PRACTICALITY and durability are vital attributes of all the best sports watches and are also core values of Grand Seiko, so what could be more appropriate than to fuse them together into a new sports watch series? The watchmaker has launched a new Spring Drive sports collection – the Black Ceramic Limited Edition. The inner case of a new series is made from high-intensity titanium and the outer shells and bezel are zirconia ceramic which is stronger and tougher than any other fine ceramic and seven times harder on the Vickers scale than stainless steel. This combination of materials makes the case 25% lighter than stainless steel and virtually impervious to scratches. While the black color is new to Grand Seiko, the clear ridges on the facets of the case and the diamond-cut hands and markers make the watches instantly recognizable as Grand Seiko. Since its creation in 1960, every Grand Seiko watch has demonstrated a consistent commitment to the pure essentials of watchmaking. Precision, legibility, comfort and durability are the attributes that have always defined Grand Seiko, and always will. Consistency is, however, no enemy of creativity and Grand Seiko proudly presents a new creation that take the essential values of Grand Seiko in new, exciting and creatively rewarding directions. The case has a five piece construction. To be as durable as possible, the most prominent surfaces, including the lugs and the bezel, are made of ceramic so that they resist scratches. To make the watch as comfortable as possible to wear, the inner case is made of high intensity titanium and the watch is 25% lighter as a result. The ceramic material is zirconia ceramic, which is stronger and more scratch resistant than any other ceramic and seven times harder than steel. The cases are polished by hand by skilled craftsmen. It is remarkable that, working with ceramics, they can make the ridges so sharp and the surfaces distortion-free. The green dial model conveys a subtle symbol of the provenance of this new design. The fir tree motif on the dial was inspired by the Onbashira festival that is held every six years in Suwa, near the studio where the watch is made. The centerpiece of this festival is the carrying of huge fir trees down the mountainside to the shrine, where they are raised as symbols of the shrine's renewal and its 1,200 year old tradition.
