SEIKO – Grand Seiko Godzilla 65th Anniversary Edition

SEIKO – Grand Seiko SPORT Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition 2019

Spring Drive and Godzilla. A celebration of two
anniversaries in a Grand Seiko limited edition

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The 20th anniversary of Spring Drive is celebrated this year with a new design in Grand Seiko’s sport collection that showcases the watches’ capabilities to withstand the most demanding sport environment. The design brings a new edge to the collection with its sharp corners and bold case and today, a new creation celebrates the anniversaries of both Spring Drive and Japan’s iconic monster, Godzilla, in a striking commemorative edition.

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Grand Seiko and Godzilla share an unlikely but common history. Godzilla made its debut in Japan in 1954 and it was in this first Godzilla film that the creature appears in Ginza, the birthplace of Seiko, and destroys the famous clock tower which rises above the Wako store, a retail establishment of Seiko’s that first opened its doors in 1952.

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The strength of the Grand Seiko watch is met with the power and force of the king of monsters and with it a brand new creation in the sport collection is born.
Godzilla, the king of all monsters

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The creature makes its fierce presence on the watch in a number of ways. Godzilla’s signature roar and the “heat ray beam” that it shoots from his mouth to strike his opponents is expressed in the rays of the red dial. The shark strap is applied black and red to re-create the tone and rough texture of the monster’s skin. Most notably, the strong angular case of the watch brings to life the magnitude of Godzilla.

A celebration of Spring Drive and 

a new level of performance for sport

The watch carries Spring Drive Caliber 9R15 and has high shock and temperature resistance. It is also specially adjusted to have an enhanced precision of 0.5 second a day. The design of the hands as well as the Lumibrite on the hands, hour markers and bezel, and the high definition dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating all allow for enhanced legibility making it the perfect watch for any sports situation. Thanks to the curve of the lugs and the low center of gravity of the case the watch sits comfortably on any wrist.
Two icons on the see-through case back

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The see-through case back is stamped with the scene where Godzilla destroys the iconic clock tower that had long been the symbol of the area and still stands today at the main intersection of the Ginza district. Its design pays homage to the Grand Seiko lion and is illustrated by Shinji Higuchi, co-director and special effects director for the movie “Shin Godzilla” (2016). Shinji Higuchi comments, “just as the lion is the king of beasts, Godzilla, the king of monsters, would be appropriate for the case back of this Grand Seiko watch. I wanted to create a completely new Godzilla and gave my best to design this in the image of what can be called ‘Grand Godzilla.’”

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The design of Godzilla is an original made exclusively for the commemorative piece.

The watch will be available as a limited edition of just 650 in November, 2019 at selected Grand Seiko and Seiko boutiques and selected retail partners across the world.

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About Godzilla
Godzilla first appeared in Toho’s “Godzilla” (1954), a classic monster movie widely regarded as a masterpiece that launched a monster franchise expanding over 64 years with more than 30 films. The character has been adapted via numerous international motion pictures, re-introducing the character to a new generation and a global audience. Godzilla continues to stomp through popular culture with “Godzilla: King of the Monster,” released on May 2019, and “Godzilla vs Kong” in 2020. To learn more about Godzilla, visit: www.godzilla.com

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection SPORT

Model: Godzilla 65th Anniversary Edition

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Ref: SBGA405

Movement

Spring Drive 9R15
 Driving System: Automatic
 Power reserve: 72 hours
 Accuracy: ±0.5 second per day (±10 seconds per month)
 Number of jewels: 30

Specifications
 High-intensity titanium case
 Sapphire crystal bezel
 High definition dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
 See-through screw case back, Screw-down crown
 Diameter: 44.5mm, Thickness: 14.3mm
 Water resistance: 20 bar
 Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
 Shark strap with three-fold clasp with push button release

Approximate recommended retail prices in Europe: €12,700

Limited edition of 650

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Press Release - 2019
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SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION
Mr­­ Noboru­­ Miyadera
2-8-10, Toranomon, Minato-ku,
Tokyo­­ 105-8467
Japan
Telephone+81 3 6739 2150
Telefax+81 3 6739 2071
seiko-pr@seiko-watch.co.jp
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Jaeger-LeCoultre – MASTER Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Edition

Jaeger-LeCoultre – MASTER Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 ‘Meteorite’ Gold Edition 2019

When meteorite meets High Watchmaking: 

Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a new version of the 

Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3

Encapsulating the core values of La Grande Maison, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a new version of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3, which marries the technical tour-de-force of its signature multi-axis tourbillon to the finest of artistic craftsmanship.
In 2013, Jaeger-LeCoultre first introduced the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 to mark the Maison’s 180th anniversary. Combining a third-generation interpretation of the Gyrotourbillon with an intriguing and highly unusual instantaneous digital display chronograph, it represents mechanical sophistication of the highest order.

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But still, Jaeger-LeCoultre wanted to do more. And so, this new version of Gyrotourbillon 3 harnesses the exceptional skills of the Manufacture’s Rare Handcrafts™ (Métiers Rares®) artisans to elevate the rare and precious timepiece to a new level. With various elements of the dial showcasing the traditional Rare Handcrafts™ of hand-guillochage, engraving and grand feu enamel, this new model introduces the rarely seen craft of meteorite inlay.

On the dial side, the intriguing geometric markings of the silvery-grey meteorite are complemented by the subtle glitter of deep blue aventurine and the glow of pure white grand feu enamel. This harmonious interplay of materials, colour and surface pattern is complemented by the warmth and richness of the pink gold case and dial details.

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Found in Namibia, the Gibeon meteorite chosen for this watch is an iron-nickel alloy with an octahedrite crystal structure, formed by the cooling of the asteroid fragment in outer space over the course of billions of years before it crashed to earth in prehistoric times. The abstract geometric patterns of the intersecting crystal structures shimmer gently when the material catches the light, their irregular arrangement making every slice of meteorite subtly different from all others.

In addition to the meteorite inlaid on the German silver bridges, a disc of meteorite sits at the centre of the time display dial, surrounded by a ring of aventurine with applied indexes. On the chronograph display, an aventurine disc is encircled by a ring of white grand feu enamel, marked with elapsed seconds. The Day/Night display comprises a 24-hour plate on which two gold semi-circles are applied, one each for day and night. The white day section is decorated with hand-guilloché, hand-engraved sunrays and an applied polished pink gold sun; the night section features applied polished pink gold crescent moon and stars, set on a rich blue background.

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Asymmetrical yet perfectly balanced, these three overlapping dials are layered, adding visual depth to the watch face – and, despite tempting glimpses of the movement, drawing the eye irresistibly to the tourbillon as it spins in space, with no immediately visible means of support.

It is on the back of the movement that the meteorite truly takes centre stage. A lively yet subtle mixture of colour and texture – blued screws, ruby jewels, the shiny aspect of the hand-chamfered and hand-polished jewel countersinks, bridges and plates, and the matt finish of the brushed borders of the German silver plates – offsets the abstract geometric patterns of the meteorite, which adorns all of the plates and bridges.

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A skill mastered by very few craftsmen in the world, meteorite inlay requires a rare degree of precision and dexterity. First, the artisan must hollow out the surface of the German silver plate or bridge, to a depth that exactly matches the thickness of the meteorite fragment, leaving only a fine fillet of German silver at the borders. Once the new surface has been polished, the meteorite must be laid so that its edges fit seamlessly within the complex, curving borders and its surface lies exactly flush with them, to form a completely flat and unified plane. It is work of the utmost refinement and precision, measured in fractions of a millimetre.

Such exacting work complements the remarkable precision of the Gyrotourbillon mechanism. Exceedingly rare and complex, this multi-axis tourbillon comprises two cages, set at two different angles, turning opposite directions, at different speeds, with a blued spherical balance spring beating like a heart in their centre. In the absence of a tourbillon bridge, the cantilevered all-aluminium cages of Gyrotourbillon 3 appear to be suspended in space.

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Hand-wound movement, calibre 176, incorporates a fully integrated chronograph, which displays the seconds on a traditional round dial and elapsed minutes on an instantaneously jumping digital counter.

Conceived and crafted for true connoisseurs of art and mechanics, the new Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 ‘Meteorite’ represents the highest expression of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s codes.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model: MASTER Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Edition

Reference: Q5032441

Movement
Manual mechanical movement
Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 176
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Bridges adorned with meteorite motif, circular-grained mainplate
Two barrels
592 parts
92 jewels
Thick: 11.15 mm
Power reserve: 45 hours
Flying spherical tourbillon:
Rotation speeds

• Outer carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 1 rotation/minute
• Inner carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 2.5 rotations/minute

Blued spherical balance-spring
Blued 14-carat gold balance
Number of parts: 11
Weight: 0.43 grams
3 ii ndependent dials:
Hour-minute dial: meteorite disc is encircled by a ring aventurine
Chronograph dial: aventurine disc is encircled by a ring of white grand feu enamel
Indicator Day/Night:  display 2 o’clock
Functions
Digital instant monopusher chronograph,
hours/minutes, day/night indicator, gyrotourbillon
Case
Pink gold
Dimensions: 43.5 mm
Thickness: 15.8 mm
Caseback: open
Water resistance: 50 m
Dial
Aventurine, white enamel, meteorite
Hand-guilloché day/night indicator
Strap
Blue high-end alligator leather strap
Gold folding-clasp

Limitation:
Limited - Only 8 pieces


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Press Release - 2019
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