Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007 Watch Review
The Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007 celebrates the beauty of nature, this time featuring a dial inspired by the blue waters of Lake Suwa. However, the story doesn’t end with the model’s pretty face. On the contrary, this latest reference also incorporates a new version of the brand’s ingenious Spring Drive movement, the Caliber 9RA2. Once again, the Japanese firm shows the wisdom of pursuing continuous improvement.
Grand Seiko – an owner’s perspective
As a devotee of Grand Seiko and a proud owner of two Spring Drive models, I have always been mightily impressed by the Japanese marque’s watches. The movements are superbly engineered, the dials are very legible and the Zaratsu polished cases confer an unrivalled degree of smoothness.
Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH002
However, despite already making fabulous models, the brand seems determined to ascend to even greater heights. For example, in 2020, the firm unveiled the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH002. This sublime timepiece is housed in 18-carat yellow gold and upholds the brand’s reputation for peerless readability and silky smooth case surfaces. So far, so Grand Seiko. But where this particular model differs from its forebears is that it features the Caliber 9SA5, a movement worthy of the term ‘Haute Horlogerie’.
Caliber 9SA5
This self-winding mechanical movement, visible via an exhibition caseback, eschews a conventional Swiss lever escapement in favour of an ingenious dual impulse escapement. This type of escapement is far more efficient, mitigating energy consumption. The Caliber 9SA5 also includes a number of additional refinements, including a free-sprung balance, overcoil and horizontal gear train (for more details – read my in-depth review of the SLGH002). Most notably, the movement finishing is far superior to what has gone before.
Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007 – Lake Suwa
Now, GS has unveiled another exquisite creation, the Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007, a timepiece that celebrates Seiko’s 140th Anniversary. Similar to the brand’s iconic Snowflake models, the epidermis of the dial undulates. In this instance, the dial’s surface emulates the appearance of Lake Suwa, close to the company’s Shinshu Watch Studio. Presented in a bewitching shade of blue and endowed with a rippled texture, the lucidity of the display, like other GS models, is beyond reproach.
Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007 – Spring Drive Caliber 9RA2
To coincide with the release of this new model, Grand Seiko has equipped it with a wholly new movement, the Spring Drive Caliber 9RA2. Whereas the aforementioned Caliber 9SA5 is a fully mechanical movement, the Spring Drive system is the horological equivalent of a hybrid car’s engine. Indeed, the brand’s Spring Drive calibres share much in common with mechanical movements but employ an electronic regulator. A notable benefit of Spring Drive is that it delivers a level of precision seldom seen with fully mechanical watches.
Grand Seiko Heritage SLGA007 – high precision
Furthermore, the new Spring Drive Caliber 9RA2 can run autonomously for 120 hours, significantly more than my Snowflake which has a power reserve of 72 hours (Caliber 9R65). The new movement delivers superior precision, now stated as ± 0.5 seconds per day. The power-reserve indicator has moved from the dial to the rear of the watch. Lastly, the new movement features superior looks with polished sinks and blued screws.
Whether you yearn for a mechanical watch or a Spring Drive hybrid, the notion of continuous improvement is clearly alive and well at Grand Seiko.
The brand’s press release
Kintaro Hattori founded his company in 1881 and led it until his death at the age of 73 in 1934. His philosophy was that his company should be “Always one step ahead of the rest” and, while it was not created until 1960, nothing better expresses the power of his vision than Grand Seiko with its unique design, leading edge manufacturing and exquisite finishing.
Today, Grand Seiko commemorates the 140th anniversary of the foundation of Kintaro’s company with a creation powered by the new Spring Drive 5 Days Caliber 9RA2. The watch’s dial is inspired by the calm waters of Lake Suwa that lies close to the Shinshu Watch Studio where the watch is made.
Minamo. The quiet water surface of Lake Suwa.
The patterned dial evokes the gentle sway of the water surface of Lake Suwa, with ripples and shallow waves that create a pleasing sparkle at whichever angle the dial catches the light. Combined with the smooth sweeping movement of the seconds hand unique to Spring Drive, the dial captures the tranquil and seamless passage of time. The seconds hand and Grand Seiko letters are in a gold colour that echoes the morning sunrise shimmering on the lake’s surface.
Caliber 9RA2 and the beauty of Shinshu
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. The new setting of the watch hands and the power reserve indicator moved to the movement’s back gives the watch a slender and elegant feel upon observation of the dial and enhances the dial’s exquisite craftwork signature to Grand Seiko.
The understated charm and beauty of the movement reveals the uniquely Japanese aesthetic for which Grand Seiko is renowned. The delicate texture of the movement’s finish reflects the frost that winter brings to the forests in Shinshu where all Spring Drive watches are made. The bridge lines and hole edges are diamond-cut to reflect light from all angles and the jewels and the tempered blue power reserve indicator add a quiet sparkle that is a delight to behold.
Caliber 9RA2 allows the new timepiece to be slimmer than any other current automatic Spring Drive creation. The movement achieves its slimness thanks to the re-design and re-positioning of the Magic Lever. This Offset Magic Lever is positioned away from the centre of the movement to reduce its thickness. The new setting of the hands also contributes to the slender profile of the watch.
Quintessentially Grand Seiko
This commemorative limited edition watch’s design is true to the Grand Seiko Style defined back in 1967 with the celebrated 44GS but its heritage is combined with a contemporary feel that perfectly expresses the quiet but strong character of Grand Seiko. Its powerful hands and grooved, prominent markers ensure perfect legibility. The Zaratsu polished, distortion-free mirror finish and delicate hairline finish alternate, giving the case a quiet and harmonious glow. The case has wide lugs and a low centre of gravity that ensures that the watch sits easily and securely on the wrist.
The watch will be available as a limited edition of 2,021 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected retail stores worldwide in December 2021.
Further reading
https://www.grandseikoboutique.uk/