Review of the Grand Seiko SLGW002 and SLGW003 manual wind watches

April 09, 2024

Grand Seiko just introduced two new mechanical dress watches at Watches & Wonders today, but more than just fantastic representations of Grand Seiko's craftsmanship and design language, the new SLGW002 and SLGW003 come with the first new hand-wound, high-beat movement from the brand in more than 50 years with the Caliber 9SA4. The SLGW002 in 18k gold (limited to 80 pieces and priced at $45,000) and SLGW003 (in Brilliant Hard Titanium, running $10,700, and a part of GS's permanent collection) both feature "white birch" textured dials (like the the SLGH005, this time in a horizontal texture) and faceted indices that match their case material, with blued central seconds hands. The watch is a part of the brand's Evolution 9 Collection, with a 38.6mm by 9.95mm case shape with polished and brushed sections inspired by the 44GS of 1967. It's also the only current production piece with Brilliant Hard Titanium, alongside the wildly complex and expensive Kodo. But what's under the hood will probably get most people excited. The 9SA4 movement shares a lot with the brand's 9SA5 movement (the first of the Caliber 9 series) on paper. The watch beats 10 times per second with an efficient Dual Impulse Escapement, but with two barrels, the 9SA4 still has 80 hours of power reserve. The watch also has a free-sprung balance and overcoil hairspring and is listed at +5 to -3 seconds per day, tested in six positions at three different temperatures over 17 days. Sure sounds like Grand Seiko just removed the automatic components for the movement, but that's not the case. Nearly 40% of the base movement has been redesigned and reconstructed, bringing out the best of what makes a manual wind fantastic. What We Think There's nothing like the satisfying click of winding a straight-forward, fully mechanical, manual watch. And for all of Grand Seiko's excellence with automatic (and manual) Spring Drive and other manual watches, their purest forms of manual wind watches have always been pretty tempting. The SBGK007 and 009 have caught my eye before, but they didn't feel quite in line with Grand Seiko's recent design language and outstanding dial and casework. I never figured it would be a titanium dress watch that might be my first Grand Seiko purchase, but I walked away from my shooting time convinced. I need this watch. The SLGW002 in rose gold is gorgeous, but at $45,000, it's far out of my price range and nearly guaranteed to be pre-allocated to Grand Seiko's best clients. The Brilliant Hard Titanium, however, doesn't look like titanium and the shine of the polish Grand Seiko achieved could very well be white gold or platinum for all anyone knows. Both wear incredibly comfortably on the wrist, much smaller than the nearly 10mm thickness on paper. And unlike the SBGK007, you get a quintessential Grand Seiko nature-inspired dial. The new hand-wound high-beat movement is stunning for a watch in the $10,000 price range. The twin barrel 80 hours of power reserve, plus the power reserve indicator and beautiful bridge layout for the balance, make the movement a powerhouse worth the few extra millimeters of thickness. Below you can also see the "wagtail" bird-shaped shaped click (which holds the ratchet wheel to prevent the mainspring from unwinding) and the click spring were specifically designed for the exact kind of tactile and audible experience you want from a mechanical watch. Luckily once I fully wound one watch I could shift to the other to do it all over again. The Basics Brand: Grand SeikoModel: SLGW002 (rose gold) and SLGW003 (titanium)Diameter: 38.6mmThickness: 9.95mmCase Material: 18k rose gold or Brilliant Hard TitaniumDial Color: Textured dial inspired by white birch barkIndexes: Grooved batonLume: NoneWater Resistance: 30mStrap/Bracelet: Crocodile strap with three-fold clasp with push button release The Movement Caliber: 9SA4Functions: Hours, minutes, central secondsDiameter: 31mmThickness: 4.15mmPower Reserve: 80 hoursWinding: ManualFrequency: 36,000 vphJewels: 47Chronometer Certified: No; +5 to -3 seconds per dayAdditional Details: See-through caseback, 4,800 A/m magnetic resistance Pricing & Availability Price: $10,700 (titanium), $45,000 (18k rose gold)Availability: ImmediatelyLimited Edition: Titanium is not; the rose gold model is limited to 80 pieces.For more, click here. Shop this story For more information visit Grand Seiko. The Hodinkee Shop is an authorized retailer of Grand Seiko watches, explore the collection here.