Latest Review
When the Tentagraph was introduced at Watches & Wonders a few years ago, it was, in its way, a pretty radical idea. Grand Seiko, somewhat surprisingly, had never developed a mechanical chronograph to that point, and the high frequency movement at work in the Tentagraph was and is a significant accomplishment. For Watches & Wonders 2025, Grand Seiko has introduced a new spin on the Tentagraph that is perhaps as equally radical as the introduction of the first Tentagraph in 2023. The new Tokyo Lion Tentagraph (reference SLGC009) puts the Tentagraph into a new context entirely, using what might be Grand Seiko’s most avant-garde and aggressive case shape.
The “Lion” chronographs, which have previously only existed with Spring Drive movements, are characterized by a 43mm titanium case with around 40 facets. That, folks, is a lot of facets, and with the Grand Seiko’s zaratsu polishing applied liberally throughout, it’s one of the most dynamic and intriguing cases in their catalog. It’s also, of course, not for everyone. The severe case lines might be a bit of an acquired taste, and the whole thing has an almost M.C. Escher-like quality about it. As someone who personally struggled with geometry in middle school, this case, when I first saw it, gave me no shortage of anxiety.
Over the years though, as I’ve had more experience handling these complex cases, my appreciation has grown, and the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph jumped out to me as one of the more special releases from Grand Seiko at this year’s Watches & Wonders show. They’ve really committed to the Lion bit with this one. The dial, in a color that reads somewhere between tan, brown, and gold, has a texture that Grand Seiko says is inspired by a lion’s mane. The chronograph pushers that flank the 3:00 side of the case have been redesigned from the old Spring Drive Lion chronos, and now, to my eye, resemble lion’s paws. But my favorite bit is the strap, which is perfectly integrated to the case, mirroring the facets at 12:00 and 6:00, and the first strap of its kind on a Grand Seiko. Putting this watch on the wrist, I immediately started to think about all the cool ways Grand Seiko could incorporate rubber straps into watches in their existing collection – it really goes a long way toward defining the character of this watch and I’d love to see the brand expand on this idea.
In terms of specs, the Tokyo Lion runs on the 9SC5 chronograph movement, which has 72 hours of power reserve. The case is water resistant to 100 meters, and is crafted from Brilliant Hard Titanium, an alloy with a color that’s lighter in tone and offers additional scratch resistance over standard titanium alloys. Visually, it looks more like steel, but the weight will give away that it’s most definitely titanium through and through.
The Tokyo Lion will be available in August, and has a retail price of $16,400. Grand Seiko
