Grand Seiko Evolution 9

Grand Seiko introduces its third watch release of 2023. This time, it’s a deep-blue-dialed addition to the Evolution 9 collection boasting a five-day power reserve. The new SLGA021 finds inspiration for its dial in the quietly rippling waters of Japan’s Grand Seiko Lake Suwa right before dawn. The opaque indigo dial has been carefully crafted to reflect these soft waves that delicately adorn the lake’s surface. The sweeping Spring Drive seconds hand adds to the tranquil scene as an embodiment of the distant breeze that shapes the water with its ghostly presence. As always, the brand’s signature touch of poetic artistry captures a scene beautifully and turns it into yet another visually stunning textured dial.
It seems that Grand Seiko is off to a great start in 2023. Having already begun its 25th-anniversary celebration for the 9S movement with the release of the SBGH311 and SBGR325 limited editions, the brand is preparing itself for a big year. I’d wager that we’ll see another release or two before the year’s biggest reveals at Watches and Wonders in March. But for now, let’s focus on the launch of the latest addition to the Evolution 9 collection — the Grand Seiko SLGA021 Lake Suwa.
I’ve already told you about the watch’s rippling dark indigo-blue dial and the natural scene that inspired it. But what about the dial’s frame? Grand Seiko is known as a brand famous for its beautifully crafted textured dials. But a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship deserves a worthy frame. You wouldn’t put a Rembrandt in a black plastic frame from IKEA, would you? Having seen a couple of Rembrandts in The Hague’s Mauritshuis museum last weekend, I can confirm you would not. Much like a beautiful painting, the dial is given a worthy frame in the form of Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 case. At 40mm in diameter, 47.9mm from lug to lug, and just 11.8mm thick, it lands firmly within the sports-watch sweet spot. And below the double-domed AR-coated sapphire glass, the dial, markers, and hands can shine like Zaratzu-polished fish scales in the dark waters of Lake Suwa.
But the SLGA021 is much more than just a pretty dial and a great case. Underneath the dial, inside the Evolution 9 case, you’ll find Grand Seiko’s 9RA2 movement. This Spring Drive caliber has an approximate power reserve of 120 hours. As the dial text at 6 o’clock reveals, that’s five days of timekeeping. That’s something it does rather well with an average rate of ±10 seconds per month (or ±0.5 seconds per day). The watch’s sapphire display back will allow you to admire the movement as well as check on the power reserve indicator on the back. So, with the Grand Seiko SLGA021 we have a great dial, a brilliant movement, and a case described by the brand as capturing the essence of Grand Seiko. What’s not to love?
Before wrapping up and moving on to price and availability, I wanted to touch upon some of the final specs. The Grand Seiko SLGA021 has a screw-down crown, making it water resistant to 100 meters. It is also magnetism resistant to 4,800 A/m and weighs approximately 172g (on the stainless steel bracelet). I’ve gone on record stating my preference for Grand Seiko’s Elegance Collection, more specifically, the SBGW231. But I must admit that the Evolution 9 models are slowly but surely gaining my favor. And this dark blue dial will surely haunt my watch dreams for the coming weeks.

Grand Seiko Evolution 9

For over sixty years, advances in the fundamentals of watchmaking, precision, durability and beauty, have been of paramount importance to Grand Seiko. With the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Caliber 9RA5 and the Hi-Beat 36000 Caliber 9SA5 launched in 2020, Grand Seiko took an important step forward in precision and overall performance. In 2021, a new Spring Drive movement, Caliber 9RA2, was made. Grand Seiko Evolution 9 has the same high functionality as Caliber 9RA5 but, thanks to the repositioning of the power reserve indicator to the back of the movement and the reduction of the height of the hands above the dial, it allows a slimmer case profile.

Today, Grand Seiko introduces two watches featuring Calibers 9SA5 and 9RA2 that are made of Ever-Brilliant Steel*, a type of stainless steel which is more corrosion resistant and therefore more durable than that which is commonly used in watches today. It has a brilliant white hue that enhances the beauty of the watch and is perfectly suited to the Grand Seiko Style, which was established in 1967 and whose 55th anniversary these two creations celebrate.
Both calibers deliver significant advances in performance, thanks to innovations that only a fully integrated manufacture could create. The Hi-Beat 9SA5 movement offers a power reserve of 80 hours while Caliber 9RA2 offers a power reserve of 120 hours with a precision rate of +/- 10 seconds per month. Remarkably, both movements are thinner than their existing counterparts and make possible slimmer cases that are true to the design principles of the Grand Seiko Style that was established with the celebrated 44GS.
Both timepieces share the same dial design which has a depth and a texture that attract the eye and take the imagination upwards towards the sky at night. The deeply etched pattern is that of the elliptical orbit of the stars as they move across the heavens. The Grand Seiko Evolution 9 sharp edges of the hour and minute hands provide a pleasing contrast with the gentle curves of the dial pattern. The gold-tone seconds hand extends right across the dial and its motion captures the serene passage of celestial time. The dial of the Hi-Beat version is blue, while the Spring Drive version is in dark gray.

The see-through sapphire crystal backs reveal the beautifully finished bridges and are clear evidence of the skilled craftsmanship of the men and women of the two studios where the watches are made and hand assembled. The Hi-Beat creation is the work of the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Studio Shizukuishi while the Shinshu Watch Studio is the home of the Spring Drive version.
Both watches will be available as limited editions of 550 at the Grand Seiko Boutiques and selected Grand Seiko retail stores worldwide in February 2022.