Grand Seiko SLGB005 Evolution 9 Spring Drive

Hands-On Review of the Grand Seiko SLGB005 Evolution 9 Spring Drive UFA Limited Edition (with " Violet Dawn" Dial)







Constructed from Everbrilliantsteel, the new watch includes a dial every bit as impressive as its high-precision movement.



This spring, in the " Watches & Wonders" exhibition in Geneva, Great Seiko unveiled its record-breaking Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2 to the world. According to Awesome Seiko, it's the most precise mainspring-driven watch movement now available, boasting an accuracy associated with ±20 seconds per year. This really is by design. The Spring Drive movement eschews solely mechanical construction, juxtaposing a conventional mainspring and gear train having a proprietary sliding wheel as well as integrated circuit with a quartz crystal. This creates the actual truly smooth Spring Generate movement we've come to anticipate and love. Yet, its veracity is astonishing by any kind of standard, marking a significant step forward for Grand Seiko's Spring Drive work at the Shinshu Toki no Takumi class.



Following the platinum SLBG001 and the bright titanium SLGB003, Grand Seiko lately unveiled the third model in the UFA collection-the new SLGB005. From a distance, you might mistake this for just another 37mm ti model, with just a various dial. While the two are extremely similar, subtle changes arranged it apart.



The SLGB005 is constructed from Grand Seiko's Ever Excellent stainless steel, a material which is more corrosion-resistant than conventional steel alloys and has a rather lighter hue, especially when refined. In the Evolution 9 style language, this primarily indicates brushed surfaces embellished along with wide Zaratsu-polished chamfers. Having a smaller case diameter regarding 37mm and a thickness involving 11. 4mm, and water-repellant to 100 meters, this particular watch will undoubtedly appeal to people who find the compact case from the SLGB001 a bit light, since it adds a touch of heft for their timepiece.



Possibly confusing many Grand Seiko collectors is that this stainless steel product doesn't feature the new fine-adjustable clasp featured on the SLGB003, which was just released (and received widespread acclaim) within April of this year. This is certainly likely because the steel hold isn't ready for mass creation yet, but it will undoubtedly dissatisfy many collectors who had wished it would remain a permanent fixture on subsequent releases.



As a visual designation for this limited edition, a good 18k rose gold Grand Seiko emblem is inlaid within the flat, standard Evolution nine clasp. We've seen the particular 3D " GS" logo design on the dial in precious metal finishes in the past, but I favor the classic silver look with this watch, as it complements typically the dial's hue more superbly. Honestly, I'd prefer the rose gold colored elements removed entirely or even replaced with white gold, as they be noticeable too much against the watch's lively color scheme.



But I digress. Primary here is squarely on the switch. The " katauchi" (template) pattern, inspired by the frost-covered trees of Suwa Kirimine Plateau (near the Shinshu Toki-no-Takumi workshop), inherits the style of the previous two models. This particular nearly abstract herringbone design is a deep, inky magenta, fading to a lighter crimson toward the center. As with a lot of Grand Seiko's darker knobs, the dark hue in the underlying lacquer coating seems solid and lustrous inside dim light, transforming right into a vibrant, undulating dial throughout bright sunlight. It more than likely be a new Grand Seiko dial without a slightly graceful press release. In this case, the call color is described as " reminiscent of a frosted woodland emerging at dawn. "



As we frequently say about many Fantastic Seiko dials, the stamped pattern in the " Violet Dawn" colorway is particularly beautiful. While the Caliber 9RB2 had been one of the most striking dials all of us saw at Watches & Wonders, ice blue like a dial color has never resonated with me. Therefore , I've searched for a darker dial around the Evolution 9 UFA. The brand new purple dial is absolutely spectacular, with a gradient around the sides creating a dynamic look and the right amount of lacquer to give that a (literally) shimmering gloss. During my brief time putting on this " Violet Dawn" dial watch, I kept it up to a window many times to compare the dial below indoor and outdoor illumination. It was fascinating to see exactly how it reacted so in a different way under various conditions.



Thankfully, the caseback, etched with a more subtle, frosted Grand Seiko company logo, reveals the Caliber 9RB2 automatic Spring Drive motion. It boasts a 72-hour reserve of power and exceptional accuracy connected with ±20 seconds per year (approximately ±3 seconds per month). Grand Seiko attributes this specific performance improvement to a brand new manufacturing and processing means for the quartz crystal, along with an improved temperature-compensating integrated signal. Furthermore, a lesser-known function: for the first time, a Spring Drive movement features a regulating change, making maintenance much easier for your watchmaker.



This specific watch, powered by a gorgeous Spring Drive movement, is really a truly stunning sight. Consider the dial is so amazing, I personally hope that it will turn into a regular production model combined with the titanium SLGB003, rather than a restricted edition. However , I hope that certain day we will see a non-limited edition UFA stainless steel design, preferably with a micro-adjustable form.