I think perhaps the Evolution 9 is a new generation of cases into which many existing/new movements will go

Jan 11, 2022,23:24 PM
 

A GS watch "family" might be populated by manual wind, regular automatic, hi-beat, Spring Drive and/or quartz movements. 


NOTE: Chronographs are seldom sold by Grand Seiko and have their own sort of lineage and by necessity their own cases. 

This is not necessarily understood by the customer base, but some at Grand Seiko value Spring Drive above all the mechanical movements. Not everyone of course, because there are two main GS factories that compete with one another for prestige and products (think AUDI vs PORSCHE).

The Morioka Studio Shizukuishi is in the north where all those birch trees grow The watch captures the mood of the white birch tree forests near the studio where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are crafted.  

EMPHASIS TREES & MECHANICAL



DESKS OF WOOD FROM THE LOCAL FORESTS 



NO EXPENSE SPARED ON THE WOOD BENCH for the head watchmaker to tweak hairsprings and the best mechanical watches








BY CONTRAST

The Shinshu Watch Studio  is located in Shiojiri in Nagano Prefecture (mid-west Japan), an area blessed with beautiful views of both the Jonen and Hotaka mountain ranges as well as with crisp air and pure water.
(This is the NAPA valley wine region of Japan and you might think of it more like "Silicon Valley" because EPSON is known for its electronics.)  

The Shinshu Watch Studio houses four separate studios: the Micro Artist Studio, Takumi Studio, Dial Studio, and Case and Jewelry Studio. Among the studios' staff are numerous Contemporary Master Craftsmen, recipients of the Medal with a Yellow Ribbon, and WorldSkills medalists.They have the people, skills and technology to master every aspect of watchmaking from the development, design and production of movements to the manufacture, assembly and adjustment of complete watches, including cases, dials, hands, indexes, jewel setting, bracelets, etc. This the studio is one of the world’s few fully integrated “manufactures” and makes all Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive and quartz watches in-house. The Micro-Arts studio is the pinnacle of that facility and can make virtually anything by hand that a customer might request (but if you have to ask the price you have come to the wrong place). This is where Philippe Dufour came to talk finishing ...







EMPHASIS ELECTRONIC & QUARTZ











When I was in the Micro Arts Studio workshop at Shinshu handling the $400,000 Grand Sonnerie and Minute Repeaters, I asked "Why did you put a Spring Drive in this?" The answers were immediate and did not require translation -- "Best watch gets the best movement" and "Chiming watch movements should be silent so all you hear is the bell; not tic-tac."

With that background, can you see why the new case design is fitted with the newest best mechanical movement AND the newest, best Spring Drive movement?

(Same reason that AUDI R8 got a Lambo platform and engine to compete with Porsche even though they are all under the same corporate umbrella).


First Spring Drive, manual wind labeled SEIKO dated 1999-2000 I got this in 2005



Early CREDOR SPRING DRIVE manual wind released 2002 I bought this from a pal who got it when new



First GRAND SEIKO Automatic Spring Drive SBGA001 arrived in the mail box early in 2005


After having dozens of GS models with all sorts of movements in the last 20 years, I will take a Spring Drive over mechanical movement or quartz. Only GS knows how many of their customers feel the same way I do; I certainly don't.


Cazalea










More posts: AudiDufourGrand SeikoPorscheSBGA001

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Grand Seiko Evolution 9

 
 By: cazalea : January 11th, 2022-10:40
In 2021, Grand Seiko introduced a high-beat watch inspired by the slender and beautiful white birch trees of the Hiraniwa Plateau in northern Japan. This timepiece was warmly praised by watch fans worldwide for its intricately textured dial and for the re...  

Argh

 
 By: Esharp : January 11th, 2022-13:43
Thanks - I assume this is the press release? GS does a lot of things nicely. I’m not going to go over them. May I please instead politely recount a few of my frustrations with GS? First, the extraneous dial text. It’s like they’re channeling Rolex…but not... 

Yes, the copy is from compiled from several press releases and the website.

 
 By: cazalea : January 11th, 2022-16:14
You're entitled to express your opinion. As for ritual flogging, that depends. Not everyone is entitled to that! As regards the numbering scheme, I have partially deciphered it, and you can see the results for yourself: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q 1... 

Great work Mike …

 
 By: Cpt Scarlet : January 11th, 2022-22:40
Your spreadsheet detailing the references is a labour of love and I’m sure it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the effort.

Yes…

 
 By: Cpt Scarlet : January 11th, 2022-22:48
As it is highlighted as a link I did and was pleasantly surprised. Thank you again as I’m enjoying exploring it.

A watch that nobody asked for?

 
 By: als1678 : January 11th, 2022-19:25
I thought the "white birch" was one of the special dials which helped showcase the fantastic Caliber 9SA5. I do like spring drive in general and find the new iteration interesting. But why put the new movement in a replica of the automatic? This makes so ... 

A range of improvements …

 
 By: Cpt Scarlet : January 11th, 2022-22:54
On a watch that’s becoming a classic for GS… Isn’t that called evolutionary progress.

I think perhaps the Evolution 9 is a new generation of cases into which many existing/new movements will go

 
 By: cazalea : January 11th, 2022-23:24
A GS watch "family" might be populated by manual wind, regular automatic, hi-beat, Spring Drive and/or quartz movements. NOTE: Chronographs are seldom sold by Grand Seiko and have their own sort of lineage and by necessity their own cases. This is not nec...  

Thank you for this great post and overview (also for your excel with links!!)

 
 By: MTR : January 18th, 2022-16:12
I'm just starting to delve deeper into Seiko and have been considering the SLGA009: or even the (much more expensive) SLGA008 model: But also the model SLGH005 (Hi-Beat version) which - as we see - looks completely like the SLGA009 (these names…..) It's s...  

Spring Drive

 
 By: cazalea : January 18th, 2022-17:06
In theory, the Spring Drive might need service eventually. There is less stress on the watches as there is no start/stop, tic/toc of the movement. The smooth running, no-contact escapement/time regulation circuits have no wearing parts, other than pivots ...  

Thanks a lot, cazalea!

 
 By: MTR : January 18th, 2022-22:22
This was very helpful. You mentioned that there are multiple levels of Spring Drive quality. Do you know if the SLGA009 and the SLGA008 have implemented the same quality of Spring Drive movement? Many thanks in advance Thomas

I believe it’s the best so far!

 
 By: cazalea : January 19th, 2022-03:31
Caliber 9RA2 At the birthplace of Spring Drive, the Shinshu Watch Studio, craftsmen and women assemble timepieces by hand, from the case, dial, hands and indexes to all other components. At every step of the process, from development and design to manufac...