style” and whose dial is inspired by the beauty of spring in northern Japan, where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are made.

Blessed with four distinctive seasons, Japan’s natural world offers a rich variety of sights that are both ephemeral and lastingly memorable. One such is Sakura-kakushi, the brief moment in spring when, in northern Japan, snow and cherry blossom co-exist. The dial of this new creation is a delicate pink with a slight silver hue that, together, perfectly capture the moment when the cherry blossom peeks through the snow as it shimmers and begins to melt in the spring sunshine.

The unique quality of this watch is that it combines a slim 36.5mm profile with all the characteristics that made the 44GS such a memorable and lasting design. To make this possible, every aspect of the watch’s construction was considered afresh. The case was designed to take full advantage of the slimness of Grand Seiko’s manual-winding Caliber 9S64, while retaining the flat surfaces and sharp angles of the original 44GS. The bezel, indexes and hands are slender to match the case design, creating a fresh yet classical Grand Seiko look.

The movement is assembled by hand by the craftsmen and women in the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, and the case is Zaratsu polished, also by hand, to give the distortion-free surfaces that have always been a defining characteristic of the “Grand Seiko Style.” This new addition to the Heritage Collection will be available in June 2022 as a limited edition of 1,200 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retailers worldwide.

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection: 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition

Movement

Caliber 9S64

Winding: Manual

Vibrations: 28,880 vibrations per hour (8 beats per second)

Accuracy: +5 to -3 seconds per day (mean daily rate)

Power reserve: 72 hours

Number of jewels: 24

Specifications

Stainless steel case and bracelet

Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating

Three-fold clasp with push button release

Water resistance: 10 bar

Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m

Size

Diameter: 36.5mm

Thickness: 11.6mm

Limited edition of 1,200

Price

Approximate in Europe: €5,400

Cazalea

Key Points from the Discussion

The watch's 11.6mm thickness is considered 'slim' by Grand Seiko, but some collectors desire even thinner cases, suggesting a potential design limitation or brand DNA.
The method of measuring watch thickness (from lug tip to crystal vs. caseback to crystal) can influence perceived slimness, especially with tall crystals and curved lugs.
Collectors prefer the newer Spring Drive movements with the power reserve indicator on the back, finding previous generations with front-facing indicators less appealing.
The three-link, mostly brushed bracelet is a significant advantage over five-link bracelets for some collectors, and the watch's price point is more accessible than other Grand Seiko models like the White Birch.
The dial's subtle pink hue with a silver cast is noted for its zen-like quality and all-black printing, making it noticeable yet understated.
The SBGA465, another Grand Seiko model, appeared more white than pink in person, prompting a comparison of dial colors.

The Discussion

dhendolan

Apr 12, 2022

Attractive styling and size. It's nice to see that it has decent water resistance too.

mdg

Apr 12, 2022

...but is there no way Seiko can get these under 11mm? Even the 'slim' Seikos seem a bit chunky to me...

cazalea

Apr 12, 2022

Thinner than this is not in their DNA. It's not that they couldn't, but they don't. Did you notice how often the copy says "slim", "slimmer", "slimness"? This probably seems paper-thin to the GS team... It just occurred to me that they might measure thickness from the tip of the lugs on the table, to the top of the crystal. Others could measure from caseback to crystal. Here are two of my GS watches from a comparison test I did years ago. Notice the differing heights with tall crystal and curved

mdg

Apr 12, 2022

...case back to top crystal. I get that the sport watches are thick, but these are very dressy...

oyster case

Apr 12, 2022

I saw the sbga465 and was impressed. It seemed more white than these pics. Any thoughts on it?

Chronometer (aka yacomino)

Apr 12, 2022

After owning the series 9 case with the new spring drive movement where the power reserve is now on the back of the movement, I would personally have a hard time getting a spring drive GS with the previous gen movement and power reserve indicator on the front (well mostly the power indicator since all spring drive movement are by default pretty darn good!). The reference you show has such a subtle tint to it that you could consider the new white birch spring drive in the series 9 case instead

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Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Pink Dial

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