Grand Seiko - SBGA371 AJHH Limited Edition of 500

Model: Grand Seiko SBGA371 AJHH Special Limited Edition (Limited Edition of 500 Pieces)

Overview:
The Grand Seiko SBGA371 is an unusual and seldom-seen Spring Drive limited edition released in 2018 exclusively through members of the AJHH, the Association Japon de la Haute Horlogerie, as a special model limited to only 500 pieces. The watch was produced under the supervision of renowned Japanese producer and lyricist Yasushi Akimoto.

The centerpiece is its distinctive “Shiny Bronze” dial, a difficult color to describe with a single word. Depending on the lighting, it transitions between salmon pink, champagne and copper tones, with a fine radial finish giving the dial a grainy, metallic appearance. Contemporary retailers described Shiny Bronze as a color Grand Seiko had not previously used.

History:
Released on January 24, 2018, the SBGA371 was available exclusively through AJHH member retailers in Japan, with production restricted to 500 examples. The project was created around AJHH's concept of celebrating important milestones in life through watches, with Yasushi Akimoto commissioned to supervise its design.

Perhaps the most interesting detail is the solitary vermilion-red 9 o’clock marker. According to the original explanation of Akimoto's design, nine in the morning represents the time when a businessman switches into work mode, while nine in the evening represents the beginning of the private hours in which memorable experiences can occur. The red 9 therefore represents two different transitions within a person's day work beginning in the morning and another part of life beginning at night. 

It is a detail particularly rooted in Japanese working culture and one that gives the otherwise restrained Grand Seiko design an unusually human story.

Specifications and Condition:

Overall: Great Condition
Case: Great Condition
Crystal: Clean
Dial: Clean
Movement: Excellent
Bracelet/Strap: Original Grand Seiko Stainless Steel Bracelet
Limited Edition: 500 Pieces
Original Retail Price: ¥460,000 + tax

Movement:

Grand Seiko Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive

Dimensions:

39mm Case Diameter
Approximately 46mm Lug-to-Lug
Approximately 12.7mm Thickness
19mm Lug Width

Design Details:

Shiny Bronze Sunburst Dial
Salmon, Champagne and Copper-Pink Coloration
Fine Radial Dial Texture
Vermilion-Red 9 o’clock Marker
Arabic Numerals at 6, 9 and 12 o’clock
Zaratsu-Polished Case Surfaces
AJHH Special Limited Edition
Produced Under the Supervision of Yasushi Akimoto
Limited Edition of 500 Pieces

Closing Note:
The SBGA371 stands apart from most Grand Seiko limited editions not through an elaborate dial pattern, but through its color and the story behind its design. The Shiny Bronze dial occupies an unusual space between salmon, champagne and copper-pink, with its fine radial texture allowing these tones to change considerably under different lighting.

The red 9 is more than a contrasting accent. Akimoto intended 9AM to represent the beginning of the working day and 9PM the beginning of the personal hours in which memorable experiences are made. For anyone familiar with Japan's traditional salaryman culture, it is a small detail that gives the SBGA371 a particularly Japanese identity.

With only 500 examples produced and originally sold exclusively through AJHH member retailers in Japan, the SBGA371 remains one of the more elusive and unconventional Spring Drive limited editions of its generation.