Grand Seiko SLGH017 “Night Birch”

 Missing the Forest for the Trees: Introducing the Grand Seiko SLGH017 “Night Birch”

 

replica Grand Seiko watches has refined its already popular SLGH005 “White Birch” model with a case made from the brand’s proprietary high-strength titanium alloy and a deeper dial.

July has seen a slew of groundbreaking watch launches, from record-breaking ultra-thin watches to unconventional movements. It’s fair to say that watch enthusiasts have been spoiled for choice in recent times.

At the moment, keeping up with all the new releases can feel a bit overwhelming, which is why we’re thankful for the simple beauty of the Grand Seiko SLGH017 “Night Birch”.

So, while the “Night Birch” boasts impressive specs, it’s its nature-inspired aesthetic that really has us excited. Here’s why.

After Dark
The history of the SLGH017 “Night Birch” dates back to 2020, when Grand Seiko launched the SLGH005 “White Birch” at Miami Art & Design Week. The replica luxury watches was an instant sensation.

Then, as the years passed, it proved its enduring appeal, culminating in the “Best Men’s Watch” award at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This year, it was awarded the “Best of the Best” award at the Red Dot Design Award.

The SLGH005 “White Birch” is similarly simple, displaying only the hours, minutes, seconds and date. However, its unique dial design, inspired by the majestic white birch groves near the watchmaking workshop in Shizukuishi, Japan, where all Grand Seiko mechanical watches are produced, packs an irresistible emotional punch. After all, the natural world often has a way of reaching deep into the human psyche, and the SLGH005’s unique texture cleverly captures all of nature’s meditative qualities and places them on the wrist.

So, following the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, the Grand Seiko SLGH017 “Night Birch” features the same textures as the “White Birch”, except that the play of light on the SLGH017’s two-dimensional black and grey dial is intended to evoke the same forest after dark.

Day and Night
The “Night Birch” is a natural extension of the look of the “White Birch”, the first Grand Seiko high quality replica watches to be styled in the Evolution 9 style.

Based on the historical model, the Evolution 9 has an extremely confident look, with bold hands and bold, fluted hour markers. Another defining feature of the Evolution 9 is its Zaratsu polishing, which alternates between distortion-free mirror polish and a delicate hairline finish, giving the watch a refined feel. To add to the harmony, the Evolution 9 case features wide lugs and a low centre of gravity, which looks and feels balanced on the wrist.

The “White Birch” is a brilliant introduction to the Evolution 9 style. This complex dial construction also appears in other iterations, such as the Spring Drive SLGA009 “White Birch” and the Hi-Beat SLGH011 “Green Birch” models.

But the use of a black-grey dial gives Grand Seiko’s latest construction a fresh look, with a moonlight effect that makes light dance across the dial and case surfaces. This mesmerizing effect is difficult to capture in a photograph, but trust us, the SLGH017 “Night Birch” is visually more dynamic than the “White Birch” watch, despite the same texture.replica Panerai watches

New Energy Generation
Another notable difference between the SLGH017 “Night Birch” and its predecessor is that the SLGH017’s 40mm case and bracelet are made not of steel, but of Grand Seiko’s proprietary high-strength titanium alloy. Ergonomically, this hard-wearing titanium alloy makes the watch lighter and more durable, but the material also feels warmer to the touch than steel.

Furthermore, Grand Seiko’s high-strength titanium has a brighter sheen than most other grades in the industry. And, because it’s so strong, it doesn’t need to be treated with surface coatings that would dull its sheen. Finally, combined with an alternating finishing process, this proprietary material gives the watch a radiant sheen.

Of course, the mechanical specifications of the SLGH017 “Night Birch” are the same as its white and green Hi-Beat predecessor, with the 9SA5 movement at its heart. This movement is thin (28.4mm x 5.99mm), efficient (80-hour power reserve) and precise (+5 to -3 seconds per day). First introduced in 2020, the 9SA5 was built from scratch over a nine-year period of development led by movement designer Hisashi Fujieda. As one would expect from Grand Seiko, the movement’s finish is as meticulously crafted as the elegant texture of the dial.

In short, the Grand Seiko “Night Birch” represents the power of nature. https://www.grand-watch.co