Caliber 9R02, created by the Micro Artist Studio, is a manual winding Spring Drive movement that has two mainsprings set in parallel within a single barrel and uses the Torque Return System to deliver a power reserve of 84 hours. It drives a slim and elegant watch whose whole design is inspired by the landscape that surrounds the studio’s home, high in the mountains of central Japan. As the glide motion seconds hand sweeps across the pure white snow-patterned dial, the wearer will feel the natural flow of time in winter and the beauty of our natural world in its purest, pristine state. With its lasting precision, the elegance of the manner that the natural flow of time is presented and with the eternal beauty of its design, this unique timepiece expresses Japan's fascination with both the ephemeral and eternal qualities of time.
As the sun hits a snowflake, myriad shades of light and shadow are created which form natural patterns in the wind. From every angle, this timepiece celebrates the beauty of driven snow, from the textured white expanse of the dial to the delicate engraving on the Platinum 950 case, the flat surfaces of which are Zaratsu polished to perfection.
The hour markers and hands are in 14k white gold and have sharp edges that catch the light from every angle and are an essentioal part of the Grand Seiko signature. The special mark at the 6 o'clock position denotes the use of gold for the hour markers.
The seconds hand is in blued steel, as are the screws visible through the sapphire case back. Each seconds hand and each screw are individually tempered by hand by Grand Seiko's craftsmen and women to achieve the perfect blue color. The seconds hand stands out perfectly against the whiteness of the dial so that its natural glide motion can be experienced and enjoyed to the full.
The edges of the two parts of the main plate and of the holes in which the screws are inserted are polished by hand, so that the movement has the sparkle of quality that is characteristic of Grand Seiko. The mainspring barrel is in the shape of a bellflower, the symbol of Shiojiri where the Micro Artist Studio is located.