The 9S6x family of high-end watch movements is the flagship mechanical watch product of Seiko. It replaced the first generation of modern mechanical Grand Seiko movements between 2006 and 2011.
The 9S family is intended to compete with limited-production Swiss movements from companies like Rolex. Most are automatic, unlike the ultra-thin Seiko 6800 family, though there are manually-wound versions. The 9S family are carefully finished with Tokyo Stripes and rhodium plating and are adjusted to six positions. “9S” models are only used in Grand Seiko watches.
The Calibre 8L and 9S families are assembled at Seiko's Shizukuishi Watch Studio in Morioka, Iwate prefecture, Japan, along with other high-end Seiko movements.
In 2006, Seiko introduced a “3 days” model, which includes a stronger Spron 510 mainspring. This would become standard across the range over the following years, leading to a second generation of modern Grand Seiko movements. Most feature a 72 hour power reserve (except as noted) and the initial 9S67 also has a power reserve indicator on the dial.
| Year | Movement | Winding | Beat | Hands | Date | Subdial | Jewels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 9S67 | Automatic | 28,800 | Hour, minute, seconds | Date | Power reserve indicator | 41 | |
| 2010 | 9S65 | Automatic | 28,800 | Hour, minute, seconds | Date | None | 35 | +5 ~ -3 seconds/ day |
| 2010 | 9S66 | Automatic | 28,800 | Hour, minute, seconds, GMT | Date | None | 35 | +5 ~ -3 seconds/ day |
| 2011 | 9S64 | Manual | 28,800 | Hour, minute, second | None | None | 24 |
The Seiko 9S family includes three ranges of watch movements: