It is with sadness we must convey that Grand Seiko has taken the governmentally-advised decision to cancel its upcoming summit. It would have been held in Tokyo from the 4th-5th of March 2020.

Grand Seiko had intended for the summit to be a vehicle to celebrate its 60th anniversary, alongside the 55th anniversary of Seiko Divers. If you haven’t already checked out the models released to mark this occasion, you can read about the men’s pieces here and the women’s piece here.

For those that had tickets in their hands, this will come as a crushing blow. Grand Seiko is one of the most beloved and interesting watch brands outside of Europe. Many of its fans were looking forward to following the events of the summit from afar. Now they will have to wait for GS news to filter out to them throughout the year.

There was absolutely no way it could go ahead safely.

It is clear the decision has not been taken lightly. Grand Seiko is renowned for its painstaking patience, and the powers that be waited until the last moment to announce the cancellation to ensure there was absolutely no way it could go ahead safely. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that the situation is under control by the time the highly-anticipated Olympic Games roll around this summer.

The ever-expanding pandemic

Current global concerns regarding the ever-expanding pandemic that shows no sign of slowing are behind the decision to cancel the summit. Hopefully, the tide will soon turn. With Bvlgari’s announcement, it would not travel to Baselworld for the same reason, we must ask ourselves how far-reaching the effects of this health crisis could be? The safety of every individual involved in the industry is more important than the industry maintaining its calendar. But it cannot be denied that the knock-on effect could be massive.

One of the most exciting seasons ever.

We at Fratello are very much looking forward to seeing the 2020 novelties from Grand Seiko. The brand has intimated the releases lined up for 2020 should make for one of the most exciting seasons ever. We’ll bring you news of any new models as soon as it becomes available. And we’ll endeavor to keep you updated on the industry-wide reactions to the current situation. If you are itching for some Grand Seiko news, then tune in to our This Week In Watches column this Saturday. There will be an exciting new model on display, and one we’d love to hear your feelings on. Stay up-to-date with developments by checking the official Grand Seiko website here.