The New Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT003
Enter the Kodo, Grand Seiko’s most complicated mechanical wristwatch ever. The release of the Kodo was a huge deal for Grand Seiko, for it brought with it many firsts: first mechanical tourbillon, first constant-force mechanism, and first skeletonised watch, among other achievements. Introduced at Grand Seiko’s debut appearance at Watches & Wonders Geneva, the significance of the Kodo and what it means to the brand cannot be overstated. Here, we bring you the details and our honest thoughts on the most epic Grand Seiko timepiece ever made.
The Case, Dial, and Hands
The case of the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT003 measures a contemporary 43.8 mm x 12.9 mm. It is constructed from both 950 platinum and the brand’s Brilliant Hard Titanium with longevity in mind. The idea is that the harder titanium alloy protects the softer platinum alloy within. This also plays well with the theme of ‘light and shadow’ that Grand Seiko is going for with the Kodo. The two alloys combine most evidently at the tapered end of the lugs, with the titanium alloy appearing a darker shade of grey than the platinum. The small space within each lug gives it a skeletonised appearance that complements the skeletonised movement. The finissage applied to the case is gorgeous, done by hand, and alternates between mirror polishing and satin finishing for maximal contrast.
The case, as beautiful as it is, serves only as a prelude to the main act that is the dial (or what’s left of it anyway). Indeed, hardly anything you see on the face of the watch can be considered dial, save for the skeletonised hour and minute track at 12 o’clock. On it are incredibly well-finished, multi-faceted hour markers. The time in hours and minutes are indicated by two hands of substantial thickness and finishing, as evidenced by the prominent beveling and polishing. There’s also a power reserve display at 8 o’clock. If you want to be nitpicky, that is, by definition, the only complication (a function other than timekeeping) the watch has. However, that’d be quite an injustice done to the crazy looking contraption at 6 o’clock, the very soul of the Kodo. What you’re looking at is actually the tourbillon and constant-force mechanism combined co-axially. It’s rare enough to find a wristwatch with both devices, let alone one with the two integrated as one unit on a single axis. It might not be a classical complication, but it is a smart mechanical creation that improves chronometry. We’ll just say it’s a technical complication and call it a day.
Driving the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT003 is the Calibre 9ST1. Derived from the T0 concept movement from 2020, creating the Calibre 9ST1 was more than an exercise in miniaturisation – the majority of the components from the T0 had to be redesigned and reengineered for production. The power reserve display, for example, has a different orientation in the Calibre 9ST1 compared to the T0. The movement has a power reserve of 72 hours (but with 50 hours of constant force) and operates at a modern 4 Hz beat.
The highlight of the movement is, of course, the co-axial tourbillon and constant-force mechanism. From above, the first structure you see is the bridge that supports the carriages of the constant-force tourbillon. Immediately below said bridge is the constant force carriage which jumps once every second to complete a full rotation in one minute. This carriage has three arms, one of which is marked with ruby to display jumping seconds. And just under the constant-force carriage is the tourbillon carriage which spins smoothly to also complete one rotation in one minute. Superimposed, you will see three arms jitter as three other arms pass smoothly – a sight to behold and not something you often, if at all. The constant-force tourbillon as a single unit serves to reduce gravitational effects on and fluctuations in energy supply to the balance, thus improving chronometry.
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