Grand Seiko’s 2025 Releases Include New “U.F.A.” Movements

Grand Seiko made waves at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 with their new Ultra Fine Adjusted designation, given to a new generation of Spring Drive movements guaranteed to stay accurate within 20 seconds per year. They also released numerous other models throughout the year, including notably their first-ever quick-adjust clasp. As expected, numerous new colorful textured dials are to be found as well, but a two-tone September release with a price tag over $20,000 was a surprise. Here’s the scoop on all the Grand Seiko 2025 releases.

SBGA515 Isetan Shinjuku and SBGA517 JR Nagoya Takashimaya

The Grand Seiko SBGA515 is the fourth annual Isetan Shinjuku exclusive, launched as a 2025 limited edition of just 35 pieces. This model features a 62GS-inspired case crafted from high-intensity titanium, measuring around 40mm in diameter and 12.8mm thick, with a distinctive pink-gold dial, matching hands, markers, and the GS logo. It runs on the Spring Drive 9R65 movement, which is now over two decades old but is still good for keeping accurate time within ±15 seconds per month.

Several Isetan branches exist elsewhere in Tokyo and Japan, but the SBGA515 will be sold specifically at the Shinjuku flagship. Another limited edition release with the exact same specs (except for the dial) and also made exclusively for the flagship location of an authorized Grand Seiko dealer is ref. SBGA517.

The SBGA517’s wave-like dial motif is known as a “Seigaiha pattern” and its release celebrates the 25th anniversary of JR Nagoya Takashimaya, a large store connected to Nagoya Station, the central railway station for Nagoya, the capital city of Aichi Prefecture in Japan’s Chūbu region. Only 100 will be made. If you can make the trip, expect to pay roughly $7,000 for either the SBGA515 or SBGA517.

Model	Grand Seiko SBGA515 Isetan Shinjuku LE Grand Seiko SBGA517 JR Nagoya Takashimaya 25th Anniversary
Case Material	High-Intensity Titanium
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 40 mm Thickness: 12.8 mm Lug-to-Lug: 47 mm
Bracelet/Strap	Three-link titanium bracelet
Caliber	9R65 Spring Drive
Mean Daily Rate	±0.5 seconds per day
Dial Description	SBGA515: Pink-gold tone dial with pink-gold hands, markers, and GS logo SBGA517: White Seigaiha pattern with yellow rehaut
Release Date	November 2025
Limited To	SBGA515: 32 pieces SBGA517: 100 pieces
MSRP	~$7,000

SLGW007 Moonlit Birch

The SLGW007 “Moonlit Birch” is essentially a blue version of the “White Birch Bark” SLGW003 model that was part of Grand Seiko’s 2024 releases. It has all the best Grand Seiko technology, sporting the latest-generation 9SA4 hand-wound high-beat movement. The twin barrels deliver 80 hours of power reserve to the impressive Dual Impulse Escapement.

The 38.6mm diameter is a crowd-pleasing middle ground, and the big news about this watch (and the SLGW003 from the year before) is that its stainless steel case is just under 10mm thick. Thickness is a fairly common gripe about Grand Seiko watches, so if you also consider their new micro-adjust clasp (I’ll get to that in a minute) it seems like the brand is listening to their customers’ wants. Basically everything about the SLGW007G Moonlit Birch is impressive…except for its water resistance rating of “splash resistant.”

Grand Seiko SLGW007G Moonlit Birch Specs

Model	Grand Seiko SLGW007G
Case Material	Stainless Steel
Case Back	See-through, 4 screws
Crystal	Box shaped sapphire crystal
Crystal Coating	Anti-reflective, inner surface
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 38.6 mm Thickness: 9.95 mm Lug-to-Lug: 45 mm
Band Width	20mm
Bracelet/Strap	Textured blue leather strap with three-fold clasp
Caliber	9SA4 (Hi-Beat 36,000 vph, manual-wind)
Power Reserve	80 hours
Mean Daily Rate	-3 to +5 seconds per day
Water Resistance	Splash Resistant
Dial Description	Textured navy “moonlit birch” dial
Release Date	October 10, 2025
MSRP	$10,000

SLGC006 Sunrise Tentagraph

Quietly unveiled in September 2025, the Grand Seiko Sunrise Tentagraph SLGC006 features a striking copper-pink dial with the second-generation Mt. Iwate dial texture first unveiled on the SLGH027 in February (more on that later). The burgundy chronograph sub-dials and rose gold accents help create the pleasant “sunrise over Mt. Iwate” vibe that they were going for. The sizeable yet ergonomic 43.2mm high-intensity titanium case features an 18k rose gold crown and pushers.

The technical centerpiece remains Grand Seiko’s acclaimed dual-impulse twin-barrel Hi-Beat Tentagraph Calibre 9SC5—offering 72 hours of power reserve. This exclusive piece, limited to only 300 examples, is priced at $22,600.

Grand Seiko Sunrise Tentagraph SLGC006 Specs

Model Name	Grand Seiko Sunrise Tentagraph
Reference Number	SLGC006
Collection/Family	Evolution 9
Case Material	High-intensity titanium with 18k rose gold crown and pushers
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 43.2 mm Thickness: 15.3 mm Lug-to-Lug: 51.5 mm
Movement Caliber	Hi-Beat Tentagraph Calibre 9SC5 (Automatic, 10 beats per second)
Power Reserve	72 hours
Water Resistance	100 meters
Bracelet/Strap	High-intensity titanium; 22 mm width, three-fold clasp, 18k rose gold medallion
Dial	Copper-pink Mt. Iwate pattern Burgundy sub-dials; rose gold hands and indices
Limited Edition	300 pieces
Release Date	September 10, 2025
MSRP	$22,600

Gold Bracelet 44GS Models

Gold Grand Seikos are quite uncommon, and gold Grand Seikos on bracelets are rarer still. Before 2025, in all of Grand Seiko’s history they had only ever made 16 solid gold references that came with solid gold matching bracelets. Six were yellow gold (SBGS006, SBGX018, SBGX218, STGF318, STGF322 and SBGA362), nine were white gold (STGF063, SBGW007, SBGX019, SBGX219, SLGA027, SBGG006, STGF317, STGF321 and SBGA361), and one was rose gold (SBGA364).

So it’s interesting that in 2025 alone, Grand Seiko released three gold bracelet models, all with 40mm 44GS cases and 9RA2 Spring Drive movements. The 9RA2 has a 5-day power reserve, plus it keeps time within ±10 seconds per month–slightly better than the older 9R66 which is rated to ±15 seconds per month, but not as good as the V.F.A. models that we’ll discuss later in this article.

SLGA028 and SLGA030

Scheduled for release on October 10, 2025, the SLGA028 and SLGA030 are essentially identical spec-wise, but visually they are very different. The SLGA028 has a champagne dial, an ultra-understated and classic choice for a yellow gold watch. The SLGA030, meanwhile, has a sunburst slate-brown dial that complements its rose gold case and bracelet.

SLGA032 Tokusenkai

The “third brother” of the 2025 gold bracelet group is the SLGA032. You may not have heard about it, because Grand Seiko isn’t marketing it–it’s one of their invite-only Tokusenkai models that was quietly released in 2025. According to Commit Ginza, it’s only for 50 of Grand Seiko’s best existing customers, with 20 SLGA032’s slated to be produced in 2025. With a solid 18k rose gold case and bracelet, and a greyish-blue version of the Shunbun dial texture, this is a serious grail-level piece. Like the other two models, its list price in yen converts to about $53,700.

Apparently the dial was inspired by “the sunrise in Shinshu,” but fans of Grand Seiko textured dials will recognize this as a greyish-blue version of the “Shunbun” texture they’ve used before.

2025 Grand Seiko Gold Bracelet Model Specs

Model	Grand Seiko SLGA028	Grand Seiko SLGA030	Grand Seiko SLGA032
Collection/Family	Heritage Collection	Heritage Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Material	18k yellow gold	18k rose gold	18k rose gold
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 40.0 mm Thickness: 12.1 mm Length: 47.4 mm	Diameter: 40.0 mm Thickness: 12.1 mm Length: 47.4 mm	Diameter: 40.0 mm Thickness: 12.1 mm Length: 47.4 mm
Movement Caliber	Spring Drive 9RA2	Spring Drive 9RA2	Spring Drive 9RA2
Power Reserve	120 hours	120 hours	120 hours
Water Resistance	100 meters	100 meters	100 meters
Bracelet/Strap	18k yellow gold bracelet	18k rose gold bracelet	18k rose gold bracelet
Dial	Champagne	Brown sunburst	Blue-grey “Shunbun” texture
Limited Edition	Boutique-limited, not numbered	Boutique-limited, not numbered	50 pieces (VVIP exclusive, 20 in 2025)
Release Date	October 2025	October 2025	Summer 2025 (Tokusenkai release)
MSRP	¥7,920,000 (~$53,750)	¥7,920,000 (~$53,750)	¥7,920,000 (~$53,750)

SBGE313

The Grand Seiko SBGE313 is a sporty 2025 limited edition GMT, produced in 450 units for the Ginza boutique only. It features a 44mm stainless steel case, purple grid-pattern dial, rotating purple-and-white bezel, and a 9R66 Spring Drive movement with GMT functionality, date, and power reserve indicator. Water resistance is 200 meters, and the watch is fitted with a matching steel bracelet and dual-curved sapphire crystal. The case back is engraved “GINZA LIMITED EDITION” along with the serial number.

While Grand Seiko loves to re-color and re-purpose their dial textures over and over, this “irregular tennis racquet” grid pattern is actually new. It’s definitely a distinctive look.

Grand Seiko SBGE313 Specs

Model	Grand Seiko SBGE313 (Ginza Limited Edition)
Collection/Family	Sport Collection
Case Material	Stainless Steel
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 44.0mm Height (Lug-to-lug): 50.8mm Thickness: 14.7mm
Movement Caliber	Spring Drive 9R66 (GMT, Automatic)
Power Reserve	72 hours
Water Resistance	200 meters
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless steel bracelet, 21mm width with three-fold pushbotton clasp
Dial	Purple with tennis racquet-like grid motif
Limited Edition	450 pieces (Ginza boutiques only)
Release Date	July 2025
MSRP	¥968,000 (tax included, approx. $6,600 USD)

SBGJ289 and SBGJ291 Wako Exclusives

According to Plus9Time, the SBGJ289 and SBGJ291 are each 70-piece limited editions, also exclusive to the Grand Seiko Flagship Boutique Ginza in Wako. The stainless steel case, measuring 39.5mm x 14.1mm x 46.9mm, is the same as that found on the SBGJ249. You can tell by the unassuming dressy lugs these watches are part of the Elegance Collection.

The SBGJ289 features a blue-green textured dial and a white GMT hand. while the SBGJ291 has a silver dial with an engraved concentric sunburst pattern that was popular on Swiss watches a hundred years ago. Inside is the excellent but no-longer-newest 9S86 high-beat caliber. It comes with both a bracelet and a crocodile strap (turquoise for the SBGJ289, white for the SBGJ291). Expect a price tag equivalent to roughly $8,000.

2025 Grand Seiko SBGJ289 Specs

Model	Grand Seiko SBGJ289 Grand Seiko SBGJ291
Collection/Family	Elegance Collection
Case Material	Stainless steel
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 39.5mm Thickness: 14.1mm Lug-to-lug: 46.9mm
Water Resistance	30m
Movement Caliber	9S86
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT
Power Reserve	55 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Bracelet plus complimentary crocodile strap
Release Date	SBGJ289: May 2025 SBGJ291: October 2025
Limited To	70 pieces each, exclusive to the Grand Seiko Flagship Boutique Ginza in Wako
MSRP	~$8,000

Spring Drive U.F.A. Watches: SLGB001, SLGB003, SLGB005

Grand Seiko’s new Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2, designated as “Ultra Fine Accuracy” (U.F.A.), represents a serious achievement in watchmaking. Keeping time within ±20 seconds per year is insane, even if a quartz oscillator is involved. Seiko has used the term “Very Fine Adjusted” (V.F.A.) for especially accurate watches before, but “Ultra” is a new tier.

Previous generations of Spring Drives were rated to ±10 or ±15 seconds per month, which was already impressive. Unlike typical quartz watches, Spring Drive movements (the only completely-smooth, tickless movements in the industry thanks to the electromagnetic brake) are still powered by a mainspring–there is no battery. Grand Seiko’s manufacturing techniques are basically unrivaled. Not only does Seiko grow their own quartz crystals; now they’re aging them for three months. And they’ve also improved the thermocompensation capabilities with an improved circuit board.

The Caliber 9RB2 now powers three models within the Evolution 9 Collection, all 37mm in diameter with the same wicker basket-like dial texture. The high-intensity titanium version (SLGB003, $10,900, silver dial) comes on a three-link bracelet, as does the Ever-Brilliant Steel one (SLGB005, $11,100, purple dial, limited to 1,300 pieces). The platinum version (SLGB001, $39,000, silvery-blue dial, limited to 80 pieces) has a dark blue croc strap with a deployant clasp.

Possibly the most crowd-pleasing aspect of the SLGB003, though, is its new tool-less micro-adjust clasp. Although I think Grand Seiko makes good bracelets, lots of people disagree with me and have been clamoring for such a clasp. It’s the first (and only so far) Grand Seiko to get one.

“The [SLGB003] bracelet features a newly developed three-step micro-adjustment clasp that operates without a tool, allowing precise adjustments in 2mm increments for enhanced comfort.”

-Grand Seiko

2025 Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Watch Specs

Model	Spring Drive U.F.A. SLGB001	Spring Drive U.F.A. SLGB003	Spring Drive U.F.A. SLGB005
Collection/Family	Evolution 9	Evolution 9	Evolution 9
Case Material	Platinum	High-intensity titanium	Ever-Brilliant Steel
Case Dimensions	Width: 37mm Thickness: 11.4mm	Width: 37mm Thickness: 11.4mm	Width: 37mm Thickness: 11.4mm
Water Resistance	100m	100m	100m
Movement Caliber	9RB2 (Automatic, Spring Drive)	9RB2 (Automatic, Spring Drive)	9RB2 (Automatic, Spring Drive)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds	Hours, minutes, seconds	Hours, minutes, seconds
Bracelet/Strap	Crocodile strap with platinum three-fold clasp	High-intensity titanium bracelet with micro-adjust clasp	Ever-Brilliant Steel bracelet with micro-adjust clasp that is “partly titanium and 18K rose gold”
Limited to	80 pieces	(Not limited)	1,300 pieces
Release Date	April 1, 2025	April 1, 2025	November 2025
MSRP	$39,000	$10,900	$11,100

SLGC009 Tokyo Lion Tentagraph

I absolutely love all of the Grand Seiko dial textures; I just find their naming conventions tiresome. They keep using the same names for things, like “lion’s mane.” This Tentagraph was inspired by a Lion’s mane blowing in the wind, apparently. Nevermind that they already had a “lion’s mane” dial texture that’s a completely different thing. Grand Seiko’s marketing foibles aside, the new lion’s-mane-in-the-wind dial, executed in a nice chestnut brown hue that matches its rubber strap, looks good. The sporty deep-dish rehaut, concave subdials, and reddish-orange accents prevent the brownness from looking bland.

But the real interesting thing here is the new case. Grand Seiko has had hyper-angular blocky cases similar to this since 2019, but this new “Tokyo Lion” case has a more overtly octagonal shape. While I’m sure some will compare it to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept in particular), I actually find it more similar to a Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute. This updated “Tokyo Lion” case measures 43mm in diameter, a bit less extreme than the older 44.5mm style.

This is also the first case from Grand Seiko’s Sport Collection to be made out of Brilliant Hard Titanium. The high-beat 9SC5 chronograph movement inside ticks 10 times per second, providing three days of power reserve and ensuring accuracy within -3 to +5 seconds per day. Its 15.6mm thickness isn’t ideal, nor is its $16,400 retail price, but it’s a pretty badass watch.

2025 Grand Seiko Sport Collection Tokyo Lion Tentagraph Specs

Model Name	Grand Seiko Sport Collection Tokyo Lion Tentagraph
Reference Number	SLGC009
Case Material	Brilliant Hard Titanium
Case Dimensions	Width: 43.0mm Thickness: 15.6mm
Water Resistance	200m
Movement Caliber	9SC5 (Automatic, 10 beats per second)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph with 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock
Power Reserve	72 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Rubber strap with high-intensity titanium three-fold clasp
Release Date	April 1, 2025
MSRP	$16,400

SLGC007 Tentagraph

Grand Seiko released their second dial texture named after Mt. Iwate earlier in 2025 (more on the SLGH027 below), but the Grand Seiko SLGC007 Tentagraph, new for 2025, is a new colorway of the original Mt. Iwate texture. Its icy blue color depicts Mt. Iwate with fresh snow on it.”

This is a Tentagraph from the Evolution 9 collection, rather than the Sports Collection (yes, Grand Seiko really uses the same model name in multiple separate lines) so it has a more traditional case shape than the Tokyo Lion version. As with most Evolution 9 models, it features large dauphine hands (well, perhaps you could call the hour hand a “clipped dauphine” hand) and they have been given a generous amount of lume.

The Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Tentagraph SLGC007 has the same high-beat 9SC5 movement as the aforementioned Tokyo Lion Tentagraph, and it’s also made of titanium–but this time it’s Grand Seiko’s standard kind (high-intensity titanium). If you’re wondering why they would use their older/cheaper titanium alloy on a watch with a price tag over $14,000, well, it’s probably because Brilliant Hard Titanium is extremely difficult to machine and they haven’t made any full bracelets out of it yet.

The snowy blue textured dial looks excellent, and I respect that Grand Seiko is trying to go upmarket. Grand Seiko seems to be segmenting their lineup into two tiers ($6,500ish and $14,000ish) and while the more affordable ones often get snapped up by collectors, I don’t think the more expensive ones move as quickly–for now anyway.

2025 Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Tentagraph SLGC007 Specs

Model Name	Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Tentagraph
Reference Number	SLGC007
Case Material	High-intensity titanium
Case Dimensions	Width: 43.2mm Thickness: 15.3mm Lug-to-Lug: 51.5mm
Water Resistance	100m
Movement Caliber	9SC5 (Automatic, 10 beats per second)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph with 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock
Power Reserve	72 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Rubber strap with high-intensity titanium three-fold clasp
Release Date	April 1, 2025
MSRP	$14,100

Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8-Day Jewelry Watch SBGD223

The $320,000 SBGD223 is Grand Seiko’s new Masterpiece Collection model for 2025. It’s essentially a new colorway of the SBGD215. Its black dial has the same texture as Grand Seiko’s popular Shunbun model, with two rings of diamonds around the edge (one baguette, one round), broken up by black spinel gemstones at each hour marker. Counting the additional trapezoidal diamonds on the bezel and the round diamonds all over the case, there are over 600 diamonds on this Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8-Day Jewelry Watch.

Appropriately, the case is made of .950 platinum and is accented by a black crocodile leather strap with a deployant clasp. The watch gets its 8-day power reserve from its impressive series of three barrels (the cylindrical component that houses a mainspring). Most watches just have one.

2025 Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8-Day Jewelry Watch SBGD223 Specs

Model Name	Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8-Day Jewelry Watch
Reference Number	SBGD223
Case Material	Platinum
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 44.5mm Thickness: 14.4mm Lug-to-lug: 52mm
Water Resistance	100m
Movement Caliber	9R01 (Manual, Spring Drive)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve	8 days
Bracelet/Strap	Black crocodile leather
Limited to	8 pieces
Release Date	April 1, 2025
MSRP	$320,000

SBGW323 Kiri

The 2025 Grand Seiko SBGW323 has a lavender version of the original Mt. Iwate texture. It’s named Kiri after the purple flower.

This manual-wind watch is neither high-beat nor Spring Drive, and it’s made of regular stainless steel (not the pricier Ever-Brilliant Steel). It’s also relatively small at 36.5mm in diameter. All in all, this 2025 Grand Seiko release is decidedly entry-level, and its relatively reasonable $5,600 price reflects that. But it still looks amazing.

2025 Grand Seiko SBGW323 Kiri Specs

Model Name	Elegance Collection Kiri
Reference Number	SBGW323
Case Material	Stainless steel
Case Dimensions	Diameter: 36.5mm Thickness: 11.6mm Lug-to-lug: 42.7mm
Water Resistance	100m
Movement Caliber	9S64 (Manual, 8 beats per second)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve	72 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless steel bracelet
Release Date	April 1, 2025
MSRP	$5,600

Grand Seiko certainly had a strong showing at Watches and Wonders 2025, but now let’s talk about the watches they released earlier in the year.

2025 Grand Seiko Ladies’ Watches: STGK031 and STGK033

Grand Seiko has made watches inspired by snow-covered cherry blossoms in late winter, or Sakura-kakushi, multiple times before. The SBGH341, one of Grand Seiko’s 2024 releases, featured a 40mm 62GS case, a high-beat automatic movement, and a textured light pink dial. For 2025 Grand Seiko unveiled a 30mm non-high-beat version of that watch–the STGK031. Its compact Caliber 9S27 movement is good for 50 hours of power reserve and a rated mean daily rate of between -3 and +8 seconds per day. If you like the texture but the pale pink dial isn’t for you, you can consider its silver-dial equivalent, ref. STGK033.

With a thickness of only 10.5mm, they’re the thinnest mechanical Grand Seiko models yet. And the distinctive lugs of the 62GS case also make these, arguably, the most interesting Grand Seiko ladies’ models yet. Made of regular stainless steel (not Ever-Brilliant), these will set you back $6,400. Grand Seiko is accepting pre-orders and will begin shipping in April.

Model	STGK031 and STGK033
Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Design	62GS
Case Material	Stainless Steel
Case Width	30mm
Case Thickness	10.5mm
Lug to Lug	36.2mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9S27 Automatic
Power Reserve	~50 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless Steel
Crystal	Box-shaped sapphire (AR coating)
Exhibition Caseback	Yes
Limited Edition?	No
Release Date	February 11, 2025
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	$6,400

2025 Grand Seiko SBGA503

I’ve already said that Grand Seiko’s marketing team needs to get it together, but even I was a bit surprised that they would proudly tell the world that they made a watch inspired by a yellow hue of urban snow. Like, come on. Anyway, if you read my guide to Grand Seiko dial textures, you’ll recognize that this isn’t a new dial texture–just the Shunbun texture in a different colorway. But, you know, it’s a pretty cool-looking watch if you don’t mind the light golden color.

The SBGA503 will look quite familiar to Grand Seiko collectors in almost every way, from the five-link Grand Seiko bracelet to the unlumed hands and 41mm Zaratsu-polished case. What’s new here, aside from the color of the dial, are the newly emphasized minute markers. They’re bolder and longer than usual for Grand Seiko, plus the alternating lengths add some sportiness to the look.

As of early 2025, the ¥990,000 list price of the SBGA503 is about $6,300. It’s not cheap, but keep in mind that this isn’t even one of Grand Seiko’s “high-end” steel models. Those are made of Ever-Brilliant Steel, but the SBGA503 is just made of good old-fashioned regular 316L steel. So even though it’s a limited edition, 500 pieces isn’t that limited, and most Grand Seikos can be found pre-owned significantly under list price these days. So, even if you can’t make it to Tokyo, I expect you’ll be able to find one from a grey market dealer for under $6,000 before long.

And the 9R65, as impressive as it is, is a relatively old Grand Seiko movement. It is rated to keep time within ±1 second per day, but the newer 9RA2, which goes in more upscale models, is rated to ±0.5 seconds. Either way, the accuracy and completely-smooth motion of the famous quartz-but-also-mechanical Spring Drive movement are both impressive.

2025 Yellow Snow Grand Seiko SBGA503 Specs

Model	SBGA503 “Yellow Snow”
Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Design	44GS
Case Material	Stainless Steel
Case Width	41mm
Case Thickness	12.5mm
Lug to Lug	49mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive
Power Reserve	~72 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless Steel
Crystal	Dual-curved sapphire
Exhibition Caseback	Yes
Limited Edition?	Yes (500 pcs, Ginza)
Release Date
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	¥990,000 (~$6,340)

SBGW317 Uwabou Bokuya

Released on Friday, February 7, 2025, the Grand Seiko SBGW317 is basically the same watch as the SBGW297, SBGW299, SBGW291, SBGW293, and SBGW289: a compact (36.5mm) and wearable manual-wind stainless steel watch. These watches belong to the Heritage Collection and are part of the 44GS family. The 9S64 movement lacks the innovative Dual Impulse Escapement, twin barrels, and higher frequency (10 beats per second) of the newer 9SA4 that debuted in 2024, but it’s an excellent movement nonetheless.

Here’s what Grand Seiko has to say about their inspiration for the SBGW317’s textured vibrant green “Uwabo Bukoya” dial:

“It’s based on the motif of Uwabou Bokuya, which stretches out on the north side of Mt. Iwate, and the way the soft morning light shines on a lone Kasumi cherry tree that stands dignified in the vast grassland.”

–Grand-Seiko.com (Translated)

Well, that certainly sounds pleasant. Grand Seiko nerds might notice that it’s the same texture used on existing models like SBGH341, SBGH343, and SBGJ277, but in a new color. Regardless, it looks nice. The Uwabou Bokuya will only be sold at five Japanese stores: Grand Seiko Flagship Boutique Ginza Namiki-dori, Grand Seiko Boutique Ginza, Grand Seiko Boutique Omotesando Hills, Grand Seiko Boutique Osaka Shinsaibashi, and Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto Shijo.

Model	SBGW317 Uwabou Bokuya
Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Design	44GS
Case Material	Stainless Steel
Case Width	36.5mm
Case Thickness	11.6mm
Lug to Lug	42.7mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9S64 Manual
Power Reserve	~72 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless Steel
Crystal	Dual-curved sapphire
Exhibition Caseback	No
Limited Edition?	Yes (400 pcs, Japan)
Release Date	February 7, 2025
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	¥847,000 (~$5,650)

SBGH353 Shūbun

The SBGH353 “Shūbun” uses the attractive 62GS case design that Grand Seiko first used in 1967. This 2025 Grand Seiko release uses the more modern case size of 40mm, like the SBGH273 that it replaces, but this time it’s made out of Ever-Brilliant steel–which is both brighter and significantly harder than typical stainless steel. And it’s even more corrosion-resistant than the 904L stainless steel famously used by Rolex. Thus, it’s a little bit more expensive than some of Grand Seiko’s stainless steel models, but its $7,200 price tag doesn’t sound outrageous by today’s standards.

SBGH351 Rikka

The SBGH351 is just like the SBGH353 but in green. It’s effectively the replacement of the SBGH271.

If you’d like to hear the marketing-speak about what inspired the dial, it’s Rikka–the micro-season in Japan “when Spring has passed and the increasing warmth of the sun’s rays announces that summer has begun.” Sounds nice.

The SBGA503 and SBGW317 have previous-generation movements with standard stainless steel, while the new Rikka and Shūbun models have previous-generation movements with new Ever-Brilliant cases. Now let’s get to the fifth Grand Seiko unveiled in 2025, which has both the modern Ever-Brilliant case and an updated movement. It’s also the only new GS this year that’s not part of the Heritage Collection.

2025 Grand Seiko Rikka/Shubun Specs

Model	SBGH351 Rikka and SBGH353 Shūbun
Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Design	62GS
Case Material	Ever-Brilliant Steel
Case Width	40mm
Case Thickness	12.9mm
Lug to Lug	47mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9S85 Hi-Beat
Power Reserve	~55 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Ever-Brilliant Steel
Crystal	Box-shaped sapphire
Exhibition Caseback	Yes
Limited Edition?	No
Release Date	February 1, 2025
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	$7,200

SLGH027 Mt. Iwate

The “Mt. Iwate” texture first appeared in 2006 on the SBGL001, and Grand Seiko went on to release it in several different colors on various models. It’s an appealing, slightly-irregular etched sunburst texture. It looks spectacular in bright light but subtle in most conditions. For 2025, Grand Seiko has released an updated version of the Mt. Iwate dial on a new Evolution 9 reference: SLGH027.

This “Mt. Iwate 2” dial looks to have more dramatic, three-dimensional etching than the original. The “ice blue” color is nice. Aside from the new Mt. Iwate dial, this is essentially the same watch as the SLGH011 Green Birch, SLGH005 White Birch, and SLGH021 Genbi Valley. The Ever-Brilliant Steel case and bracelet are supposedly 1.7x more corrosion-resistant than 316L stainless steel, and the updated 9SA5 movement has a longer power reserve (80 hours) than the 9S85 it supersedes. This is thanks to its twin mainspring barrels and the efficient Dual Impulse Escapement. Because it has both the higher-end steel and movement, its price tag reaches into five figures at $10,500. It’s a boutique-only limited edition, but with 1,200 made, I expect it to be attainable.

Model	SLGH027 Mt. Iwate
Collection	Evolution 9 Collection
Case Design	Evolution 9 Style
Case Material	Ever-Brilliant Steel
Case Width	40mm
Case Thickness	11.7mm
Lug to Lug	47mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9SA5 Hi-Beat
Power Reserve	~80 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Ever-Brilliant Steel w/ Rose Gold & Titanium
Crystal	Box-shaped sapphire (AR coating)
Exhibition Caseback	Yes
Limited Edition?	Yes (1,200 pcs, boutique)
Release Date	February 1, 2025
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	$10,500

SBGH368

Something a little bit less attainable from a price perspective is the first gold Grand Seiko release of 2025. Ref. SBGH368 features a 38mm 18k rose gold case, the trusty (but not-latest) automatic high-beat 9S85 movement visible through an exhibition caseback, a dual-curved sapphire crystal, and an attractive silver dial with a now-familiar lion’s mane pattern. Frankly, its list price of $31,200 seems ambitious if they’re not even putting their newest movement in it, but it’s a nice-looking watch. The bezel-less design of the 62GS case looks good in rose gold.

2025 Grand Seiko SBGH368 Specs

Model	SBGH368
Collection	Heritage Collection
Case Design	62GS
Case Material	18k Rose Gold
Case Width	38mm
Case Thickness	12.9mm
Lug to Lug	44.7mm
Water Resistance	100 meters
Movement Caliber	Caliber 9S85 Hi-Beat
Power Reserve	~55 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Ever-Brilliant Steel
Crystal	Dual-curved sapphire
Exhibition Caseback	Yes
Limited Edition?	No
Release Date	February 11, 2025
MSRP (Feb. ’25)	$31,200

Grand Seiko’s 2024 releases were mostly evolutionary, but among the brand’s fans, 2025 is sure to go down as the year Grand Seiko released the the Ultra Fine Adjusted Spring Drive and their first micro-adjust clasp. We’ll keep our eyes peeled to see what the rest of the 2025 has in store for Grand Seiko, because they love to sporadically release new limited editions. There will probably be at least one more new watch inspired by cherry blossoms, Mt. Iwate, or both.