Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat Automatic SBGJ011 Replica Watch

Grand Seiko launches 3 new watches exclusively for the U.S. American collectors will get three new versions of the beloved 44GS, including one built exclusively for GS9 Club members.

In 1959, Grand Seiko hired a designer who would define the brand's design language: Taro Tanaka. Over the next three years, Tanaka will develop nine aesthetic standards for Grand Seiko watches, called the "Grammar of Design." Fast forward to 1967, and the brand launched a watch that would become one of its most important models, embodying this design principle. The 44GS is most striking for its case shape, a symbol of Grand Seiko style and takes its name from the 4420 movement. In the fifty years since its introduction, we've seen Grand Seiko iterate the 44GS's iconic design on countless occasions, from limited editions to brightly colored versions. Today we get three new versions of the 44GS that are exclusive to the US market.

For 2022, Grand Seiko has launched a new mid-sized 36.5mm case for the 44GS series, and now we get three new versions of this perfectly proportioned size. Each is crafted from stainless steel and features a box crystal similar to the original 1967 44GS design. Additionally, the dials of all three watches display the brand’s iconic Mt. Iwate pattern, inspired by the mountain peak visible in Grand Seiko’s Shizukuishi studio. However, we do get three completely unique colorways: pink, green, and blue.

The pink dial version SBGW313 is inspired by the unique hue of cherry blossoms, which bloom on the snow-capped Iwate Mountains in late spring every year. Additionally, the green dial version of the SBGW311 is inspired by “tsuyu”, the lush, fertile landscape surrounding the mountains during the rainy season that begins in early summer. The third colorway features a cool blue dial and is the most unique. This special model SBGW309 is available only to members of the GS9 Club of America, a membership organization dedicated to those who have purchased a new Grand Seiko watch in a boutique, salon or specialty store in the United States since March 23, 2017 . This version’s blue dial shade is reminiscent of the snow-covered trees known as “yori” or “frozen trees” that form during the cold winter months and can be seen from neighboring Mount Iwate on the Hachimantai Mountains.
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