Grand Seiko has been known for its exquisite, revolutionary, and beautifully-designed watches since 1960 and they still continue to deploy all the skills and experience they gained over the years in terms of precision, resistance, movement and mechanisms, provenance, and materials.
Not many timepiece creators are up for the high-beat movement challenge, but Grand Seiko is always ready to break the tradition and push precision in mechanical watches to the limits.
Calibers that run 36,000 beats per hour or 10 beats per second are relatively not common in the watch industry today. The current standard for quite a while now is about 28,000 beats per hour or 8 beats per second. These movements offer exceptional and noble advantages to the overall performance of a watch.
Grand Seiko is popular for its ingenious “Hi-Beat” watches and this upgrade offers an even smoother glide for the second hand and greater resilience to external rotational forces.
Grand Seiko High-Movement Family
The goal of Grand Seiko is to raise the art of watchmaking to its peak by relentlessly incorporating the latest technology and their intricate craftsmanship to ensure movement precision and mechanical accuracy at its finest.
Grand Seiko’s 9S mechanical movement uses the Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. It is a highly advanced semi-conductor manufacturing technology that makes it possible to produce lightweight parts with extreme precision to tolerances of one-thousandth of a millimeter.
High-beat movement watches are undeniably a work of art. They utilize an escapement which is a self-contained device that draws its power from the mainspring’s motive force. With excellent craftsmanship, the new generation Spron alloy hairspring is adjusted by hand with a precision of one-hundredth of a millimeter.
Another important piece is the balance wheel which serves as the pillar of precision for it ensures consistent beat. The 9S mechanical movement helps minimize the effect of temperature on the balance wheel, prevents deformation, and maintains ultimate precision.
Grand Seiko 9S86 and 9S85 Caliber Movements
Although the 10-beat movement’s theoretical advantages are well-known, 9S Mechanical is not just a simple revival of the past but is an entirely new avatar in the face of the timepiece industry.
This high specification movement is a self-winding “high-beat” mechanism with GMT functionality. It vibrates at 10 oscillations per second which means it is more resistant to shock and fluctuations in dynamic accuracy.
Watch enthusiasts and collectors know a thing or two about Caliber 9S85 with its superior precision and great resilience and with Grand Seiko’s introduction of the new Calibre 9S86, you can only anticipate more excitement from them.
The Calibre 9S86, also offering the same accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds a day, is weaved into the 9S85 Hi-Beat 36000 Platform but is now incorporated with the GMT function. It is a perfect and absolutely practical choice for international travelers. It tucks in a 55-hour power reserve and it has its anti-magnetic balance wheel vibrating at 5Hz.
This high-beat movement offers legibility and undeniable beauty for which the Grand Seiko watch is renowned. It is the ultimate answer to the consensual but iconic horology of the time-keeping world.
Caliber 9S85 is the first movement of its kind in 41 years.
The 9S85 Collection at Watch Outz
If you are looking for a great investment or a superior quality watch, the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 models are a true force.
Check out our elite and delicate Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat Collection with both automatic and manual mechanisms that boast of their 50 decade-long skill and experience in the watchmaking industry. Included in this collection is the limited edition Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 60th Anniversary Hi-Beat (SBGH281G).
Professional divers will surely love the Grand Seiko Sport Collection Titanium Automatic Hi-Beat 600M dive watch (SBGH257) which is only limited to 500 pieces. It is designed to meet the challenging demands of deep-sea diving.
The 9S86 Collection at Watch Outz
For travelers out there, our collection of Calibre 9S86 includes the Grand Seiko Sport Collection Automatic Hi-Beat 36000 GMT (SBGJ237G). It has a stunning midnight blue dial with a bezel made of sapphire crystal. It is automatic with a manual winding capacity and has Lumibrite accents.
We also have the limited edition Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Automatic Hi-Beat GMT SBGJ235 that features a beautiful Mount Iwate pattern showing the ridgelines of the magnificent mountain visible from the Shizukuishi Watch Studio where all the mechanical timepieces of Seiko are made.
Just like you, we are a team of passionate collectors and enthusiasts for Japanese watches. With our extensive Calibre 9S85 and 9S86 collection, Watch Outz wishes to share the joy with you.