Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said that “perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away,” and that’s exactly what comes to mind when you look at Grand Seiko’s latest limited edition. The new Grand Seiko SBGW295 is a study in restraint.
Created as a tribute to the “Laurel”, the first-ever Japanese wristwatch that was made by Seiko’s founder Kintaro Hattori in 1913, Grand Seiko’s SBGW295 is a cleanly executed tribute to Japan’s history of watchmaking. Featuring a 38mm “Brilliant Hard Titanium” case with elegant proportions (kept slender with just 10.9mm from front to back), its dial is where the real magic can be found thanks to its deep black Urushi lacquer surface and enamelled gold indexes.
Each dial is the work of Urushi master Isshu Tamura from Kanazawa, who meticulously builds up layers of enamel by hand, before covering their surface with 24-karat gold powder and polishing it to perfection. The watch arrives on a woven strap of calf leather and fabric, secured with a titanium folding clasp and is powered by the manually wound 9S64 movement with 72 hours of power reserve. Truly the patient labour of a craftsman at the top of their game, the Grand Seiko SBGW295 is a limited edition of just 500 pieces (with 100 reserved for the Japanese market) and arrives in Australia with an RRP of $19,950.
