Grand Seiko caters to diverse demands with three types of movements and four collections. Among them, the Evolution 9 Collection is a collection that employs a new design grammar. In this article, we will explain the Evolution 9 Collection and introduce five representative models.
Text by Kento Nii
[Article published on January 28, 2024]
2025/2/1 update
What is the Grand Seiko "Evolution 9 Collection"?
The Evolution 9 Collection is a watch collection offered by Grand Seiko, alongside the Heritage Collection, Elegance Collection, and Sports Collection.
Its distinctive feature is the adoption of the "Evolution 9 Style" design code established by the brand in 2020. This style develops the "Seiko Style," Grand Seiko's design grammar. It further pursues and evolves the Seiko Style philosophy of "ease of use and beauty as a watch."
At its core is the expression of a uniquely Japanese aesthetic. Elements often seen in Japanese lifestyles and culture, such as shoji screens and verandas, soften the harsh light of sunlight and create a soft coexistence with shadow. Grand Seiko sees this "coexistence of light and shadow" as a Japanese aesthetic, and has based the Evolution 9 Style philosophy on the "beauty in the middle" that is born between light and shadow.
Evolution 9: Three design principles that define style
As mentioned above, the Evolution 9 Style is "ease of use and beauty as a watch." The core design principles of the watch are aesthetics, legibility, and wearability, and the Seiko Style advocates the evolution of these three principles.
The evolution of aesthetics can be seen primarily in the exterior design and finish. Based on a taut form that combines flat and smooth curved surfaces in three dimensions, distorted curves have been eliminated. The coexistence of hairline and mirror finishes embodies a "dim brightness and dim darkness" somewhere between light and shadow. This further clarifies the roots of the Seiko style, which incorporates a distinctively Japanese aesthetic sense and view of nature.
Meanwhile, the evolution of legibility was achieved by changing the shape of the solid hands and indices that are symbolic of Grand Seiko to a more pronounced one, improving their legibility. Of course, this is an element that has been emphasized in the traditional Seiko style, and has been passed down since the first Grand Seiko was born in 1960. The Evolution 9 Style employs powerful, faceted hands and grooved, three-dimensional indices, further sharpening its originality and legibility.
The improved wearability is also due to the newly designed exterior. The case design, which has a lower center of gravity, is combined with a wide, appropriately thick bracelet, which reduces lateral wobble and provides a stable fit. It's a change that's hard to notice unless you actually wear it, but it's a major improvement that directly affects the feel of the watch.
Nine design features common to the collection
The Evolution 9 Style features nine design features based on the three concepts above. Some are new, others are an evolution of the Seiko Style, and some are simply inherited elements.
As mentioned above, the most notable new additions are the case and bracelet, which are designed to improve wearability and reduce the sense of weight and size. The case's crystal is attached low, placing the center of gravity at the bottom, giving it a weighty feel that clings to the wrist. The bracelet is also wider, more than half the diameter of the case, and thicker, aiming to hold the watch firmly on the wrist.
The evolution from the Seiko style can be seen in the display parts such as the hands and indexes, as well as the finish of the case and bracelet. The wide hands have clearly different shapes for the hour and minute hands, which makes them easier to read. The multi-faceted indexes also have a "slit" in the center, and the 12 o'clock index is more than twice as thick, which improves visibility. In addition, the surface finish is mainly hairline, which enhances the distortion-free shine of the mirror surface and creates a three-dimensional effect.
On the other hand, the flat dial and the large, curved lines of the case side are inherited directly from the Seiko style. The ridges, with their distortion-free finish, create a form that is instantly recognizable as a Grand Seiko.
Introducing 5 models from Grand Seiko's "Evolution 9 Collection"!
The Evolution 9 collection currently features models equipped with two movements: the 9S Mechanical and the 9R Spring Drive. Numerous models equipped with next-generation movements have also been released, all of which offer functionality befitting their evolved design grammar.
The lineup is diverse, and in addition to chronographs and diver's watches, a dressy model equipped with a new manual-winding movement was also announced at Watches & Wonders Geneva in 2024. Here, we have picked out five models from this diverse lineup.
"Evolution 9 Collection" Ref. SLGH005
Automatic movement (Cal. 9SA5). 47 jewels. 36,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 80 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 40mm, thickness 11.7mm). Water resistant to 10 bar. Price: 1,276,000 yen (tax included).
The SLGH005 is a well-known and popular model, featuring a birch motif dial. The bold embossing creates a clear contrast on the dial, further enhancing the Evolution 9 style's "beauty between light and shadow." This motif was inspired by the birch forests near Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, the manufacturing base for the 9S mechanical watches.
The watch is powered by the automatic Cal. 9SA5 movement. It combines a high beat rate of 10 vibrations per second with a practical power reserve of approximately 80 hours. It's a next-generation movement that brings together the brand's technological expertise, including a dual impulse escapement, twin barrels, and a Grand Seiko free-sprung balance. It's also noteworthy that despite its high performance, it's been successfully slimmed down to just 11.7mm thick.
Not only does it boast prestigious awards such as the "GPHG," but it is also a model that continues to be a hot topic, having been presented with a direct gift from Grand Seiko to Major League Baseball player Shohei Ohtani.
"Evolution 9 Collection Tentagraph" Ref.SLGC001
Automatic movement (Cal. 9SC5). 60 jewels. 36,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 72 hours. Bright titanium case (diameter 43.2 mm, thickness 15.3 mm). Water resistant to 10 bar. Price: 1,980,000 yen (tax included).
The SLGC001 is Grand Seiko's first chronograph with a 9S mechanical movement. It is a sporty update of the Evolution 9 style, and the use of bright titanium on the exterior makes it lighter and more comfortable to wear. It also pursues intuitive ease of use and legibility.
The midnight blue dial also features radial details known as the Iwateyama pattern.
The Cal. 9SC5 movement is an automatic chronograph movement with a 10 vibration per second and a power reserve of approximately three days. The name "TENTAGRAPH" stands for "TEN beat," "Three days," "Automatic," and "ChronoGRAPH."
"Evolution 9 Collection" Ref.SLGA015
Automatic Spring Drive (Cal. 9RA5). 38 jewels. Power reserve: approximately 120 hours. Bright titanium case (diameter 43.8mm, thickness 13.8mm). Water resistant to 200m. Price: 1,683,000 yen (tax included).
The SLGA015 is a sporty watch that meets the ISO 645 standards for diver's watches. Its emphasis on legibility, operability, and robustness ensures a watch worthy of trust. The highly visible black dial, featuring a dynamic ocean current pattern, is also noteworthy. However, thanks to its bright titanium case and bracelet, this watch feels lighter to wear than it looks.
The movement is the Spring Drive Cal. 9RA5, which boasts excellent accuracy and a long power reserve of approximately five days. In addition, the offset Magic Lever improves mainspring winding efficiency, and the movement is 0.8mm thinner than the previous Cal. 9R6 series.
"Evolution 9 Collection" Ref.SBGE283
Automatic Spring Drive (Cal. 9R66). 30 jewels. Power reserve: approximately 72 hours. Bright titanium case (diameter 41mm, thickness 13.9mm). Water resistant to 10 bar. Price: 1,793,000 yen (tax included).
The SBGE283 is a GMT model characterized by a modern and powerful design. The black dial and metal bezel design are timelessly appealing and will be useful in a variety of situations. Its simplicity also allows for quick and accurate reading.
The case is made of bright titanium, making it lightweight yet robust, making it a perfect model for everyday use.
The movement is the Cal. 9R66, which was the first Spring Drive movement to be equipped with a GMT in 2006. It has been in use for approximately 18 years and is renowned for its reliability, boasting high accuracy of ±1 second per day and a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.
"Evolution 9 Collection" Ref. SLGW003
Manual winding (Cal. 9SA4). 47 jewels. 36,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 80 hours. Brilliant hard titanium case (diameter 38.6 mm, thickness 9.95 mm). Water resistant for everyday use. Price: 1,452,000 yen (tax included).
The SLGW003 is the first hand-wound mechanical model in the Evolution 9 collection, announced at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024. A dress watch in keeping with the Evolution 9 style, it is thin and elegant, yet pursues "ease of use and beauty as a watch."
The dial motif is birch, and the delicate embossing creates the irregular bark texture reminiscent of the birch forests of the Hiraniwa Plateau in Iwate Prefecture.
The case is made of "Brilliant Hard Titanium," which is whiter than regular titanium, giving it a high-quality shine and high durability. Its thickness has been kept to just 9.95mm, and the Evolution 9 style design with a lower center of gravity has been retained.
The movement used is the Cal. 9SA4. This is the brand's first 10-beat manual winding movement in about 50 years, and it has a power reserve of approximately 80 hours. Furthermore, the newly designed click and click spring ensure a comfortable winding experience.
Reference site:https://www.grand-seiko.com/jp-ja/
