My Eastern Watch Collection: Grand Seiko Sport Collection Spring Drive SBGA481 “Tokyo Lion”

I am keen on the Grand Seiko Tentagraph Tokyo Lion Chronograph SLGC009. However, the price for the timepiece is beyond my financial capacity.

At a Grand Seiko event a few weeks ago, I was able to express my interest to get a few of their models into the collection. Luck has it that it was heard and I was offered two watches for a special price. What makes the deal sweet is that both watches have two elements that are missing in the collection: The Tokyo Lion watch design and the brand's mechanical manual winding movement.

The Tokyo Lion in question is the Sport Collection Spring Drive SBGA481 which will be the watch being reviewed in this report.

There are three styles of Tokyo Lion currently available for fans using the Spring Drive series of movements. There is a chronograph version, a GMT version and the standard 3-hand version. I did not have a free choice but the option that was given to me, the standard 3-hand version is good enough for a start.

THE IMAGE BELOW IS THE LINK TO MY AFFILIATE STORE

The History of the Tokyo Lion Series

The Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion represents a series of sport watches that embody the brand's core ambition for precision, durability, and beauty, symbolized by the lion emblem that has adorned Grand Seiko watches since their inception in 1960. The lion emblem was first placed on the case back of the original Grand Seiko in 1960, reflecting the ambition to create the most precise, durable, and beautiful watches possible. The lion became the symbol of Grand Seiko's inner strength, its commitment to quality, and its relentless pursuit of excellence.

Since 2019, the "Tokyo Lion" designs introduce a more powerful, aggressive aesthetic to the Grand Seiko lineup, a contrast to their traditional refined style. The case design features sharply angled, claw-like lugs that are reminiscent of a lion's powerful claws while the dial features a texture that mimics the waving mane of a lion. For visibility, the diamond-cut indexes are shaped to evoke claws and are filled with ample LumiBrite paint for excellent visibility in all lighting conditions. Below are the models currently on offer. All are made using titanium.

Table 1: Limited Edition Timepieces

SBGA403 Limited to 500 pieces Spring Drive 3-hands, date, power reserve	SBGA405 Limited to 500 pieces Spring Drive 3-hands, date, power reserve
SBGC231 Limited to 500 pieces Spring Drive Chronograph, 3-hands, date, power reserve, GMT

Table 2: Standard Production Timepieces

SLGC009 Automatic Chronograph, 3-hands, date	SBGA481 Spring Drive 3-hands, date, power reserve
SBGC253 Spring Drive Chronograph, 3-hands, date,power reserve, GMT	SBGE307 Spring Drive 3-hands, date, power reserve, GMT

The Watch

The SBGA481's design is directly inspired by the lion, Grand Seiko's enduring emblem, conveying a sense of power and strength. Also known as the "Tokyo Lion," it is a distinctive sports watch that combines a bold, angular case with a delicately textured dial, all powered by the brand's innovative Spring Drive movement. While its substantial size makes it a commanding presence on the wrist, its lightweight titanium construction ensures remarkable comfort.

The case features sharp, wide facets that are broader than those on classic Grand Seiko cases like the 44GS. The lugs are designed to resemble a lion's claw, contributing to its fierce and angular profile. Despite its large 44.5 mm diameter, the use of high-intensity titanium makes the watch surprisingly light, weighing only 148 grams.

The dial features an opaline (ivory-white) color with an organic, brushed texture that represents the flowing mane of a lion. Having the sloping chapter ring painted in a similar manner to the main dial surface provides depth and plays beautifully with light from different angles. The watch features wide hour markers and hands filled with LumiBrite for excellent readability in all conditions. A date window is positioned at 3:00, and the power reserve indicator is at 7:00. The seconds hand has a red tip, adding a subtle touch of contrast.

Despite the size of the dial space, there are only three lines of text and one row for the logo. This makes the texture on the dial clearly visible which enhances the simplicity and beauty of the watch.

Protecting the dial is a dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. As can be seen in the photo above, the edge of the crystal is beveled. In the same photo above, one can see the crown tube extending slightly beyond the casing. This tube provides the thread to which the crown screws down to seal the watch against any ingress of water, allowing the watch to be water rated to 200 meters.

As befitting a premium product, the crown is signed. Note also is the photo below the short lugs as well as the pass-through lug holes. Although the diameter of the watch can be considered large, the short lugs kept the overall length (lug-to-lug) to a manageable 50.0 mm which is still wearable to most adults. The pass-through lug holes are something that I can appreciate. For most people, considering the premium positioning of the watch, such an option actually 'cheapens'. However, a lot of people forget that this watch is first and foremost - a sports watch - which may require replacing the bracelet to something more practical. Having the pass-through lug holes facilitate strap replacement easily and minimises the possibility of accidentally scratching the casing when trying to engage the lug bars at awkward angles. This current setup just require one to use a wooden toothpick to disengage the lug-bars.

Surrounding the crystal is the fixed bezel with luminous Arabic numeral and protected by sapphire crystal. It may not be as robust but it is a thing of beauty. The glass surface on the bezel matches nicely to the sapphire crystal over the dial which gives a larger glassy surface area then typical watches with similar dimensions. In the dark, the illumination is spectacular as shown in the photo below.

The case-back of the watch is a screw-down plate with a display window.

At the heart of the SBGA481 is the Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive movement, a hallmark of Grand Seiko's innovation. Spring Drive is a unique hybrid system that combines a mechanical mainspring with an electronic regulator. The result is a perfectly smooth, silent glide of the seconds hand that reflects the natural flow of time, without the tick-tick motion of purely mechanical watches. The movement is renowned for its high accuracy of ±1 second per day (±15 seconds per month) and offers a substantial 72-hour power reserve. This means you can take the watch off for a weekend and it will still be running when you put it back on.The watch features an exhibition case back, allowing you to view the meticulously finished movement with its 30 jewels.

The Wearing Experience

The wearing experience of the SBGA481 is defined by a contrast between its visual presence and its physical feel. Due to its lightweight titanium case and bracelet, the watch wears much lighter than its bold dimensions would suggest. The case is designed with a low center of gravity to help it sit comfortably on the wrist. However, its 50.0 mm lug-to-lug distance means it is best suited for medium to larger wrists.

With its striking design, the SBGA481 is not a subtle watch. It leans more towards a sporty or professional aesthetic rather than casual wear. The ivory dial and polished finishes can make it quite flashy, which might be a consideration for some settings.

This watch is for those who appreciate bold design and groundbreaking technology. It captures the essence of Grand Seiko's dedication to craftsmanship in a unique and modern package. It's also part of the brand's regular production lineup, making it more accessible than previous limited editions with this case design.