SKU: 24396
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WHAT WE LOVE:
The SBGH331 is only the second Grand Seiko edition ever created exclusively for the Oceania market — Australia and New Zealand — and it is, without question, the more remarkable of the two. Limited to just 150 pieces worldwide and sold out almost immediately upon release, it has since become one of the most sought-after modern Grand Seiko references in the region.
The inspiration is the Naruto Whirlpools — a natural phenomenon in the Naruto Strait between Awaji Island and Shikoku, where tidal currents from the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide to create some of the largest tidal whirlpools on Earth.
The dial is extraordinary. A geometric repeating pattern of interlocking curved forms — each individually applied and hand-finished — creates the visual impression of water surface moving in the circular motion of a whirlpool. The colour sits between ice blue and Tiffany blue, shifting with the light source and angle of view so that at certain moments it reads almost white, and at others a deep saturated cyan. This is not a printed or lacquered surface: it is a three-dimensional construction, and the depth and movement it conveys is something only Grand Seiko's artisans can achieve.
The case is casted in Ever-Brilliant Steel — Grand Seiko's proprietary high-corrosion-resistance alloy that carries a distinctly whiter, brighter lustre than standard 316L, closer in appearance to white gold. Against the ice-blue dial, the combination is immaculate. Zaratsu-polished bevels and hairline-brushed surfaces interact with light with the precision that Grand Seiko has made its defining characteristic. Each of the 150 examples is individually numbered on the caseback.
WHAT'S INSIDE:
The SBGH331 is powered by Grand Seiko's Calibre 9S85 — the Hi-Beat automatic movement that beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour (10 beats per second), delivering accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day and a power reserve of 55 hours. The high-frequency architecture provides the characteristic smooth, continuous glide of the seconds hand that is one of Grand Seiko's most recognisable signatures, and at 37 jewels across a hand-finished movement it represents the full specification of the brand's automatic capability.
FIVEFORTYFIVE SIX MONTHS WARRANTY
