In 1967, the 44GS paved the trail for the design code today known as the ?Grand Seiko Style?, the set of nine guidelines which lend Grand Seiko its distinctive look. 55 years later, the Japanese luxury brand commemorates its progressive design with a limited edition manual-winding watch, the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition.

As to be expected from Grand Seiko, the slender case profile pays respect to the original signature style. The dial is inspired by the legendary Sakura-kakushi cherry blossom season of northern Japan, the home of Grand Seiko. It features a delicate pink colorway with a slight silver hue that, together, perfectly capture the moment when the cherry blossom peeks through the snow as it shimmers and begins to melt in the spring sunshine.
The case has a diameter of 36.5, a water-resistance of 100 meters, and a magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m. It was designed to take full advantage of the slimness of Grand Seiko?s manual-winding Caliber 9S64, which offers a power reserve of 72 hours and a precision rate of +5 to -3 seconds per day, while retaining the flat surfaces and sharp angles of the original 44GS. The bezel, indexes, and hands are slender to match the case design, creating a fresh yet classical Grand Seiko look.

The movement is assembled by hand at the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, and the case is Zaratsu polished, a manual technique that results in the distortion-free surfaces that have alw...