Grand Seiko expands its Sport Collection with the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009, presented at Watches and Wonders 2025. Price: €17.500
Grand Seiko has presented a new Tentagraph chronograph, this time within the bold and sporty Tokyo Lion design.
Joining the Sport Collection, the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 stands out for its angular case, crafted from Grand Seiko’s Brilliant Hard Titanium, used in this collection for the first time.
The alloy is brighter than traditional titanium, causing the case’s hairline-finished and Zaratsu-polished surfaces to appear even more radiant. With a surface hardness twice that of standard stainless steel, Brilliant Hard Titanium is also highly resistant to corrosion and scratches.
On the side, the pushers have been updated to improve the chronograph function’s ease of use. The bold design of the pushers was engineered to provide a satisfying tactile response when activating the chronograph.
Measuring 43 mm x 15.6 mm and equipped with a screw-down crown, the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 is water resistant to 200 metres / 660 feet.
Protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface, the textured dial features a pattern that, as Grand Seiko explains, is inspired by the mane of a lion flowing in the wind.
At the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions, distinctive three-dimensional sub-dials are inlaid into the dial, reducing the distance between the sub-dial markings and the hands to enhance legibility.
The 30-minute chronograph counter at 9 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock are easily recognisable thanks to their black background and red hands, while the counter at 3 o’clock, which displays the running seconds, matches the main dial’s colour.
The diamond-cut indexes, along with the hour, minute, and second hands, are filled with Lumibrite to ensure optimal readability in any lighting condition.
The see-through case back reveals the Calibre 9SC5, first introduced in 2023 in the Tentagraph SLGC001. The name TENTAGRAPH reflects three of its defining features: the high-beat rate (TEN beats per seconds), its long power reserve (Three days), and its function (Automatic chronoGRAPH).
Operating at 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour or ten beats per second), this column-wheel chronograph movement delivers an impressive 3-day power reserve, even with the chronograph running, making it the longest-running 10-beat chronograph currently available.
This exceptional result is made possible by the use of two barrels and Grand Seiko’s Dual Impulse Escapement, which transfers energy to the free-sprung balance both indirectly via the pallet fork and directly from the escape wheel.
The movement also incorporates a three-pointed hammer that ensures the chronograph hands return to zero instantly and in perfect synchrony when the reset pusher is engaged.
Each Tentagraph is tested for 20 days, three days longer than most Grand Seiko mechanical movements, to ensure that it meets the Grand Seiko Standard of +5 to - 3 seconds per day even when the chronograph is running.
The slightly curved case back improves ergonomics, allowing the watch to sit more comfortably on the wrist, also thanks to the newly developed rubber strap, designed to curl inward.
With a tensile strength nearly 2.7 times greater than the typical silicone straps used for Grand Seiko, this brown strap was created specifically for the watch, complementing the patterned dial. It offers a refined texture, and on its underside, a subtle lion’s paw motif adds a playful touch, visible only to the wearer. it is secured by a High-Intensity Titanium three-fold clasp with push button release.
The new Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009, part of the Sport Collection, will be available starting in August 2025, with a recommended retail price of €17,500 / US$16,400. grand-seiko.com
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