BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Watches, like trees and flora, may change shape with the changing of the seasons. Or maybe not, but that’s the impression one gets upon first seeing the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat Green Birch SLGH011. Grand Seiko introduced the Hi-Beat “White Birch” SLGH005 last year and following the release of the White Birch Spring Drive SLGA009 as well a month ago. The SLGH011 follows the design DNA of SLGH005 more closely and not just because they’re both Hi-Beat watches, the Green Birch is essentially a White Birch but in the spring season.
The SLGH011 shares the same case dimensions with SLGH005, which is 40mm x 11.7mm and with a lug-to-lug of 47mm. With a combination of brushed and Zaratsu-polished surfaces that mark the finishing of the case, the outer and inward angles of the lugs are faceted and both the dial and the movement are protected by sapphire crystals. The bezel is also bevelled, with Zaratsu-polishing and vertical brushing on top.
The sumptuously rich green dial of SLGH011 focuses more on leaves than the stalks as in the White Birch model, taking inspiration from the leaves of the birch tree forests surrounding the Shizukuishi studio, the birthplace of these watches. It’s basically the same watch but with a different dial. Of course, the biggest and most noticeable difference is the dial color, which is now in lush green color as opposed to the white color in SLGH005. The hands and markers now have brushed top surfaces rather than polished top surfaces, and a polished steel seconds hand has replaced the blued central seconds hand, the date window stays at 3 o’clock position.
Although the dial is the star of the show, the self-winding Hi-Beat calibre 9SA5 is at the core of the watch, as also in SLGH005 with Direct Impulse Escapement and a free-sprung balance. It beats at 36,000vph with an accuracy of +5/-3 seconds per day and autonomy of 80 hours.
The watch comes on a stainless steel brushed and polished three-link bracelet with a folding clasp. It will be available exclusively at Grand Seiko’s online boutique on September the 1st, but it’s available for pre-order now.
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