Spring is coming early, or at least that’s what Punxsutawney Phil would have us believe.

February 2 was Groundhog Day in North America. In case you don’t know (or haven’t seen the Bill Murray movie), this is the day that groundhogs around the country are coaxed from their burrows in an attempt to predict the arrival of spring weather. If the groundhog emerges to see its shadow, it will nestle back into its cozy home and winter will continue for six more weeks.

Thankfully, at least for everyone pining for warmer weather, the definitive Groundhog — the aforementioned Punxsutawney Phil — predicted an early Spring. Mere days later, he has been proven right with the release of two new Spring-inspired releases by Grand Seiko.

Like many Grand Seiko releases, the obvious stand-out feature of these watches are the dials. Still, before we dive into that it’s worth taking a look at the broader strokes of the SBGH341 “Sakura-Kakushi” and SBGH343 “Sakura-Wakaba.” These new releases come in a familiar 62GS case produced in Grand Seiko’s high-intensity titanium on a matching bracelet. Except, it’s not quite the case we’re used to seeing.

When the 62GS case was relaunched by Grand Seiko back in 2019, it was upsized to 40mm. This new interpretation of the 62GS brings that back down to a wonderful 38mm. With their scaled-down dimensions and at just 12.9mm thick, these fall squarely into the goldilocks dimensions so many collectors seek out these days. Throw in the shocking lightness that comes with Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu-polished titanium, and I can only imagine that these will be a dream on the wrist.

Both watches are powered by Grand Seiko’s tried and true 9S85 Hi-Beat Automatic Caliber. Accurate, anti-magnetic, and with plenty of power reserve, the 9S85 has been a mainstay for Grand Seiko since its introduction in 2010 and offers a totally modern movement about which I have heard few complaints.

And with all that out of the way, we can focus on the killer feature of these watches — the dials. Pink and green have become something of a signature for Grand Seiko over the last few years. Both the SBGH271 and SBGA413 have been recent fan favorites, and the 36.5mm SBGW289 has been an unmistakable hit. The brand’s myriad executions on the tones offer potential Grand Seiko collectors plenty of options if they find themselves in pursuit of the somewhat on-trend colors.

As with many Grand Seiko releases, the new SBGH341 and SBGH343 draw inspiration from nature. It can be easy, at times, to rib the Japanese watchmaker for leaning heavily into this realm of inspiration, but the remarkable effectiveness of what they manage to draw from that well should quiet any potential detractors right quick.

The pink SBGH341 pulls from Shunbun, a period surrounding the vernal equinox in late March, and the way snow can coat the blooming cherry blossoms of Tohoku in that time, a rare sight known as “Sakura-Kakushi.” What results is a lovely pale pink dial with a characteristic texture that just screams Grand Seiko.

The green SBGH343 pushes slightly further into spring, to the period after Shunbun, called Seimei. Seimei, according to Grand Seiko, translates to “clear and bright” and is characterized by new growth and the first warm breezes of the season (sounds pretty nice right about now). The light green dial is meant to evoke the new leaves on a cherry blossom tree, known as “Sakura-Wakaba.” I can’t speak to its accuracy, but it produces a lovely green shade for a watch dial.

Both the SBGH341 and SBGH343 are priced at $7,300 and will be available starting in March. Grand Seiko