Grand Seiko STGK015 Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition Watch
2020 marks the 60th birth year of the first Grand Seiko watch. To begin a full year of celebrations of this important landmark, the independent brand spun off from Seiko is introducing four new limited-edition timepieces. The standout piece for ladies? Reference STGK015.
While Rob has already covered the three men’s models, my eye is on the women’s watch from Grand Seiko, obvs! This diamond-studded automatic watch is limited to 300 pieces. It is a very feminine extension to the brand’s Elegance collection. At 27.8mm, the petite size offers a delicate presence on a lady’s wrist. Together with the SBGH281, it’s the “his and hers” of the celebratory pair.
Dial
The stainless steel STGK015 boasts a dial colored in Grand Seiko’s signature blue (like the other three anniversary models), crafted in mother-of-pearl. The hour markers are set with 11 diamonds and the bezel with 45 diamonds. After all, it is a diamond anniversary.
Movement
Reference STGK015 is powered by Caliber 9S27, an automatic movement launched at Baselworld last year and was specifically designed for Grand Seiko’s women’s collection. It strikes a wonderful balance between performance and elegance. The 8-beat movement delivers a precision rate of +8 to−3 seconds a day and a power reserve of 50 hours. It is just 19.4mm in diameter and 4.49mm in height, which allows for a slim profile for the case.
Each movement is made, assembled and adjusted by hand in the Shizukuishi Watch Studio in northern Japan with the same GS ‘manufacture’ standard. This is a serious mechanism that deserves a nod from any aficionado. Not to mention the finishing, which is worthy enough to be in full display through an exhibition case back.
Conclusion
Since its launch in December 1960, Grand Seiko has garnered a reputation in its own right. GS stands for a cult symbol of superior quality and indeed Japanese Haute Horlogerie. In my mind, it carries a certain collector’s cred that is generally off the radar for women. Declaring its independent entity in 2017 was a great move. To cement its high-end positioning, the brand has continued to release women’s watches, powered by in-house mechanical calibers.
Personally I don’t care for gemstones. When prices hitting the €10K mark for the sake of adding diamonds, I would prefer to see a no-bling version at 2/3 of the price. At least to match that of its male counterpart, if not for the style. That said, STGK015 certainly justifies the price with what goes into the watch to mark a special milestone. It is a beautiful package. The mainstream appeal to a feminine audience is there, and it will not be hard to attract 300 takers. Find more information via the Grand Seiko website.
