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Focus On Limited Edition Watches – Grand Seiko SBGH269

By Sebastian Swart
20 January 2025
4 minutes
Grand-Seiko-Autumn-Dial-2-1

Focus On Limited Edition Watches – Grand Seiko SBGH269

The Japanese luxury watch manufacturer Grand Seiko regularly releases limited editions of its exclusive timepieces with dials featuring naturalistic elements from various regions of Japan. As part of its Heritage collection, Grand Seiko introduced the “Autumn Dial” ref. SBGH269 in 2019. Limited to just 900 pieces, the watch features a deep red-brown dial reminiscent of the leaves of Japanese autumn forests. At the heart of the model beats a high-frequency Seiko caliber. We take a closer look at the Grand Seiko SBGH269 in this article.

Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”
Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”

Design and Features of the Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”

The central design element of almost all wristwatches is the dial. This is especially true of the Grand Seiko SBGH269, which has an especially unique dial. With its subtly changing shades of red and brown, Grand Seiko wanted to evoke the Japanese forests and the various stages of color the leaves go through as they gradually turn red in the fall. Grand Seiko also references the style of traditional Japanese wooden floors by using vertical lines and high-gloss lacquer on the dial. The Grand Seiko SBGH269 is a classic three-hand watch with a date function. The dial features applied silver, faceted bar indices that are slightly wider at positions 6, 9, and 12. The date function with a black date disk and white date is located at 3 o’clock. The hours and minutes are indicated by elegant silver Dauphine hands. The seconds hand is lance-shaped and – like the Grand Seiko logo – is kept in a copper tone. Overall, the dial of the SBGH269 has a warm, refined, and elegant look that immediately stands out from the crowd – without being overbearing – and exudes a certain Grand Seiko-style understatement.

Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”
Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”

The Grand Seiko SBGH269 in Detail

The case of the Grand Seiko SBGH269 is made of stainless steel and measures 39.5 mm in diameter. The overall height is approximately 13 mm, with a lug-to-lug of 47.5 mm. The watch is ideal for slimmer wrists thanks to its moderate size and lug width of just 19 mm. Grand Seiko uses the “Zaratsu” technique to polish the case, resulting in well-defined edges and a distortion-free mirror effect. Grand Seiko has been using this sophisticated technique since the 1960s. To prefect the craft, the company’s polishers undergo several years of in-house training. Grand Seiko uses a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides to ensure that the dial of the SBGH269 remains perfectly readable even under unfavorable conditions. Thanks to the watch’s crystal and screw-down crown, it’s water-resistant to 100 m (10 bar, 328 ft), which means it can – at least theoretically – be worn underwater. The model comes on Grand Seiko’s well-known three-link stainless steel bracelet with a satin finish and center links with polished flanks. The bracelet can be opened with a pusher on both sides of the clasp. Visually and technically, it is reminiscent of the bracelet used on many earlier Omega Speedmaster Professional references, such as ref. 311.30.42.30.01.005.

Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”
Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial”

Hi-Beat Caliber 9S85

The watch is powered by the automatic in-house Seiko caliber 9S85. A special feature of this movement is the balance oscillation frequency of 36,000 vph, which is equivalent to ten beats per second. This is why it’s also known as a fast oscillator or 10-beat caliber. Another distinguishing feature is the hairspring, which is made of an alloy called “Spron.” According to the manufacturer, this cobalt-nickel alloy developed by Seiko is three times more resistant to magnetic fields than previous alloys and has twice the impact strength. The 9S85 offers a power reserve of approximately 55 hours when fully wound and is accurate to within +5 to -3 seconds per day. For this limited edition, Grand Seiko has equipped the 9S85 caliber with a skeletonized anodized titanium rotor. In contrast to the auburn dial, the rotor shines in a rich green, reminiscent of the fresh leaves of deciduous trees before autumn arrives in Japan. The contrast is strong and may not be to everyone’s taste, but Grand Seiko is doing something here that you won’t find with other well-known luxury watch manufacturers. It’s something of unique selling point, don’t you think?

Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial” case back
Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial” case back

Price and Availability

As of January 2025, you can buy a new or well-maintained Grand Seiko SBGH269 from 8,600 USD on Chrono24. When it was launched in 2019, it changed hands for as little as roughly 5,500 USD, while the list price at the time was 6,400 USD. A comparison of prices on Chrono24 over the last five years (2019-2024), shows an increase in value of approximately 21.5%. As the model is limited to only 900 pieces, availability is also limited, which means you won’t find this level of exclusivity paired with exceptional design on every street corner.

Summary

Limited, with a unique look, and equipped with a hi-beat in-house caliber, the Grand Seiko SBGH269 “Autumn Dial” is an exceptional and exclusive luxury watch, not to be found on every street corner. When it comes to quality and technology, neither Grand Seiko nor this watch have to shy away from the much more expensive and often inflationary timepieces of some well-known Swiss brands – quite the opposite. If you’re looking for a rare luxury watch with an exceptional but understated design, the Seiko SBGH269 is the perfect choice.

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About the Author

Sebastian Swart

Sebastian Swart

I've been using Chrono24 for years to buy and sell watches, as well as for research purposes. I've had an infatuation with watches for as long as I can remember. As a …

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