The Grand Seiko SBGC275 Shinshu Sunrise boasts a fiery, lion’s mane dial
Zach BlassAt Watches and Wonders 2023, the Grand Seiko Tentagraph made headlines as Grand Seiko’s first-ever mechanical chronograph watch – with its 9SC5 calibre built upon the dual-impulse escapement 9SA5. Phenomenal, sure, but this year’s fair celebrated the 20th anniversary of Spring Drive, the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph GMT SBGC275 Shinshu Sunrise reminds us not to sleep on its set of complications, doing so with an incredibly striking dial pattern and colouration.
The dial
A childish urge arises in me to say that this dial is called “the blood mane”, reminding me of the signature lion’s mane texture rendered in a red hue, like a lion dining on its prey. Grand Seiko, fortunately, and expectedly, is far more poetic and pleasantly nature-inspired. The colour is actually inspired by the sunlight at dawn reflecting off of the Hotaka mountain range near Studio Shinshu where Spring Drive watches are made. The orange-to-red dynamic captured in this dial is the result of a new patented coating process known as optical multilayer coating that, in short, includes a PVD process and layers of nanoscale film. Grand Seiko explains that this process also allows the lion’s mane texture to be more pronounced on the warmer hue.
Looking at the dial indications, you have an off-centered, yet harmonious swirl of counters and branding. The Grand Seiko logo at sits at the 11 o’clock position, a running seconds counter at 9, a power reserve indicator at 7, a 12-hour counter at 4:30, a date window at 3, and 30-minute counter at the 1:30 position. As a member of Grand Seiko’s Sport line, the SBGC275 has luminous fillings for its central handset, applied indices, and even the 24-hour scale beneath the sapphire bezel. In fact, for heightened legibility which we know Grand Seiko is all about, the GMT hand and 24-hour scale use blue lumibrite rather than the green used for the markers and hours and minutes hands.
The case
The dial is not the only component that takes inspiration from the brand’s mascot. The faceted indices and the large and faceted High-Intensity Titanium case are supposedly shaped like a lion’s paw. It goes without saying how complex this geometry makes the Zaratsu finishing process, but the payoff is… Well… Chef’s kiss. The alternations between distortion-free mirror-polishing and rich hairline brushing really catch the eye within this bigger and bolder shape.
Having said that, this bigger and bolder shape, as well-executed as the craftsmanship may be, could be a hang-up for some. It is certainly one beast of a case, clocking in at 44.5mm in diameter and 16.8mm thick. At 50mm lug-to-lug, however, it is more wrist-manageable than you might think. In lightweight High-Intensity Titanium, the heft of this larger watch is mitigated, increasing comfort for daily wear. And with 200 metres of screw-down crown secured water-resistance, this is a robust watch you do not need to baby by any stretch.
The bracelet
A point of contention for some Grand Seiko fans is the bracelets – in particular the lack of micro-adjustment. This integrated High-Intensity Titanium bracelet, however, has four holes of micro-adjustment drilled into its folding clasp. It also has the Seiko Marinemaster-style diver’s extension as well, but this extension, as you pull out across its 16 notches will be visible rather than hidden – so not ideal from an aesthetic standpoint unless you find your self in a wetsuit.
The links are executed in an H-style with alternating faceted bars, and each is secured via a pin and collar system. They are also largely hairline brushed, with accents of mirror polish such as bevelled shoulders. It feels strong and solid on the wrist, and with its presence of drilled holes in the clasp and its diver’s extension any Grand Seiko bracelet fit concerns should be squashed.
The movement
Driving this all, dad pun very much intended, is Studio Shinshu’s 72-hour, automatic Spring Drive Chronograph GMT movement, or the 9R96 to its friends. It’s a specially adjusted variant of the standard 9R86 that is rated to run within half a second per day as per the Grand Seiko Standard. This incredibly complex, vertical-clutch, column-wheel chronograph GMT is comprised of more than 400 parts, and could very well be the most accurate Spring Drive chronograph movement in the world.
The verdict
I know some will be intimidated by the size of the SBGC275, but this is a lion-inspired watch – not a lion cub-inspired watch. It’s meant to be of such bold proportions, which I should remind you are compact for its size at 50mm lug-to-lug. And it should also be noted that this movement typically finds itself in cases that span 52.5mm lug-to-lug. So when the calibre pops up in the lion case, it does afford an opportunity to wear a Spring Drive chronograph GMT that, while bulky, is far less likely to wing out beyond your wrist.
Because this movement is often used in watches of larger diameters and proportions, I find it does not always get the recognition it deserves – offering a ton of complication with unparalleled accuracy. Resting within the lion case, and outfitted with the new eye-catching red dial, this is the titanium daily wearer for someone who has the swagger and wrist of a lion. To put it less poetically, if you’re comfortable with a beefier watch and 50mm lug-to-lug, the Grand Seiko SBGC275 is a hard watch to beat both technically and aesthetically.
Grand Seiko SBGC275 pricing and availability
The Grand Seiko SBGC275 is a limited edition of 700 pieces and will ship in August 2024. Price: US$13,400, A$20,000
| Brand | Grand Seiko |
| Model | Sport Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary Limited Edition |
| Reference | SBGC275 |
| Case Dimensions | 44.5mm (D) x 16.8mm (T) x 50mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | High-Intensity Titanium |
| Water Resistance | 200 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Red, lion mane patterned |
| Strap | High-Intensity Titanium bracelet, folding clasp |
| Movement | 9R96, in-house, automatic, Spring Drive |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph, GMT, power reserve |
| Availability | Limited to 700 pieces |
| Price | US$13,400, A$20,000 |