Spring Drive UFA Lake Suwa

A 37mm expression of the shimmering waters of Lake Suwa

With its textured pattern, the blue dial expresses the surface of Lake Suwa. This body of water is located near the place where Spring Drive watches are crafted, the Shinshu Watch Studio, which is housed in a Seiko Epson facility in the city of Shiojiri. The watch is equipped with the Spring Drive U.F.A. Caliber 9RB2, which delivers an extraordinary annual accuracy of ±20 seconds. It also features a power reserve of approximately 72 hours (about three days) when fully wound. Both the case and bracelet are made of Ever-Brilliant Steel, which shines brighter than conventional stainless steel while offering exceptional corrosion resistance.

Evolving the Grand Seiko Style, the Evolution 9 Style represents the essence of Grand Seiko’s design philosophy, harmoniously blending Japanese aesthetics with refined craftsmanship. While adhering to this foundational design language, this model achieves compact dimensions, with a case diameter of 37 mm and a case length of 44.3 mm. Despite its comfortable size, the watch’s highly legible dial and wide bracelet create a strong presence on the wrist.

The dial’s distinctive texture is inspired by the surface of Lake Suwa, located southeast of the Shinshu Watch Studio, where the watch is crafted. It depicts gentle ripples stirred by passing winds across the lake, capturing the shimmering glow of the early morning sun reflected on the water, and is rendered through a fine pattern enhanced by a radial finish. Combined with the smooth, gliding motion of the Spring Drive seconds hand, the design evokes the subtle passage of time felt in the stillness of the lakeside.

The pursuit of high accuracy has always been the cornerstone of Grand Seiko’s values. Receiving the new U.F.A. designation, which stands for “Ultra Fine Accuracy,” Caliber 9RB2 boasts a level of precision defined not by accuracy in seconds per day, week, or month, but by accuracy over one year. The movement has an exceptional annual rate of ±20 seconds, or approximately ±3 seconds per month.

Known as Ever-Brilliant Steel due to its brilliant white hue, this special alloy is more resistant to corrosion than the stainless steels used in even the most prestigious watches today. It has a PREN (Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number) value 1.7 times higher than the grade of steel used in most high-end timepieces . PREN is a widely accepted standard used to measure corrosion resistance.

The tapered bracelet features a three-step micro-adjustment clasp that operates without a tool, allowing a total of 6mm of fine adjustment in precise 2mm increments.