Watch fans around the country will be thrilled to learn Australia joined the small list of countries around the world that have their very own limited edition Grand Seiko with the launch of the dusty pink GMT SBGJ269. Not only is it an exciting first for the Australian watch community, but it’s also a great-looking timepiece with a dial inspired by the native Pink Flannel Flower (Actinotus forsythii) that grows throughout the east coast in New South Wales and Victoria.
The Grand Seiko SBGJ269 features a 39.5mm stainless steel case, which measures 14.1mm thick to deliver a comfortably substantial presence on the wrist, as well as allow for the GMT movement inside. As we’ve come to love and expect from Grand Seiko, the case is immaculately finished with mirror-like Zaratsu polishing.
This near-perfect polishing technique is contrasted by fine satin brushing that can also be found on the surfaces of the three-link stainless steel bracelet (the watch also arrives with a grey crocodile leather strap). It’s a case design that we’ve seen in a number of SBGJxxx Grand Seiko references in the past, with an evenly circular shape that tapers swiftly at the lugs and serves as the perfect template on which to express the subtle pink dial.
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Fittingly for Grand Seiko’s debut limited edition Down Under, the native Pink Flannel Flower is often considered to represent a new chapter in the lifecycle of the landscape, flourishing with the rains that follow bushfires. As a symbol of new life and resilient vitality, the pink dial features an understated texture that serves to highlight the polished hands and hour markers, while the deep red GMT hand is legible and works well against its pink backdrop.
Beneath the dial is Grand Seiko’s tried and true automatic GMT calibre 9S86, which ticks 10 times per second and 36,000vph and is guaranteed a maximum accuracy variability of +5 to –3 seconds per day. With a power reserve of 55 hours, the finely finished movement is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback that assists in ensuring 30 metres of water resistance.
It’s a special day for Australian watch collectors everywhere, as a historical first for Grand Seiko and hopefully a sign of more regionally specific limited editions to come. If you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on your first Grand Seiko and love the look of the new SBGJ269, you’d better move quickly.
The Grand Seiko SBGJ269 is a limited edition of just 50 pieces and is only available in Australia, with an RRP of $10,600.
