It starts with the dial. To ensure the perfect legibility and durability that Grand Seiko demands, each Grand Seiko design must have a dial that is a perfect backdrop for the hands and is consistent in color and texture. In addition, each dial must be able to maintain its color over time, whatever climatic and light conditions it may be subject to.
Contrast is also central to high legibility. This is why the multi-faceted hour and minute hands and indexes use different finishes depending on the color of the dial. While dials in bright colors such as white use a mirror finish with a diamond cut for the hour and minute hands and indexes, a hairline finish is applied on the upper surface for dials in dark colors such as black. This is because a hairline surface is not only less affected by reffections from ambient light, but also reflects light diffusely, making the hands easy to see. In contrast, the distortion-free mirror surface does not reffect light diffusely, so that the silhouette of the hands and indexes stands out and enables accurate time reading. This way, the outlines of the hands and indexes always remain visible in any light, allowing the time to be read precisely.
In these and other ways, the dials and hands express the principle of Grand Seiko that watches should be legible no matter how little light they receive. As a result, each watch presents a uniquely beautiful expression at every different moment, but always with the Grand Seiko “Sparkle of quality.”