The Grand Seiko Heritage “Shunbun” Watch Has Landed

At Berry’s Jewellers, we are proud to announce the arrival of the Grand Seiko Heritage Spring Drive Pink Dial ref. SBGA413, nicknamed the “Shunbun” watch - now in stock and available to order.

Released back in 2019 as part of a quartet from Grand Seiko – the “Shunbun” watch and its shimmering pink dial were only made available to the US. These four watches were a celebration of the four seasons of the year. Despite its eye-catching dial, when the “Shunbun” watch was first released, many were still focussing on the beauty of the Grand Seiko Snowflake Spring Drive, followed by the release of the breathtakingly beautiful White Birch watch, with its textured silvery-white dial. Over the past 18 months, we have seen a surge in unusual coloured dials. With that in mind, it seems there could be no better time than now to anticipate the arrival of the new Grand Seiko Heritage “Shunbun” ref. SBGA314. Could it be that this new model from Grand Seiko is the must-have watch of 2022?

It is not the first time the prestigious Japanese watchmaker has turned to seasonal changes to inspire a wristwatch. The new Grand Seiko Heritage Spring Drive “Shunbun” ref. SBGA314 watch follows on from the Grand Seiko Elegance GMT Four Seasons collection, released to the rest of the world just last year. These high-frequency mechanical watches were dedicated to spring, summer, autumn and winter with pink, green, dark blue and grey dial colours respectively.

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The Grand Seiko Heritage “Shunbun” watch at Berry’s Jewellers

As an official UK stockist of Grand Seiko watches, Berry’s Jewellers have been anticipating the arrival of the new “Shunbun” watch and are now proud to announce that the watch, with its Sakura blossom-infused dial, is available to order directly with us. The Heritage Spring Drive watch is nicknamed the “Shunbun” and is inspired by spring and the falling of pink blossoms, dancing on the surface of the water in what is named hana-Ikada after the words “flower rafts”.

Interestingly, the Grand Seiko “Shunbun” watch is inspired by a vintage model from the Japanese watchmaker’s past - the Grand Seiko S2GS. Featuring strong shoulders, this multi-faceted and bezel-less design encompasses the shape and style of the brand’s first automatic watch released back in 1967. The new Grand Seiko Heritage Spring Drive “Shunbun” watch creates a very sharp and slick look on the wrist with its large display, oversized bevel on the side of the case, and an internal angle that runs between the lugs and the beginning of the bracelet.

When the pink blossoms fall gracefully upon the water’s surface

The design language of the 62GS and, in the same year, the 44GS became the backbone to many watches to follow and defined the Grand Seiko style for the future. Distortion-free surfaces and Zaratsu polishing help to enhance the wide and spacious dial of this watch which, when viewed up close, transports the wearer into the fleeting beauty of Hana-Ikada – a moment soon after the spring equinox. Cherry blossom petals fall effortlessly and gracefully onto the moving water of rivers, carried gently by wind and the movement of the water. The delicate blanket of pink looks almost silk-like on the surface of the water – a texture that is captured and expressed through the dial of the Grand Seiko “Shunbun” watch. The treasured moment does not last long in Japan – a short-lived, transient moment in time that perfectly expresses the beauty within nature.

An Entrancing Dial Texture

Japan celebrates a total of 24 sekki seasons. They begin with the Risshun season, followed by a period where snow gives way to rain (named Usui) then the awakening of animals from their period of hibernation – Keichitsui. The point at which day equals night is known as Shunbun, which happens just before the season named Seimei, where the renewal of nature occurs. Looking closely at the dial reveals the level of craftsmanship and attention-to-detail devoted to the “Shunbun” watch by craftsmen at Grand Seiko. The pale pink-coloured display captures the moment when Sakura blossoms fall into the water, swirling, floating and layering up to create dimensions of shimmering pearly pink hues. The dial of this elegant Grand Seiko “Shunbun” watch is a play on subtle pink tones balanced by a heavily textured surface. At a glance, the dial even appears silvery. Sharp, tapering, sword-like hands join applied markers in true Grand Seiko style to enhance legibility. A date window resides at 3 o’clock, balanced by a power reserve indicator nestled between the 7 and 8 o’clock locations.

The Case and Movement of the New Grand Seiko Heritage Spring Drive “Shunbun” Watch

The new Grand Seiko Heritage watch measures 40mm in width and a height of 12.8mm. Important in this design is the completely different look achieved by the decision to use high-intensity titanium for its case as opposed to stainless steel. This darker grey contrasts beautifully against the lightness of the dial. High-intensity titanium also promises better protection against scratching and corrosion, plus it’s also 30% lighter than stainless steel. Incredibly neat reflections are cast by the surface of the case, achieved by the Zaratsu polishing technique. The watch is also 100-meter water-resistant and features a screw-down crown. The top of the case is sealed with a pane of anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass - the same material that is used for the exhibition caseback for exposing the performance of the movement as it beats. A transferred GS logo can also be seen here.

One key feature to point out about the new “Shunbun” watch by Grand Seiko is that its Calibre 9R65 is designed and made in-house, at the Shinshu Watch Studio. The superior precision of a quartz regulator is combined with the beauty of a mechanical movement and the practicality of automatic winding. The concept of the Spring Drive was developed by Grand Seiko back in 1999 and took a further four years to develop into the Grand Seiko 9R Spring Drive. Both the winding system and drive time were improved, increasing the power reserve from 48 hours to 72 hours. The movement uses a central rotor and boasts a beautiful sweeping second hand that glides effortlessly across the surface of the pink blossom-inspired dial.

The new Grand Seiko Heritage watch is finished on a high-intensity titanium bracelet with a three-fold clasp and a push-button release mechanism. For more information on this new model, you can check out the watch here.

You can call our specialists on 0113 201 0512 or speak to an expert via Live Chat on our website.