Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet

With "Snowflake" and "Skyflake" dials.

Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform.

Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake).

Initial thoughts

While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos.

Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake).

Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line.

A flagship movement

Seiko launched the cal. 9F family of battery-powered quartz movements in 1993. These movements were built to unusually high standards for the 1990s and are comparable to Rolex’s Oysterquartz. With the cal. 9F, Seiko aimed to solve timekeeping problems mechanically, foreshadowing Spring Drive’s launch in 1999.

For example, rather than using a separate motor for an instantaneous date change, the cal. 9F uses a cam-based system to slowly store energy over several hours before releasing it in 1/2000th of a second. It also uses a clever hairspring-based system to prevent seconds hand backlash, an approach that is more energy efficient than the friction or detent springs used for this purpose in past Seiko calibres.

Hairspring of the Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism. Image – Grand Seiko

The sum of these, and many other decisions – such as the sealed capsule for the train, or putting prospective quartz crystals though a 90-day gauntlet and selecting only the most stable – result in a calibre made to last forever; it likely will.

A tight squeeze

However, for all its virtues, the cal. 9F is quite large and rather expensive to produce. This explains why, during the 1990s and 2000s, it shared the catalogue with numerous other quartz calibres that later disappeared as Grand Seiko crept up-market and tastes shifted to larger watches, leaving the diminutive cal. 4J its the sole companion.

Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake).

Thanks to the new no-date cal. 9F51, Grand Seiko’s flagship quartz movement comes in its smallest package yet at just 33 mm in diameter. The most noticeable upgrade over Grand Seiko’s cal. 4J powered ladies watches is the hands – Grand Seiko’s signature thick and immaculately diamond-cut hands are too heavy for most quartz movements.

Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake).

However, the 33 mm sizing is likely the floor for round cal. 9F-powered watches, as the new calibre is only 0.6 mm smaller in diameter than the existing cal. 9F61 – and still larger than an ETA 2824. It is worth noting that, while only ever used in round watches, the lozenge-shaped cal. 9F can fit in even narrower rectangular watches, which Grand Seiko has a history of doing.