First Grand Seiko limited edition recreated in Brilliant Hard Titanium with an urushi dial

The history of Seiko reaches back to 1881 when Kintaro Hattori opened a shop in Ginza to repair and sell timepieces. In 1913, his company made Japan's first wristwatch, the Laurel, and many watchmaking milestones followed. With SBGW295, Grand Seiko pays tribute to Japan's first wristwatch with a recreation of the first Grand Seiko that features a magnificent urushi dial with raised maki-e numerals and accents and a case made of Brilliant Hard Titanium.

With its familiar shape, SBGW295 channels the first Grand Seiko while incorporating materials known for their long-lasting, anti-corrosive properties. Its Brilliant Hard Titanium case is brighter than traditional titanium and commands a hardness twice that of stainless steel. The urushi dial's jet-black color has been achieved through the addition of iron, and the lacquer has been further enhanced through a treatment unique to Grand Seiko that prevents its color from changing over time.

Using lacquer sourced exclusively from Japan, the dial is the handwork of urushi master Isshu Tamura in his studio in Kanazawa, a city known for its vibrant traditional Japanese culture. He builds up the lacquer markers layer by layer before sprinkling them with 24-karat gold powder. Making uniform, straight markers on a curved surface such as this dial requires the master's touch.

Beneath the stunning handmade dial and visible through the crystal on the back is another expression of Japanese craft, the manually wound Grand Seiko Caliber 9S64 mechanical movement. It beats at 28,800 bph while allowing the SBGW295 to maintain its slim profile of 10.9mm and deliver a power reserve of three days, as well as accuracy to +5/-3 seconds per day when static.

SBGW295 is a limited edition of 500.