This Grand Seiko Watch Is More Special Than You Think - Grand Seiko White Birch (SLGH005)

Ugly text on the dial is really a deal-breaker.

Lumen ?

Snowflake

Rolex will always be king

I love grand seiko however no one cares about it and they do not hold value for some reason

"At its most rudimentary level the 9SA5 is a high beat automatic caliber oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour or 5Hz, being utilized to create a higher level of accuracy and stability to the regulating organ for optimal isochronism."

Ah yes. It's a nice watch.

Very good review,wish i could afford one 😂😂

I wish my turtle has the same movement.

The movement is a beauty that doesn’t hold up in terms of performance

The Hi Beat 36000 movement is a legitimate movement unlike the Spring Drive which really can’t be taken seriously because of the quartz factor. The Hi Beat is the only movement that is on par with and should be compared with the Swiss.

In the charming town of Watchville, where time seemed to move at its own pace, a group of watch enthusiasts gathered at the local cafe, sipping on espressos and discussing their beloved timepieces. Among them was Ethan, a jovial watch collector with a penchant for playful banter.

As the conversation veered towards Seiko's move to create a luxury range called "Grand Seiko," Ethan couldn't help but wear a mischievous grin. "Grand Seiko, huh? Is it just me, or does it sound like they're trying a bit too hard?" he chuckled.

His fellow enthusiasts raised their eyebrows, intrigued by Ethan's misgivings. "Come on now, Ethan. Grand Seiko watches are known for their craftsmanship and precision," said Tom, a devoted Grand Seiko fan.

"Oh, I don't doubt their quality," Ethan replied, "but let's be honest here. Slapping 'Grand' in front of 'Seiko' isn't exactly the pinnacle of creativity, is it? It's like calling a basic burger joint 'Grand Burger' and expecting it to become a five-star restaurant."

The table erupted in laughter, but Tom wasn't going to let this slide. "Well, it does convey the idea of elevated elegance and luxury," he retorted.

Ethan leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "Elevated, you say? I'd rather put my money into timepieces with names that sound like they belong in a fairy tale! Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, H. Moser & Cie, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin... now those are names that scream luxury and class!"

The group nodded, acknowledging the allure of the names Ethan mentioned. "Exactly! There's something captivating about those names that evoke dreams of timeless elegance and sophistication," said Grace, a collector of vintage watches.

Ethan continued with a grin, "But 'Grand Seiko'? It's like they ran out of ideas and just went, 'Let's throw in a fancy adjective and call it a day.' I mean, couldn't they have come up with something more enchanting?"

As the discussion playfully unfolded, they all agreed that while Grand Seiko watches were exceptional timepieces, the name left something to be desired in terms of evoking a sense of luxury and allure.

"So, when you see a Patek Philippe or a Vacheron Constantin, it's like stepping into a world of sophistication and heritage," Ethan said. "But 'Grand Seiko'? It's more like a well-dressed cousin who's trying a bit too hard to fit in at the fancy gala."

The conversation continued, filled with light-hearted teasing and shared laughter. In the end, they all cherished their love for watches, recognizing that while the name might raise an eyebrow, what truly mattered was the passion and appreciation they had for the artistry and craftsmanship that adorned their wrists. As they bid farewell to the cafe, their timepieces faithfully ticking, they knew that regardless of the name, the magic of horology would forever enchant their hearts.

Only issue for me is that you have to send the watch to Japan for any kind od service

I wish. One day.... Probably not, lol.... Not in this economy.

I would like to see more watches on a smaller wrist, especially watches at 40 mm up, and/or long lugs, it’s why i started following this channel a long time ago :) Love the videos and Ted

The Movement Reminds me of H Moser!

Seiko has done lots for horology. So much innovation.

Please Teddy, how come you dont talk about the MANY problems with accuracy regarding this new movement?! It seems so many people have problems with models running +15 seconds a day and even after many months at the GS servicecenter the problems are not improved!

handsome dial. ruined by too many scribbles. those writings should be in the back cover instead

I personaly think tudor and rolex do it pretty well

i swear i love absolutely GS and think in this specific situation everything but the dial is so fire a rare occasion where i dont like the dial alot but still appreciate it as previously mentioned Grand Seiko is pure swag.

I can give an oppinion… after all. Just ask why and i will. This GS is different and it’s not a datejust. Yes I bought it with good discount… but 5 years ago you could buy 10% off the 114060. So let time see What happens.
And yes… there is snobery in the Watch world. Just buy what you feel impressive on your wrist! And that’s what happens when you first try on the WB, such as many other Watches.R’s! Og’s… just love Watches

The chopped hour hand is the only issue I have with this watch. I ended up buying the SLGH013 instead.

It looks amazing, too bad the performance is all over the place..

Swiss watches are over rated.

best watch in years

Nice watch, Teddy! I had heard about the dual-impulse escapement but I have learned a lot from watching this video. Thanks.

As much as I love the watch inside out, with a rsp of S$ 13k, I really cannot justify.

surprised teddy didn't get the SBGA413...was raving about it before

Just wish seiko started using silicon hairspring which is a must but they don’t have the expertise to manufacture it atm. In todays world silicon hairspring is important especially operating cranes with magnets.

I have a 31 Jewel seiko. Yes 31

No manual (tool-free) microadjustment is a dealbreaker for me (I live in Texas where, for 6 months out of the year, the difference between the inside temperature and the outside temperature is at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit).

If I had £10k to spend on a watch, which I don’t, I just don’t think from all the choice I would go for a GS.
I get the movement is remarkable but really I’m just still not sure I see the money.
Personal opinion of course, and I would happily wear it if I got it as a gift, but would I spend £10k on it? I don’t think I could.

Today I stopped by the Kyoto GS branch and got a chance to try on both the hi-beat and spring drive versions. Good lord, they're incredible. The hi-beat is flashier, but looks muted at an angle. The spring drive more subtle all around. Bracelet feels super solid, but a pity on the lack of micro adjustment. If I were to justify spending a million yen + on a watch, this would be the one.

I always enjoy your show. At some point will you make a video showing what you get for your money? For under $500 you get this, For $2500 you buy this! Do you find value in the extra cost? How much handwork goes into a quality watch? ...and at what cost?

Grand Seiko has what others don’t segment leading time keeping. They don’t depend on gold or silver or platinum for their watches just the hardest metal to help protect time keeping. Now Omega and even Rolex now are offering titanium. They still haven’t gotten to the accuracy of GS. Hell they still haven’t released a multi complication time piece.

My 10 pound WATCH shits all over this …..for accuracy

In the terms of micro perfectionist dials, innovations and watch engineering GS is hands down the best watch brand in the world.

I just can't stand the generic fonts on Grand Seiko faces.

I'd go with the Lyrique Etude No. 1

I have used 3 versions of GS
And it's disappointing in a lot of ways
Comfortable wearing is only white Birch
But despite this, I found that
There's a huge lack of precision
My white Burch run + 17 seconds a day
And have different when temperatures change at night and day
In my country GS do not have watchmaker to service this because they need special tools
they should send it back to Japan only and I decide to sell it.
I don't want to say anything for compared with Rolex
But trust me Rolex is much better watch.

GS design philosophy is too sterile for me...watches designed in a lab not an atelier.

Earlier this year I wanted a luxury watch to celebrate my milestone 75th birthday. Looked a Rolex. Just that, looked, as none could be found for purchase. Then learned about GS's Spring Drive. Plus I just walked in off the street at my GS AD and walked out with a SLGA 415. I looked at 3 different Spring Drive models, SLGA 211, 413, and the 415. Had the 413 had a Red second hand, I would of went with it. I liked the heft of the Titanium case. I also liked the power reserve on the dial front. Only minor dislikes is the lack of a micro adjustment bracelet, and the Gold Logo hiding some of the movement on the back. If my name ever comes up for the Roles model I selected, I'll pass. GS won me over.

I like the Spring Drive, but Bulova Precisionist has the same accuracy/smooth sweep and cost <500$

i own the black birch which has the same movement and i love it BUT it is the most inaccurate watch i ever owned.

The 9SA5 is awesome: 36,000 beat, slim (5.2mm), 80-hour power reserve, good accuracy (+/- 4 sec/day), 5-year warranty...what's not to like? The SLGH005 even won a Grand Prix in 2021! Pricing is rather high at US$9,100 (official price), and the accuracy of early examples (production in 2020 and 2021) was poor (some off by 8 sec/day). But at about 175g, it is simply too heavy for me. So I opted for a SLGH017 (the titanium version) that weighs only 125g. Due to depreciation of yen, I got a Japanese domestic example (with 8-year warranty) at a good discount (about 20%). I am a happy owner of two GS now, the other one I bought 20 years ago (also titanium, still running at about +/- 3 sec/day). Of course I could have bought two Rolex instead, but that's just too crass for me.

I have heard you talk about the difficulty you had getting your Vostok. Am I incorrect in thinking you can buy them on Amazon?

The White Birch is the best production Grand Seiko watch out there. The 9SA5 is a super premium movement. No other movement can claim high beat AND 80 hrs power reserve not to mention the beautiful architecture and decoration.

The White Birch is the best production Grand Seiko watch out there. The 9SA5 is a super premium movement. No other movement can claim high beat AND 80 hrs power reserve.

If the links in this bracelet are like the Snowflake and Sharp Edge, then they are 2/3 links rather than half links. This provides more flexibility than you'd think. Here's how to use them...

My snowflake came with two partial links. They are about 2/3 the size of a normal link. So given the two rules:
* You can swap in two partial links for a full link to add 1/3.
* You can swap in a full link for a partial link to add another 1/3.


You can use these two rules to continually grow in 1/3 increments until you've used all of your links because after applying the second rule twice, you have two partial links to apply the first rule. This is how all "half links" that I've encountered work, and I suspect a lot of people don't use the above rules to their fullest when resizing a bracelet that contains partial links.