I’ve always been fascinated by water and for as long as I can remember I have loved gazing into ponds and lakes, especially on long summer days. There is something both tranquil and inspiring about the multitude of hues that warm sunlight creates on natural masses of water and it has led to many works of art and musical compositions inspired by such sights at such sites. It seems that the watch designers at Grand Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri are similarly inspired by a local landmark, the Mishaka Pond. The Mishaka Pond is renowned for its clear water that reflects the surrounding forest’s greenery and it this aquatic scape that is the inspiration for the new limited-edition watch.
If one is going to either recreate or harness a natural beauty, there can be no better medium through which to do this than through mother nature herself. Grand Seiko has used green mother-of-pearl for the dial of the watch which itself contains the infinite shades of green that can witness at Mishiki Pond. And when it comes to skimming stones across a pond, Grand Seiko have chosen stunning garnets and diamonds to create a face to die for.
The base of the dial is white gold, with a green mother-of-pearl center. The hour markers are highlighted by 12 baguette-cut garnets which are interspersed with a total of 48 tapered baguette-cut diamonds, each of which is set between super-thin white gold rails. The finished effect is stunning! On the outside of this arrangement is a seconds or minutes track that highlighted by another 12 garnets with diamonds between them. All these gems equate to 2.23 carats of diamonds and 0.63 carat of garnet and yet in typical Grand Seiko style, it whispers bling instead of broadcasting it.
All of this master gem-setting is housed in a case made from Platinum 950 that is finished with classic Grand Seiko distortion-free finishes thanks to a specially adapted Zaratsu polishing technique for platinum. The display case back gives the observer a glimpse of the Spring Drive eight day Calibre 9R01 movement, with an accuracy rate of +10 seconds per month. The one-piece bridge is made in the image of Mount Fuji and the rubies represent the lights of Suwa City.
The watch will be available from May 2021 in Grand Seiko boutiques in a limited edition of 15 pieces priced at €193,000.
Technical Specifications
Manual-winding Caliber 9R01 with accuracy of +/- 0.5 second per day (+/-10 seconds per month); 192-hour power reserve (8 days)
Case & Dial
43mm platinum 950 case and dial with 97 diamonds (2.23carat) and 24 green garnets (0.63carat); 13.5mm in thinkness
Strap
Crocodile strap with platinum clasp
Availability & Pricing
Available at the Grand Seiko Boutiques in May 2021; limited edition of 15 pieces
Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: €195,000