The groundbreaking significance of being recognized in the world of "Watches & Wonder's Geneva" by Grand Seiko

Watch journalist Shibuya Yashit Useful!? Watch industry chat communication

2022年3月、「グランドセイコー（Grand Seiko）」が、スイスの高級時計ブランドだけが参加・出展できる「ウォッチズ&ワンダーズ ジュネーブ（略称WWG）2022」に出展する。あまり深くは語られないこの出展の「画期的な意義」について、独自の視点で改めて解説したい。

渋谷ヤスヒト：文　Text by Yasuhito Shibuya（2021年12月23日掲載記事）初代グランドセイコー（左）と2021年「ジュネーブ・ウォッチメイキング・グランプリ」で「メンズウォッチ」部門賞を獲得した「グランドセイコー ヘリテージコレクション SLGH005」。

Over half a century, the dream of the developer is realized!"Grand Seiko", which has finally become a "watch of the world"

　2022年3月に開催予定の「ウォッチズ&ワンダーズ ジュネーブ 2022」。今や唯一無二の高級時計の祭典に「グランドセイコー」が出展する。

　This is a historic major case for Japanese watches.

　I have been consistently covered Seiko since the mid -1990s."The Seiko Book (The Seiko Book (The Seiko Book), which is the Seiko Book (The Seiko Book (The Seiko Book), which has been a series of times in Switzerland, the challenge of Seiko's watches, techniques, designs, the Swiss chronometer contest, and the development of time -time equipment at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.・ Book)] (1998, published by 德 Shoten, out of print), and are some of the authors.

　Therefore, this news has a special feeling.There are also things that I would like to tell to readers of the Kronos Japanese version and those in the clock industry who love watches.

　It's a bit long, but I want to take this opportunity at the end of the year.

　WWG exhibition by Grand Seiko.The only major incident in Japanese watches after World War II is only two in my personal opinion.

1960年代末のスイス天文台コンクールには、当時、セイコーの時計製造を担当していた第二精工舎（現セイコーウオッチ）と諏訪精工舎（現セイコーエプソン）がそれぞれ参加した。第二精工舎が1967年に出品し、第1位を獲得したムーブメント（左下）と、表彰状の縮小コピー（右）。

　One is that Seiko swept the Switzerland's Nuchatel and Geneva and two astronomical chronometer contests in the late 1960s, and driven this contest in effect.

　The other is the world's first sold in the world in 1969 and is now a Japanese science and technology heritage, and is also on display at the La Show de von International Clock Museum in Switzerland, Seiko Coures Atron.The development and establishment of the basic technology for quartz watches, which are symbolized by 35SQ.

世界で初めて販売されたクォーツ時計「セイコー クオーツアストロン 35SQ」。このモデルが、1970年代の「クォーツ革命」のさきがけとなった。

Challenge to the world of luxury, which was an inn application

　Grand Seiko's exhibition at WWG2022 is a major incident lined up with these two incidents.I want you to understand how groundbreaking this is, and as many people as possible understand the meaning and value.

　The biggest significance of this exhibition.It was recognized that Grand Seiko was a true luxury watch brand, which is the same as the Swiss and German watch brands exhibited at this fair.

　From the 1990s to the present, the status and presence of Japanese and Japanese companies are declining in the last 30 years.Unfortunately, "manufacturing", which has been good at it, is unfortunately overtaken by other countries in many fields in many fields.Although there are successes like "UNIQLO" in the fashion world, Japanese manufacturing brands have fallen, and not only high -tech equipment but also other things are losing consecutively.Now, this "success" in a luxury business that Japanese people are not very good at are really groundbreaking.

The first model of "Grand Seiko" was born in 1960.It was in 2010 that the world expansion began as the highest watch brant in Japan.In other words, half a century since birth, it was a domestic brand.

　But half a century ago, those who made the first "Grand Seiko" were clearly aiming for a "real luxury."The naming of "Grand", "great" had a number of passion.

　At that time, the accuracy, reliability, and beauty that were as long as the people longed for.The ambition of wanting to surpass it.In addition, they had already had the solid confidence that they could do it.

　In other words, "Grand Seiko" was born from the beginning as a "world's best watch brand in Japan".

　This was a interview with the "The Seiko Book" from 1996 to 1997, interviewing the staff at the time, the OB, OG, who was in charge of planning, development, and design of the first model,It's a confirmed story.

　There is also an objective evidence that supports this.It is an advertisement for the first Grand Seiko published in the legendary watch industry magazine, "International Clock Communication," published at that time.It contains a modest, confident copy from Japanese watches to the world's clock.

　The details around here are out of print, but it is included in the "The Seiko Book" mentioned above in the chapter of "Grand Seiko" written by a clock journalist famous field, so if you want to know more, if you want to know more.I want to be referred.

"I've been told that Grand Seiko is a practical watch so far, so is the world's highest goal about accuracy? It feels strange to call Grand Seiko a luxury watch."

　It seems that there are many old watch fans.

　Certainly, the phrase "Grand Seiko is a practical watch" has been often used in press releases, etc., from 1988 to 2010, when the Grand Seiko was revived, that is, before overseas expansion was decided.。However, I believe that this expression was used in the sense that it was not a jewelry watch.

　In the past, the word "luxury" has been translated as "luxury" or "luxury" in Japanese.In that sense, "Grand Seiko" is not a "luxurious jewelry clock".So it's not a luxury watch.

　However, the definition of "luxury" has changed drastically in the 21st century.Now, luxury brand creative directors are trying to break out of this image from the perspective of environmental protection and social fairness.I'm trying to create a world of "new luxury".And the core is the concept of "essence" and "origin".

　And "Grand Seiko", which pursues the essence and origin of the clock, is a watch that embodies this "new luxury".

　In addition, the background of the expression "practical clock" is rude to see the strong complex emotions for Swiss luxury watches, which can be said to be unique to Japanese watchmakers who started using Swiss watches.Every time I heard these words, I felt, "It's like a preventive line to avoid comparison of Swiss watches."But, as the success of the Grand Seiko in the United States prove above all, there is no need to have a complex now.

　I think the first exhibition of Grand Seiko's WWG2022 will be a great opportunity to completely solve this complex.By abandoning this mysterious "inferiority" when viewed from the outside, Grand Seiko, and Japanese watches, should be able to flourish in a new dimension.