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Grand Seiko/
Grand Seiko presents Journey Through The Nature of Time
An Installation Reflecting Time and Space from Miami to Japan
Grand Seiko, the renowned luxury Japanese timepiece manufacturer, debuts an installation for Design Miami/ which celebrates the brand’s Japanese heritage and strong bond to nature. Titled Journey Through The Nature of Time, the physical installation is inspired by the brand’s watch studio in the mountainous region of Morioka. Guests are transported from Miami to Japan, guiding them through an enchanting environment inspired by Grand Seiko’s new U.S. Special Edition timepieces. Journey Through The Nature of Time binds beauty, nature, and time together in an interactive experience.
Upon entering the exhibition, visitors will find themselves inside a verdant bamboo garden path that inspired the dynamic "Urban Bamboo" dial of SBGJ259. Featuring dramatic bamboo stalks that oscillate between different tones of green, guests will experience firsthand surging through the forest and into a bamboo stalk that later reveals the aforementioned timepiece.
A new passage appears as visitors fly over Morioka in Iwate prefecture and find themselves at a traditional Nanbu tekki ironware studio. This is where Japanese ironware is produced, and where the dial of the SBGK017 takes its influence from. This traditional handcraft was first created during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), and its rich history of craftsmanship continues to this day.
Concluding the journey, guests will quickly explore the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, a space devoted to the crafting of Grand Seiko mechanical watches and other high-end timepieces. The new studio was completed on the milestone sixtieth anniversary of the Grand Seiko brand. Its design is the brainchild of Kengo Kuma, a celebrated Japanese architect also famed for his work on the new Japan National Stadium finished in 2019 for the 2020 Olympics.
Journey Through the Nature of Time will exhibit at Design Miami/ starting Tuesday, November 29th – Sunday, December 4th at Convention Center Drive & 19th Street, Miami Beach, USA.
Journey Through The Nature of Time
Organized by Grand Seiko
Creative Direction by Stage 3
Music: ARTBAT - “ORIGIN”, SHALL OCIN FEAT. BRAEV and “HORIZON” – UPPERGROUND
About Grand Seiko/
Ever since its first creation sixty years ago, Grand Seiko has enchanted watch connoisseurs with timepieces that offer extremely high precision, supreme legibility, and a uniquely Japanese aesthetic. Grand Seiko has revolutionized watchmaking with many innovations—including the Spring Drive movement, which offers a seamless seconds-hand motion and accuracy unlike any other mechanical watch and continues to do so today. Every Grand Seiko watch reflects the Japanese spirituality of time inspired by nature. Whether elegant, traditional, or sport, expect a new understanding of “The Nature of Time” from Grand Seiko.
ABOUT THE GRAND SEIKO TIMEPIECES/
The SBGJ259: A Special Edition GMT timepiece inspired by a bamboo garden path
A verdant bamboo garden path inspires the dynamic "Urban Bamboo" dial of SBGJ259. Featuring a dramatic striated pattern that oscillates between different tones of green, the dial of the SBGJ259 evokes the vertical lines and organic coloration of the bamboo garden path.
Powering the watch is the Hi-Beat Caliber 9S86, which runs at 36,000 bph, delivers an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds a day, and offers 55 hours of power reserve. A GMT function allows the user to track an additional time zone, making SBGJ259 an excellent timepiece for frequent travelers.
The Grand Seiko SBGJ259 is a U.S. Special Edition and retails for $6,800 USD.
The SBGK017: An elegant timepiece inspired by Japanese handcraft
The dial of SBGK017 takes its inspiration from Nanbu tekki ironware, a form of traditional metalworking that is produced in the city of Morioka in Iwate prefecture. This renowned handcraft dates all the way back to Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868). It is a tradition that continues to this day and it is prized by many for its beauty and durability. Nanbu tekki ironware features a distinctive texture called arare, or hailstone, on its exterior. This texture finds its way onto the dark gray dial of SBGK017.
Rendered in stainless steel, the case is polished by a special Zaratsu method created to accentuate the beauty of the case's curved surfaces. The dial and sapphire crystal are also curved to give the watch a classic look and feel. Additionally, the dial features hand-bent minute and power reserve hands, a nod to classic watch design.
Housed inside its case is the Caliber 9S63, a slim manual wind caliber. It features a small seconds register at the nine o’clock position and a power reserve indicator at three o’clock. The thinness of the movement allows for a slimmer, dressier design.
Retailing $8,900 USD, this U.S. Special Edition comes with a stainless steel bracelet and a stitch-less black crocodile strap.
