Grand Seiko Embraces The Season with New 'Icefall' SBGH349

Grand Seiko has a knack for finding inspiration in the seasonal landscapes of its home country, Japan. How it expresses the qualities of these sometimes abstract features has come to define the brand’s craftsmanship. What began with the "White Birch" in 2021 has not only influenced a diverse collection of references to come from Grand Seiko in the intervening years, but also a range of brands across the industry. But the captivating dial was only half the story, with plenty of mechanical innovation on display in their high-beat 9S series movements. This is a formula that would lay a new foundation for the brand, and this week, we’re getting a first peak at what we can expect in 2025 with a new reference SBGH349, which takes inspiration from the frozen waterfalls of Mount Iwate. 

One word that comes to mind with Grand Seiko is consistency. The brand has been remarkably stable in its approach to this new generation of Heritage and Evolution 9 collections. While we haven’t seen much in the way of diversity in some of these new releases, Grand Seiko continues to wow in the dial department. Thankfully, the 9S movements (9S85 in this case) remains quite impressive as well, making for a potent combination of qualities unique to Grand Seiko. The newest SBGH349 is a perfect example of these ideas coming together once again in a celebration of Japan’s natural beauty. 

The SBGH349 falls within the Heritage collection, and uses a 40mm case constructed of high-intensity titanium. The lug shoulder is brushed, allowing the watch to fly under the radar a bit more than the 44GS and 62GS case styles, but that doesn’t mean Grand Seiko has held back on attention to detail when it comes to the finish. A polished chamfer runs the length of the case, defining a graceful, organic shape in the process. The watch measures 46.6mm from lug to lug, and 13mm in total thickness which, when paired with the use of titanium, should make for a rather compelling on-wrist experience. If you’ve ever encountered a Snowflake (SBGA211) you know what I’m on about here. 

The real draw here is the dial, which takes inspiration from a 30-meter waterfall originating from a stream that flows down Mt. Iwate. During the winter season, this waterfall slowly freezes in a vertical position, creating a dynamic composition of blue hues. It is this texture and color palette that Grand Seiko has sought to breathe life into with this dial by creating a vertical texture that feels organic in nature. Light blues emanate from each crevice, and make for a highly dynamic viewing experience in different lighting conditions. Grand Seiko takes great pride in interpreting scenes such as Mt. Iwate’s frozen waterfall in the dials of its watches, and that comes through upon close inspection here.

Grand Seiko is using their 9S85 automatic high-beat movement within, which is visible through an exhibition caseback. It beats 10 times per second, as denoted by the 36000 on the dial (10 beats per second equals 36,000 beats per hour), and provides a buttery smooth sweep for the seconds hand. This may not compare to some of the bells and whistles you’ll find on the 9SA5, but it does get 55 hours of power reserve, and an impressive accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day (inside of COSC standards). 

Overall, this is another beautiful execution brought to life by Grand Seiko, and while it doesn’t stray from the beaten path, it brings to life yet another element of Japan’s landscape. The Grand Seiko SBGH349 will be available in January of 2025, and will be priced from $7,400. You can learn more about the watch here at grand-seiko.com.