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Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive U.F.A (SLGB003) sets a new benchmark in mechanical watchmaking with an astonishing ±20 seconds per year accuracy. Wrapped in a new slimmer Evolution 9 case and finished with a dial inspired by winter in Shinshu, it’s a masterclass in subtle innovation and timeless elegance.

Grand Seiko was first established in 1960 as a sister brand to Seiko, created to combat the Swiss watchmakers and their high-end luxury timepieces. While Seiko made affordable everyday timepieces, It was Grand Seiko’s role to create unique, innovative pieces that would cater to the luxury and high-end watchmaking market. Among the many different innovations and stunning dial aesthetics, one key aspect that truly makes Grand Seiko stand out is its pursuit of accuracy.

With this pursuit of precision, Grand Seiko started the Spring Drive project in the late 1970s. Spring Drive was created with the aim of bringing together the traditional energy of the mainspring alongside state-of-the-art electronic watchmaking advancements. The concept of the Spring Drive was first conceived by engineer Yoshikazu Akahane at Seiko Epson Corporation (1977). The initial development of the Spring Drive first began in 1982, which was also when the patents were filed for the mechanism.

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The first Spring Drive watches weren’t released until almost 17 years later, in 1999, when limited edition models in the Credor range featured the Spring Drive mechanism in the movement. The first Grand Seiko, which featured the Spring Drive movement, was the SBGA001. The timepiece became well known for its exceptional accuracy of just +/- 1 second a day, with the smooth, continuous movement of the seconds hand becoming a hallmark feature of the Spring Drive mechanism.

So, what really is the Spring Drive mechanism? And how does it differ from traditional watchmaking? The Spring Drive movement uses the same main components as a traditional mechanical movement, which includes the mainspring, gear train, and escapement system. Where it does differ, however, is that instead of a traditional escapement and balance wheel regulating time, the Spring Drive mechanism features a Tri-synchro regulator. This is like a hybrid mechanism that combines the mechanical power from the mainspring, electrical energy, which is converted from the motion of the gears, and electromagnetic braking to control the speed of the glide wheel. This Tri-synchro regulator uses a quartz oscillator which is able to deliver high precision timing, an incredible +/1 second a day, all without needing to use a battery!

In other words, Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive mechanism keeps the heart and soul of mechanical watchmaking all the while elevating the precision to quartz-level accuracy and adding that signature gliding motion of the seconds hand that is a rare sight in mechanical timepieces. This is a true fusion of tradition and innovation, one that exemplifies Grand Seiko’s philosophy of pushing boundaries while honoring craftsmanship.

Released during this year’s Watches & Wonders was Grand Seiko’s latest Spring Drive project. The Spring Drive movement has reached a new height never seen before in mechanical watchmaking movements that are powered by a mainspring. Aptly named Ultra Fine Accuracy (U.F.A), this latest timepiece which made it’s debut as part of the brand’s Evolution 9 collection, boasts an astonishing level of precision that Grand Seiko puts it best as “defined not by accuracy in seconds per day, week, or month, but by its accuracy over one year. The automatic U.F.A. movement has an astounding annual rate of ±20 seconds.”

This truly is an amazing feat of engineering and watchmaking, a landmark in Spring Drive evolution which now redefines what is possible in the world of mechanical watchmaking! As this timepiece also belongs to Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 collection, there is also an artistic flair to it that complements the technical brilliance of the watch perfectly. The Evolution 9 collection is about bringing nature-inspired dials to a more refined and contemporary identity. In the case of the U.F.A., its dial draws inspiration from the frost-covered trees of the Kirigamine Highlands in winter, a stunning landscape near Grand Seiko’s Shinshu Studio.

Initial Thoughts

While I wasn’t on the ground during Watches & Wonders 2025 to see the watches live, Mario and I were writing about the Grand Seiko content from back here in Australia. When we saw the U.F.A release, it was safe to say we were all very impressed by the mechanical mastery in delivering such high levels of precision. Not only that, but what also stood out to me was how beautifully decorated the dial was, a key feature in the brand’s Evolution 9 collection.

Another strong feature of this timepiece was its 37mm case size. This case size is a first for a Spring Drive Evolution 9 timepiece, making this watch highly wearable across a range of wrist sizes. This change in case sizing also signals Grand Seiko’s awareness of the growing demand for more compact and refined case profiles, without so much compromising on movement performance and finishing. The U.F.A feels like the perfect evolution of the Spring Drive within the Evolution 9 collection. A timepiece where the watch is completely upgraded while retaining the core essence of Grand Seiko and their modern design philosophy.

Spring Drive U.F.A Case Design

As this latest innovative masterpiece falls into the brand’s Evolution collection, it features all the distinctive elements that make the Evolution case design stand out. Grand Seiko conceived the Evolution collection in 2020 as a way to further develop the brand’s original design philosophy, while pursuing “greater ease of use and beauty”. In other words, the brand wanted to make everything about the watch as comfortable as possible to wear, easy functionality, and of course, as aesthetically pleasing as possible. This sums up Grand Seiko’s three design principles: aesthetics, legibility, and wearing comfort.

How does this translate to the case design? The two primary focuses here is the aesthetics and wearing comfort. When it comes to comfort, Grand Seiko states, “For wristwatches, wearing comfort is a critical performance factor. The Evolution 9 Collection has heightened beauty along with an outstanding level of comfort during extended wear. To achieve it, the center of gravity of the case was lowered and the bracelet widened, producing a truly stable feeling on the wrist.”

Grand Seiko has now made the case design of the Spring Drive U.F.A even more ergonomic. The release of the Spring Drive U.F.A models presents, for the first time, a 37mm case in the Evolution 9 collection. Previous versions included 40mm down to 38.6mm case sizes; however, by shaving the extra couple of millimeters off the case diameter and slimming the profile to be just 11.4mm thick, Grand Seiko has achieved a perfect balance between on-wrist presence and everyday comfort.

The case of the Spring Drive U.F.A also reflects Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 finishing. The multifaceted case features hairline (vertical brushed) finishing on the top surface of the case and bezel, while the side profile of the case also features the same brushed finish, this time horizontal. Then, in true Evolution 9 style, the chamfered edges of the case and bezel are done with distortion-free mirror polish, which allows the case to play with light and shine beautifully.

Spring Drive U.F.A Dial Design

The Evolution 9 collection is known for its artistic dials, designs that go beyond just aesthetics to tell a story. Each dial that is created as part of the Evolution 9 collection is specifically inspired by the natural landscapes surrounding Grand Seiko’s studios in Japan. with textured patterns and finishes that evoke the seasonal beauty. In the case of this latest Spring Drive U.F.A, the dial takes inspiration from the frost-covered trees of the Kirigamine Highlands in winter, which results in a surface that appears frozen in time. The dial with its pressed pattern has a silver-tinged blue hue, which shows us how ice forests are seen through crisp, clean air.

The Spring Drive U.F.A features all the core dial design elements of the Evolution 9 collection, which include the double indices at 12 o’clock, the dial cut hour indices which feature deep middle groves, the minute hand extending out to the minute track, the oversized hour hand and lastly the date window replacing the 3 o’clock hour marker. Just like the case, the dial also features exceptional finishing that shows Grand Seiko’s commitment to craftsmanship. The hands and hour indices have a highly polished finish and sharp bevels, which allow the catch light at any angle and give a beautiful shine.

The dial is clean and easy to read thanks to the large faceted indices and sharply finished hands; however doesn’t detract from the beautifully textured, artistic surface beneath. Instead, all these design elements work in harmony, offering legibility without compromising the serene beauty and craftsmanship that make up the Evolution 9 collection.

Calibre 9RB2 Movement

While the refined case design and the beautifully textured dial are stand-out elements of this latest Evolution 9 timepiece, it is the Ultra Fine Accuracy Calibre 9RB2 movement that truly defines this masterpiece. Grand Seiko states, “The new movement achieves its ±20-seconds-per-year accuracy thanks to new and enhanced manufacturing and processing methods for the three-month-aged quartz oscillator, and a newly designed IC.”

To fully understand how this new 9RB2 calibre movement works, we need to take a deeper look at this newly designed Integrated Circuit (IC). In Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive movement, the Integrated Circuit is a crucial component of the Tri-synchro regulator system, which controls the movement’s precision.

Essentially, the Spring Drive mechanism generates electrical energy via the glide wheel’s motion, and the Integrated Circuit receives timing pulses from the quartz crystal. Based on those timing signals, the IC then sends precise instructions to the electromagnetic brake, which ensures that the glide wheel spins at a perfectly regulated speed of one full rotation per second. The Integrated Circuit plays a major role in allowing the Spring Drive mechanism to achieve quartz-like precision, and for the Calibre 9RB2 movement to achieve the remarkable +/- 20 seconds a year accuracy.

While quartz timepieces also use an Integrated Circuit, where it differs from the Calibre 9RB2 movement is that for quartz movements, the IC drives a stepper motor to move the hands, whereas for Calibre 9RB2, it only regulates the brake. The power to move the hands for Calibre 9RB2 is still derived from the mainspring, making it the perfect fusion of mechanical watchmaking and electronic regulation to achieve the phenomenal accuracy.

The Spring Drive U.F.A (SLGB003) comes with a transparent caseback that reveals the Calibre 9RB2 movement. While much of the movement is covered, the mirror-polished and bevelled edges add a beautiful finishing touch. Rather than showcasing the movement through open-worked design, Grand Seiko has instead referred back to the natural surroundings of Shinshu Watch Studio, where the timepiece is made, through a delicate textured finish which reflects the frost that winter brings to the trees of Shinshu.

How Does The Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A Wear?

The newly redesigned 37mm compact case design of the Spring Drive U.F.A (SLGB003) is a great move in my opinion, as it offers more wearability throughout the collection now. This is a standout model for those who prefer refined proportions or have smaller wrists. With the case’s lower centre of gravity design and slim 11.4mm thickness, the Spring Drive U.F.A wears exceptionally well on my slim 16cm wrist size. The tapered lugs, as well as the shorter lug-to-lug distance of 44.3mm, mean that the watch fits well within the contours of my wrist, while the dial sits low and flat, giving the timepiece a balanced and planted feel that is comfortable on the wrist.

The high-intensity titanium bracelet adds to the wearability of the timepiece. The bracelet is extremely light, thanks to it being made from titanium material, making the whole watch feather-like for daily use. The brushed finish of the bracelet keeps it looking subtle and understated, while the redesigned links of the Evolution 9 bracelet perfectly wrap around the wrist for a snug, natural fit.

Another welcome feature on this timepiece is the quick-adjustment mechanism that is integrated into the clasp. With just a simple press of a button, you can make a subtle size adjustment on the fly, perfect for those warmer days in Australia when your wrist expands slightly, or even for fine-tuning for the perfect fit throughout the day. This is a small but practical upgrade that elevates everyday wearability and reflects Grand Seiko’s ongoing commitment to functional comfort!

If I were to have an adjustment to this timepiece, it would be the bracelet design. While yes, it’s a signature design of the Evolution 9 collection, however, with such an impressive timepiece, both in the mechanical and aesthetic sense, the three-link bracelet feels a bit too plain. Don’t get me wrong, the bracelet is extremely comfortable on the wrist and does complement the watch nicely; however, as this is a ground-breaking watch, it would have been nice to see a new design being integrated here too, possibly a new five-link bracelet?

Final Thoughts

The Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A is a testament to how far the brand has come, not just in their relentless pursuit of precision, but also in refining the Evolution 9 collection’s design to be even more wearable while still remaining aesthetic. This timepiece is certainly a landmark moment in Grand Seiko’s history. The Calibre 9RB2 is a true masterpiece in the world of watchmaking, redefining the ceiling of what’s possible with a mainspring-powered watch, delivering a level of accuracy that was once thought impossible.

Creating a new Evolution 9 timepiece with just the Calibre 9RB2 movement would’ve been enough, but Grand Seiko didn’t stop there. By redesigning the signature Evolution 9 case to be a more compact and comfortable size at 37mm means that the watch offers a lot more versatility in terms of wearability for a wide range of wrist sizes. And with the textured dial that is inspired but the frost-covered trees of Shinshu, we are presented with a timepiece that perfectly balances technical mastery with natural beauty, a true showcase of Grand Seiko’s commitment to both innovation and art.

Specification: Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A (SLGB003)

• Dimensions: 37mm x 11.4mm thick x 44.3mm lug-to-lug
• Case Material: High-intensity titanium
• Dial: Dial with pressed pattern inspired by the beauty of ice forests in Shinshu. Second-hand in tempered blue.
• Water Resistance: 100m (10 Bar)
• Movement: Automatic Calibre 9RB2
• Movement Power reserve: Approx. 72 hours. Accuracy of +/- 20 seconds a year (+/- 3 Seconds per month)
• Crystal: Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
• Bracelet/Strap: High-intensity titanium three-link bracelet with three-fold clasp with push-button release and micro-adjustment feature.

International Recommended Retail Price: $AU 16,300

Availability: Launch has been delayed. Stayed tuned for updates through Grand-Seiko.com.au