Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary limited edition ref. SLGH002, complete set

2020 marked the 60th anniversary of Grand Seiko. In Japanese culture, turning 60 is symbolically seen as the beginning of a new life (kanreki). This special anniversary similarly ushered in a new era for Grand Seiko, reflected in its newly unveiled Evolution 9 collection, and one of the most significant steps toward that era was the development and release of the first watch to incorporate the new 9SA5 caliber: the SLGH002.

With the first new series-produced escapement from any watch manufacture in over two decades, Grand Seiko’s 9SA5 has a completely new movement design not only in architecture and aesthetics, but in its escapement, balance, and hairspring. The escapement is entirely new and was developed in-house, enabling the escapement wheel to transmit power directly to the balance, leading to an increase in efficiency. 9SA5 also uses a new and special free-sprung balance developed for this caliber, retaining its precision for longer and being more resistant to shock and friction. Importantly, the movement is as beautifully finished as it is efficient. The bridge has a gently curving outline that is inspired by the shapes of Mt. Iwate and a bend in the Shizukuishi River that runs near the studio where the watch is made.

Rendered in 18k yellow gold, the intricately sculpted case draws inspiration from the 44GS and showcases Grand Seiko’s signature finishing, with distortion-free flat surfaces and sharp bevels achieved entirely by hand. The sunray silver dial is fitted with ornate hands, including a broad hour hand and a long, slender minute hand which prioritize legibility. Both the hands and indexes are executed in multi-faceted, diamond-cut forms and finished to an exacting standard. At 6 o’clock is an eight-pointed star marking that has been used by Grand Seiko since its first timepiece in 1960 to denote the use of solid gold indexes. For this watch, the logo and date window frame are also crafted from solid 18k yellow gold.

The SLGH002 is a boutique exclusive limited edition of 100 pieces.

This watch is in excellent overall condition, showing light signs of wear from modest use. There is an abrasion along the top rim of the bezel where the brushed and polished surfaces meet. To the left of the crown, there is a scratch that runs across the brushed finish of the case. While subtle, the grain of the brushed surface along the side of the top-left lug is slightly misaligned and angles downward. Additional wear on the case includes light surface scratches and faint clouding on the Zaratsu-polished areas. On the dial, there is a slight imperfection in the “H” of the “HOURS” text. Additional photos are available on request.

The 9SA5 movement is currently running with all functions operating as intended, including the quick date change mechanism. While the watch could not be tested on a conventional timegrapher due to its unique escapement, it was observed gaining approximately 17 seconds when manually timed over a 24 hour period. Accordingly, we recommend that the next owner service the watch (and if desired, have it very lightly refinished cosmetically). We have not undertaken servicing ourselves, as servicing through Grand Seiko includes a 12 month post-service guarantee that would be more beneficial for the next owner to receive directly.

This watch comes as a complete set with its original 60th anniversary edition box, instruction booklet, hang tags, inspection certificate, and warranty request papers with the watch-specific warranty number. As the papers were never completed and submitted to Grand Seiko, a warranty card was not issued.

Brand: Grand Seiko

Collection: Evolution 9

Model: Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours

Reference: SLGH002

Year: 2020

Case size: 40mm

Lug-to-lug: 47mm

Case thickness: 11.7mm

Case material: 18k yellow gold

Crystal: Box-shape sapphire

Dial color: Silver

Movement: Grand Seiko caliber 9SA5

Complications: Date

Water resistance: 100 meters

Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m

Strap/bracelet: Original brown crocodile leather strap with 18k yellow gold deployant clasp

Lug width: 22mm