According to the company, it forms the foundation of a new generation of mechanical Grand Seiko watches. Grand Seiko developed Hi-Beat Automatic Caliber 9SA5, first introduced in March 2020, entirely in-house over a nine-year period. The dual impulse escapement: Energy is transferred directly from the escape wheel in one direction and from the pallet fork to the balance wheel from the other. The watch ran even better in real-life conditions, where it deviated by only about 1 second per day. When we tested it on the electronic timing machine, it gained between 2.5 and 4.1 seconds per day. Our test watch meets this strict standard. Pulling the large, fluted crown fully to the outer position stops the watch to allow for precise, to-the-second time setting - an indispensable feature, since the newest Grand Seiko standard specifications for the SLGH005 with the Hi-Beat Caliber 9SA5 may only gain 5 seconds or lose 3 seconds per day at most. The delicate tip glides over the narrow dial flange with seconds and minutes markings. The only touch of color on the dial is the slim, blued seconds hand, which advances in 10 steps each second, thanks to the high frequency of Caliber 9SA5. The Foundation of a New Generation of Movements It can be quickly adjusted using the second pulled-crown position, and the hands can be moved forward or back using the outermost pulled position without damaging the movement in any way. The date advances instantaneously - occurring on our test watch at about seven minutes past midnight. The date display’s black-on-white color scheme works well with the overall appearance of the birch. In the figurative sense, the bark is peeled away a bit more at 3 o’clock where the large silver-rimmed date opening is located. Grand Seiko engraves its initials even on parts of the movement that are hidden beneath the dial. The delicate texture of the dial suggests birch bark with large and small grooves, higher ridges, and thin strips peeling away from the trunk. Reflections don’t detract from daytime legibility because the deeply grooved, highly polished markers and hands are large and distinct enough to contrast with the matte dial background.
Looking at it from any angle, the prominent applied markers always catch the light, and even the smallest movement of the wrist reflects it onto the next polished surface. The word “birch” dates back to an Indo-European term that meant shiny or shimmering - describing the white bark of this distinctive deciduous tree.Įven though nothing glows on the dial of the Grand Seiko SLGH005, our test watch, by day or night, it produces a shimmering shine that was created especially for this watch. Our test examines how nature and watchmaking are reflected in this latest creation.
Seiko number 9 series#
The case has wide lugs and a low center of gravity that ensures that the watch sits easily and securely on the wrist.The Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Series 9 SLGH005, powered by the high-beat Caliber 9SA5, is inspired by the white Shirakaba birch trees that grow near the studio in Shizukuishi. Its powerful hands and grooved, prominent markers ensure perfect legibility, its Zaratsu polished, distortion-free mirror finish and delicate hairline finish alternate, giving the case a quiet and harmonious glow. This commemorative limited edition watch perfectly expresses the quiet but strong character of Grand Seiko. The watch is powered by the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive 5 Days Caliber 9RA2, which inherits all the performance characteristics of the Spring Drive Caliber 9RA5 but the power reserve indicator is now visible through the sapphire crystal case back through which the beauty of the movement’s finishing can be observed. The seconds hand and the Grand Seiko letters are sharply defined in a gold color and echo the morning sunrise shimmering on the lake’s surface.
The dial echoes the lake’s ripples and shallow waves that create a pleasing sparkle at whichever angle the dial catches the light. The patterned dial evokes the gentle sway of the surface, or minamo, of Lake Suwa.