The lion mark was born together with the first Grand Seiko in 1960. It reflected the ambition of the Grand Seiko team to make a watch that was as precise, durable and beautiful as could be and revealed the intensity of their determination. They defined their goal as making the "king of watches." So it was that the lion mark came to symbolize the inner strength of Grand Seiko and inspire its watchmakers to create the very best timepieces of which they were capable.
This new watch's design takes inspiration from the traditional Japanese armor worn by samurai warlords during the Sengoku period, a time marked by civil wars and social upheaval in the late 15th by the Samurai for their armor and represented their bravery. This "Katsu-iro" color is applied for the dial and together with the watch case reminiscent of a powerful lion, the timepiece expresses the martial warrior's noble spirit. The grooves of the Katsu-iro colored crocodile strap are applied rose gold to reflect the strength and dignity of the armor that has been used in battle over a long period of time.
The lug of the case looking like a lion's nail has a flat surface without distortion by Zaratsu polishing and hairline finish. It is a case design that gives a brave impression like a lion.
The new timepiece carries the lion symbol in the form of a 18k gold insert in the oscillating weight, denoting the enhanced accuracy of the specially adjusted movement (+/ seconds a day). As a proof of the limited edition, "Limited Edition" and th serial number are printed on the case back, with "60th Anniversary 1960-2020" on the crystal sapphire glass in ro Caliber 9R86 is ±15 seconds a month (equivalent to ±1 second per day), whereas Caliber 9R96 is ±10 seconds a month (equivalent to ±0.5 seconds per day).
The difference between the two movements lies in the quartz crystal oscillator, which delivers accurate electrical signals. All 9R Spring Drive use quartz crystal oscillator with stable accuracy. Among them, only quartz crystal oscillator, which exhibit particularly excellent performance, are selected and mounted on the Caliber 9R96. The Grand Seiko lion in 18K gold graces the oscillating weight to symbolize the enhanced accuracy.
