The "Grand Seiko 44GS" that arrived today is a rare model produced for a short period of only about two years.
It is the first Grand Seiko to emerge from the Kameido Factory, which was manufacturing King Seiko at the time.
Introduced in 1967, the 44GS is a manual-winding model that established the unique case design known as the "Seiko Style."
Unlike the stainless steel model that adopted that Seiko Style case,
this capped-gold model uses the same case design as the King Seiko Chronometer, which was considered the highest-grade item at the Kameido Factory at the time.
The dial design inherits the aesthetics of the late-model Grand Seiko 2nd series,
featuring an applied "SEIKO" at the 12 o'clock position and "GS" at the 6 o'clock position,
as well as highly legible indices and a characteristic seconds hand with a bulbous tip.
The watch design feels quintessentially Seiko, linking to current Grand Seiko models including the stainless steel version; while simple,
it also conveys a high level of quality that is both practical and robust.
At the time, although Grand Seiko was Seiko's highest-end brand,
various speculations surround this unique item, such as the fact that this Grand Seiko was born at the Kameido Factory and that the King Seiko Chronometer actually had a higher list price.
One of the reasons for this may be that the Suwa Factory, which primarily manufactured Grand Seikos, began producing automatic Grand Seiko movements, or that the King Seiko brand was priced higher to elevate its brand value; however,
the 44GS, seen only during this short two-year production period,
can certainly be called a mysterious existence.
The movement is the Cal. 4420B, which is almost identical to the 4420A used in the King Seiko Chronometer.
The movement, which excels in precision and durability, feels quintessentially Seiko,
and remains a wonderful movement today that shows no decline even 50 years after its manufacture.
Behind the creation of something of this caliber was Grand Seiko's ambition to become the world's best watch,
illustrating the Japanese characteristic of excelling in the manufacture of precision instruments.
It is a watch brand that never takes a back seat even compared to foreign watches of the same era,
and is in fact a step ahead when it comes to movements.
Also, the back case is a screw-down type, a structure that improves water resistance.
The medallion on the case back was changed from the GS 2nd model to the "GS Medallion,"
a logo that remains a symbol unchanged for over half a century.
The high quality of the product that has never changed, and the logo that proves it.
You can truly feel the confidence behind it.
The aura it radiates from the moment you put it on is truly exceptional,
and the atmosphere woven by half a century of time can never be imitated.
Isn't a Japanese-made watch that aimed for the pinnacle of the world
the one that suits Japanese people the best?
The charm unique to the original model, which cannot be expressed by a reissue.
That is, above all else, an important and precious "legacy."
