Founded in 1960 with the explicit aim of challenging the dominance of Swiss watchmaking, Grand Seiko has consistently strived to create technically advanced and exquisitely crafted timepieces.

Just six years after its establishment, in 1966, Grand Seiko introduced its own certification, known as the "Grand Seiko Standard". With a daily deviation of -3/+5 seconds, it surpassed the accuracy of Swiss chronometer testing, which allowed for a range of -1/+10 seconds per day. Building on this achievement, Grand Seiko went a step further and launched the VFA (Very Finely Adjusted) collection in 1969.

Crafted under highly rigorous conditions and regulated to a remarkable precision of -2/+2 seconds per day, these watches were exceptionally accurate for their time. They even came with a guarantee of accuracy within a minute per month for the first two years of ownership, an achievement that remains impressive even by today's standards. These VFA timepieces are incredibly rare due to their short three-year production run, and many of them were lost over the years.

In addition to its remarkable movement, the ref. 6185-8021 is celebrated for its stunning design. With a silver dial and a geometric case, the ref. 6185-8021 is a masterpiece of monochromatic aesthetics. Another noteworthy detail on the dial is the discreet "Suwa Seikosha" logo, positioned below the VFA signature. This logo represents one of two facilities established by the parent Seiko group, fostering healthy competition with the "Daini Seikosha" facility in the belief that it would lead to improved timepieces.

However, the most distinctive design element of this particular timepiece is its three-dimensional hour markers, which stand tall on the dial. As light moves across the display, these markers cast captivating shadows, creating a visually captivating and unique effect on the wrist.