Did Grand Seiko Just Reveal Its Best Watch Dial Ever?

They can’t keep getting away with this.

Published February 4, 2025

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While Grand Seiko today is highly regarded as an independent luxury watch brand under the Seiko corporate umbrella, the brand had a more humble beginning.

Its story began in 1960 when Seiko set out to create the world’s most precise and beautiful watch, with the result being the very first Grand Seiko watch. In the 65 years since, Grand Seiko has continued its original mission of excellence in beauty and accuracy, achieving the latter through its Spring Drive and 9F quartz movements and the former via its signature nature-inspired dials.

Several of Grand Seiko’s dials have an almost mythical status. Snowflake, White Birch, Lake Suwa … these are names that can cause heart palpitations and excessive drooling among the Grand Seiko faithful thanks to their unique textures and unequaled beauty.

One of Grand Seiko’s most frequently used dial patterns is the Mt. Iwate, which is inspired by the majestic peak of the same name that overlooks the brand’s Studio Shizukuishi in northern Japan.

Now, to celebrate its 65th anniversary, Grand Seiko has released the SLGH027 with a new dial inspired by Mt. Iwate but from a completely different perspective. And it might just be the brand’s best dial yet.

Top of the Mountain

For its new interpretation of the Mt. Iwate pattern, Grand Seiko has quite literally altered its view.

The original Mt. Iwate pattern features a subtle texture inspired by the ridges of the mountain as seen from Grand Seiko’s studio. The new pattern, by contrast, is far bolder, with a much more prominent radial pattern of deep ridges.

a Grand Seiko watch — The SLGH027 introduces a new dial pattern inspired by Mt. Iwate.

This new look was inspired by an aerial view of the mountain, with the theoretical peak hiding below the handset and the dial giving the illusion that you’re heading down the mountainside as your gaze moves toward the minute track. It’s a stunning effect.

We’ve seen the original Mt. Iwate pattern in numerous colors, from beige to navy, and for this new take on the style, Grand Seiko has gone with an ice blue inspired by the “purity of the air and water” that surrounds the mountain. That may be the case, but it reads “winter” to me, and since ice and snow-themed dials have historically been the most popular genre for Grand Seiko, I think the color was the perfect choice here.

a close up of a textured Grand Seiko watch dial — The Mt. Iwate sequel features deeper ridges and is meant to depict the mountain as seen from the sky.

Given that this is a new dial pattern, Grand Seiko has opted to pair it with its most modern case design, the Evolution 9, in the SLGH027. The case features the brand’s signature Zaratsu mirror polishing along with hands and indices that are bolder and more contemporary than other Grand Seiko styles.

The heat-blued seconds hand sweeps smoothly thanks to a hi-beat automatic movement inside, the Cal. 9SA5. This engine also exudes modernity — a recurring theme on this 65th-anniversary model — as it boasts an 80-hour power reserve courtesy of a Dual Impulse Escapement and twin barrels. The movement even has a nature-inspired finish, sporting a wave pattern modeled after the Szukuishi River.

the caseback of a Grand Seiko watch showing an automatic movement — The hi-beat automatic movement powering the watch boasts a robust 80 hours of power.

The case and bracelet of the SLGH027are both made of Ever Brilliant Steel, Grand Seiko’s proprietary steel alloy which boasts higher corrosion resistance and a greater luster than other stainless steels commonly used in watchmaking. The clasp features an embedded logo in 18-kt rose gold.

Pricing and Availability

As a 65th-anniversary edition, the SLGH027 is limited in number, with 1,200 pieces being produced. That’s a fairly large number for a limited edition, so if you really want one, you may be able to snag one.

a Grand Seiko watch on a mans wrist — Can you think of a better 65th birthday present than this?

Pricing is not cheap at $10,500, but it’s essentially the same as the only other GS model with an Evolution 9 case in Ever Brilliant Steel and a hi-beat movement. That would be the SLGH021 “Genbi Valley,” which debuted last year and retails for $10,400. The days of affordable Grand Seiko watches are long gone, I’m afraid.

Price notwithstanding, this is a hell of a release from Grand Seiko, and I think fans of the brand will eat it up. The new Mt. Iwate pattern is beautiful and one of the best I’ve seen from the company, the watch is well-sized at 40mm, it has a killer calibre inside, and it’s suited for everyday wear thanks to a bracelet and 100m of water resistance. It’s expensive, sure, but there are worse things to drop $10,500 on.