Introducing: Grand Seiko SBGH351 'Rikka' And SBGH353 'Shbun'

February 05, 2025

On Monday, we covered the year's first limited-edition Grand Seiko release, the SLGH027. Today, we are introducing two new additions to the Grand Seiko Heritage Collectionthe SBGH351 "Rikka" and SBGH353 "Shbun." Consider these two natural complements to the popular Four Seasons Collection released in 2019, as both are named after one of Japan's twenty-four sekki or seasons. Rikka, the seventh of the seasons, signifies the end of spring and the beginning of summer, while Shbun, the sixteenth, falls around the time of the autumn equinox. SBGH351 The SBGH351 and SBGH353 have the 9S85 high-beat automatic movements housed in 40mm by 12.9mm Ever-Brilliant Stainless Steel cases with a 55-hour power reserve. If you're wondering how these two compare to Monday's limited edition release, it has a larger power reservethe SLGH027 has an 80-hour reserveand the case is a subtle 1mm thicker. The dials look strikingly similar to one of the fan-favorite dial patterns found in two models from the Four Seasons Collection, SBGH271 and SBGH273. In the case of the SBGH351, the hands and dial indices have also gone from gold to steel. The SBGH351 "Rikka" has a green dial meant to evoke the transition of spring into summer. The SBGH353 has a deep blue dial evoking the deep night sky during Shbun, the autumnal equinox in Japan's ancient calendar. While the past "Four Seasons" releases were plain stainless steel, these two feature Grand Seiko's Ever-Brilliant steel, which the brand describes as the world's most corrosion-resistant steel. SBGH353 These aren't limited editions, so the SBGH351 'Rikka' And SBGH353 'Shbun' are already available for preorder from boutiques and retail partners for $7,200.? What We Think The original non-limited edition "Four Seasons" releases have been mainstays of the collection since 2019, and we covered them extensively back then. The 9S85 movement remains the same with these two watches. The difference comes from the case material, which was updated to Ever-Brilliant stainless steel. It's an upgrade, to be sure. To the best of what has been researched about the material, it's close in makeup to the 904L steel used by Rolex, though a bit more white. Theoretically, it should be much more corrosion-resistant but be ever-so-slightly softer than 316L. As someone who has somewhat corrosive sweat, that's a positive upgrade. SBGH353 Buyers will decide whether this is worth the $900 upgrade from the Four Seasons Collection. I'm curious to see whether people want the original green dial with gold accents or find the new steel hands and indices more versatile. The Basics Brand: Grand SeikoModels: SBGH351 and SBGH353Diameter: 40mmThickness: 12.9mmCase Material: Ever-Brilliant Stainless SteelDial Color: Green (351) or blue (353)Indexes: Steel appliedLume: NoneWater Resistance: 100mStrap/Bracelet: Ever-Brilliant Stainless Steel w. three-fold clasp SBGH351 The Movement Caliber: 9S85Functions: High-beat movement with hours, minutes, seconds, and datePower Reserve: 55 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 36,000 bphJewels: 37Chronometer Certified: No but measures +5 to -3 seconds per dayAdditional Details: Sapphire caseback Pricing & Availability Price: $7,200Availability: Currently available for pre-orderLimited Edition: NoFor more, click here.