zelin0802 / December 11, 2024

Evolution 9 Collection – SLGW003
Today, winding a watch has become one of life’s great pleasures. The simple act of turning the crown engages the senses and creates a deeper connection with the natural flow of time. In the 1960s and 1970s, Grand Seiko introduced manually wound 10-beat watches in pursuit of greater rate stability and greater precision. This year, Grand Seiko introduces a new manually wound high-frequency movement, Caliber 9SA4, for the first time in more than 50 years. It is the third movement to join the latest generation of the mechanical Caliber 9S platform, which launched the automatic Caliber 9SA5 in 2020 and the Tentagraph Caliber 9SC5 chronograph last year.

Like the 9SA5, the new 9SA4 caliber beats 10 times per second and achieves a power reserve of 80 hours when fully wound, thanks to its highly efficient Double Impulse escapement and two barrels. Both calibers feature the cheap Grand Seiko free-sprung balance and over-wound balance spring. As a result, the 9SA4 caliber benefits from the rate stability, resistance to external disturbances, and high performance that have long been hallmarks of Grand Seiko’s high-vibration movements. And, like other Grand Seiko mechanical movements, the 9SA4 is tested in six positions at three different temperatures over a period of 17 days to ensure that it meets Grand Seiko standards.

While the new Caliber 9SA4 shares many of the same features as the 9SA5, nearly 40% of the base movement has been redesigned and rebuilt, with careful consideration given to the tactile, auditory, and visual aspects of the winding process. The movement’s ratchet (the part that holds the ratchet to prevent the mainspring from unwinding) and ratchet spring have been tailored for perfect feel and sound, and the crown stops when the movement is fully powered.

The crown is in the shape of a wagtail, a bird that is characteristic of Morioka, a city near the Grand Seiko Shizukuishi Studio, where this and all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are made. Due to the redesign of the movement, the Shizukuishi bird’s pecking action can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback during manual winding. Together with the movement’s exquisite decoration inspired by the Shizukuishi River, Caliber 9SA4 not only showcases the best of Grand Seiko’s mechanical watchmaking capabilities, but also captures the beauty of the studio’s natural surroundings.

A power reserve indicator on the movement bridge shows the watch’s winding status. By rearranging the gear train and redesigning the parts to achieve greater winding efficiency, Caliber 9SA4 achieves an 80-hour power reserve with 15% fewer crown rotations than the manually wound Caliber 9SA5. Thanks to the slim movement, this latest birch-style mechanical best replica watches measures 38.6mm in diameter and is just 9.95mm thick.

Evolution 9 Style Dress Watch
Caliber 9SA4 will debut in a new dress watch in the Evolution 9 collection, whose design continues the Grand Seiko style that dates back to the iconic 44GS in 1967. Only this time, the Evolution 9 Style itself has been further refined to create a watch that instantly conveys the charm, elegance, class and sophistication of a manually wound dress watch.

Several aspects of the design have been revisited – from the prominent fluted hour markers, which have become slimmer and more elongated, to the faceted lugs, which are now narrower and have a smaller surface area. The watch’s center of gravity has been lowered to ensure the comfort and stability that have made the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 collection so popular.

The case and clasp are made from Grand Seiko’s Brilliant Hard Titanium. This alloy is brighter than conventional titanium, making the case’s Zaratsu polished finish look even more radiant and presenting a quality and beauty befitting a Grand Seiko dress watch. Brilliant Hard Titanium not only makes the watch lightweight, but is also highly resistant to corrosion and scratching, being twice as hard as standard stainless steel.

A dial that reflects the beauty of nature

The dial of the new fake watches for sale is inspired by the slender white birch trees that grow in northern Japan and flourish near the Grand Seiko Shizukuishi workshop. The delicate pattern echoes the complex, multi-dimensional texture of the birch bark. Combined with the watch’s elegant design and the high precision of its movement, the new watch offers a refined experience of the essence of time.