Skip to main content

The Manual Wind: Grandiose Black Ceramic Grand Seiko Limited Edition Series

grand seiko black ceramic limited edition
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Quartz battery operated timepiece and the brand Seiko are synonymous.  Putting Japan on the watch export map, millions of quartz timepieces made their way around the world starting in the 1960’s.  Grand Seiko, the mechanical brand under the Seiko umbrella, quietly stood next to the computer chip driven giant for years.  With the rise in popularity of mechanical watches thereafter, Grand Seiko has maintained its presence. Their latest collection, the Black Ceramic Limited Edition Series, is their attempt at a high-end, modern sport timepiece.

Seiko-Watch-0001-940x600
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Offered in both a GMT and Chronograph GMT, these pieces are both 46mm in diameter. Sharp angles on the case and lugs make the piece dramatically modern.  The fixed GMT bezel, crown, and pushers blend well with the case serving more as function where they could have been over-designed parts of the case.  The pieces are offered in a few dial variations.  The GMT comes in a black dial with brown strap or blue dial with black strap and accompanying blue stitch.  The chronograph is offered in a black dial with brown strap as well as a very unique green dial with black strap.  The green dial Chronograph GMT seems to be the piece to obtain.  The dial has the imprint of a fir tree representing the 1,200 year old local tradition of carrying a fir tree down the mountainside not far from where this timepiece was made.  Under the dial lies the in-house caliber spring driven automatic movement.  Its accuracy is tested to under ten seconds differential a month.  The movement is displayed through a sapphire exhibition case back.

Related: The Affordable Rolex Oyster

Seiko-Watch-0002-940x600
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As most brands seem to be doing these days, the pieces that look the best are produced in a limited number.  Three Black Ceramic pieces are limited to just 500 worldwide while the green dial Chronograph GMT is limited to 600.  Attempting to make a ceramic statement, these Grand Seiko are not cheap.  They offer a lot of watch but it comes at a price; $13,500 for the Chronograph GMT and $10,500 for the GMT.  You can take a further look at the four pieces here.

Ian Schwam
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Contributing writer and watch enthusiast Ian Schwam dons an expert knowledge of all things watches. Having spent a decade in…
Hublot’s sapphire Big Bang gets an icy new color
Hublot reveals new Big Bang in Glacier Blue
Hublot Big Bang in Glacier Blue

The newest addition to the Hublot MP-11 collection is a formidable presence, measuring a whopping 45mm in diameter and 14.4mm in thickness, so you'll need some major confidence if you want to sport this beast on your wrist. The inaugural Sapphire Big Bang was introduced in 2016 and since then the brand has delighted fans with an array of color iterations, from other sapphire colors to purple and orange. Now, Glacier Blue has been introduced, just in time to keep you cool this summer (in attitude, not temperature, unfortunately.)
Hublot: The Big Bang MP-11 in Glacier Blue

This Big Bang MP-11 features a 14-day power reserve, which is achieved through seven series-coupled barrels arranged in a horizontal configuration, and all of that can be viewed by the wearer. The truly vibrant Glacier Blue (seriously, the blue is so bright you'll feel like you're about to start seeing your breath) is made with a fresh chemical composition but still shares the same properties as sapphire: luminous, and able to withstand scratches.
Technical specifications
This Hublot watch will leave you completely mesmerized for several hours before you even think about the technical specifications, though there are some exceptional details to go over. Inside this MP-11 is the HUB9011 Manufacture manual-winding skeleton power reserve movement. As we mentioned above, there are seven series-coupled barrels, but they've been arranged in a coaxial and vertical configuration so the watch is able to maintain a super slim profile of just 10.9mm. All tied together like a bow on top is the blue transparent structured rubber strap with a titanium deployant buckle clasp.

Read more
Every new Patek Philippe watch you need to know about
Check out Patek Philippe's Newest Releases
Patek Philippe on wrist

The watch world is rich with history. With brands like Rolex, Omega, and Tudor coming out of Switzerland, it is easy to forget that they all owe a little part of their success to the father brand of all wristwatches, Patek Philippe. Since they created the first Swiss wristwatch for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary in 1868, they have innovated and led the way to create a massive watch industry that chronophiles love.

This year, at Watches and Wonders, they showed again that they are the best in the business by providing a whole slate of timepieces for us to ogle for the coming year. Here are all the watches Patek Philippe dropped in Geneva that you need to know about.
World Time with Date

Read more
Omega counts down to the Paris 2024 Olympic games with new Speedmaster
Omega unveils new watches for Paris 2024 Olympics
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024

With just 100 days until the Paris 2024 Olympics, Omega is capitalizing on its status as the official timekeeper of the event with another new release. The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope has remained unchanged since its initial release in 2021, in which it featured a large case and a vintage dial. However, with a big summer ahead, the Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope collection has expanded with two new iterations.
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope: New additions for the Paris 2024 Olympics

Last year, clearly already excited for the Olympics like a kid asking about Christmas in March, Omega released the two-tone Seamaster Dive 300m as a commemorative watch. Now, we have a second set of watches to celebrate the upcoming games (at this rate, we're half expecting Omega to drop a new watch to celebrate the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony, and all the sports in between. Essentially, these latest Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope timepieces maintain the essence of their predecessors, however, they feature different materials and colors, which can actually yield a significant difference.
Technical specifications

Read more