The GMT function has been a fixture in Grand Seiko’s catalog and has been offered in a wide range of styles across all movement families. Adding to that expansive variety, today, Grand Seiko introduces two new GMT styles under the Sport Collection, Refs. SBGM245 and SBGM247. Both are designed to be go-to pieces for any frequent traveler.
The stainless steel case measures 40.5mm in diameter, 14.4mm in thickness, and 48.9mm in length from lug to lug. The case is rated to 200 meters and has a magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m, and the offset crown at four o’clock, recessed for extra security, is screw-down. A 20mm lug width accommodates a matching stainless steel three-piece bracelet with a three-fold clasp. Up top is dual-curve sapphire crystal, and the case back is solid stainless steel.
The bezel is stainless steel and adorned with a 24-hour scale in bold lettering. It is fixed to the case, allowing for the tracking of two time zones. The case features a mix of hairline and Zaratsu-polished surfaces, accentuating the geometry of the design.
The dial of SBGM245 is blue, and SBGM247 is hunter green. Both have a vibrant sunray finish. The hands and indexes are multi-faceted, beautifully textured, and feature ample LumiBrite paint for excellent nighttime visibility. With legibility being a fundamental pillar of Grand Seiko design, on both references the hour and minute hands feature a hairline finish, creating excellent contrast against the dial to ensure visibility.
The GMT hand allows the time to be read in a second time zone and the hour hand can be adjusted without compromising the watch’s accuracy. The GMT hand is in red on SBGM245 and orange on SBGM247, and it has a distinctive shape that makes it readable at a glance against the dial.
Both watches are powered by Grand Seiko’s automatic GMT caliber 9S66. This is a true GMT movement, which means that the local hour hand is independently adjustable while the GMT hand remains fixed to “home” time. The immediate benefit of this functionality is that upon arriving to a new locale in a different time zone, the owner can simply advance the hour hand forward or backward in one-hour increments to the appropriate time without having to reset the watch.
Caliber 9S66 is rated to +5 to -3 seconds per day (when static), has a duration of 72 hours, and features 35 jewels. Like all Grand Seiko mechanical movements, 9S66 is produced by the highly skilled watchmakers of the Shizukuishi Watch Studio.
Grand Seiko Refs. SBGM245 and SBGM247 are Grand Seiko Mastershop models and will be available in November 2021.
