WWR #30: Grand Seiko Hi Beat SBGH001

In the world of mechanical watches, there has been the long term battle for accuracy that for the longest time, a pure mechanical watch would already have an acceptance of such.  That is compare to electronic quartz and atomic timekeeping.  And aside from complications such as tourbillions, there has been once key aspect which has been talked about often as its relation to its accuracy.  Which is, the level of frequency if the watch.

The normal frequency of a watch is 5-6 bps (beats per second) or 18,000-21,000 bph.  It has been proven way back when pocket watches were the norm, 5-6bps was enough to achieve a level of accuracy that would make railroad schedules synch avoiding catastrophic crashes and would in majority pass COSC standards when professiionally adjusted.  So why the need a Hi-beat?  

Well, same goes with a lot of watches where there are features that we simply do not practically need. Its because in the expensive and interesting  world of watch collecting, we don't necessarily buy because we need it, we buy because we appreciate it.  We appreciate the hard work of the people who have worked behind it from conceptualization to design to production and the whole package.  Whatever that oddly new feature is, or call it complication, its worthwhile most of the time if its not that easy to do and it doesn't sound practically stupid. 

Enter  the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat.

The Grand Seiko hi Beat might look like an ordinary 3 hander but under the hood, to be able to offer the smoothest second sweep from a 100% mechanical watch, you must have the most advanced materials, robust engineering, and flawless design to make it work.  I mean if the mechanical gears run twice that it normally should, then that part must be twice as durable that the normal.

 

Though a hi beat movement has been around the longest time and some are still working as of this day, its a testament that this is not as delicate as it seems to be nor is it more high maintenance that the usual lady in a big city.

 Justifying the price of this beautiful piece should not be about accuracy, but all the components encased into this watch that make it twice that watch it is. And by standards it self, who has a higher standard than Grand Seiko?  Price of this piece starts around $6K.  A definite WWR grail from SOT.    

Here are the technical laydown on this grail from the official website.

Drive system	Mechanical Automatic (Hand winding capability)
Caliber No.	9S85
Case	Stainless steel
Case back	See-through screw case back with sapphire crystal
Glass	High definition dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Bracelet	Solid stainless steel
Buckle	Stainless steel with three-fold clasp with push button release
Accuracy	+5 ~ -3 seconds/ day
Water resistance	10 bar
Magnetic resistance	4800 A/m (60 gauss)
Weight	151g
Case thickness	13.0 mm
Case diameter	40.0mm
Jewels	37