Grand Seiko’s Birch series continues to be one of my favourites since it was launched back in 2022 with the inaugural white version. Since then it has been presented in a handful of colours and most recently a rose gold edition that gave the dial a substantial update with a fresh horizontal grain. That more recent version of the watch is now presented in stainless steel with a blue dial, dubbed the Grand Seiko ‘Moonlit Birch’.
I really like the dial. It’s a dark shade of navy blue with the horizontal, pitted, irregular texture of birch bark. While I respect the skill and execution of Grand Seiko’s more traditional geometically engraved dials, such as the WOS 62GS, it’s their nature inspired dials that make them stand out on a global stage. Because not only does the texture here genuinely look like the trees that inspire it, but also the delicacy of the colour really feels like you’re looking at the tree in the dark of night under only the light of the dim moon. Hence, ‘Moonlit Birch’.
It’s housed in a 38.6mm diameter case in stainless steel with a combination of brushed and polished finishing. It’s part of the Evolution 9 family of watches, which means it has a round bezel and broad facets across its lugs. It’s competing to be one of Grand Seiko’s sportiest models, though in order to actually knock the Sport Collection off its pedestal it would need a better water resistance rating than 30m. But visually it’s up there.
Powering the Grand Seiko ‘Moonlit Birch’ is the 9SA4 manual winding Hi-Beat calibre with 80-hour power reserve. Hi-Beat means it operates at a frequency of 36,000 vph – a watch’s frequency is one of the main factors that determines how regularly a watch updates its display, so at a fundamental level a higher frequency means a higher accuracy. That’s reflected in the 9SA4’s daily rate of +5/-3 seconds per day, which is great.
Between the dial and movement, this really is the complete package. Which is reflected in its price of £8,600. As a comparison, that puts it in competition with the Rolex Datejust, which does feels like the Swiss equivalent. Though for my money, the engraved dial of the Grand Seiko makes it a far more characterful watch.
Price and Specs:
More details at Grand Seiko.
I’m a huge GS fanboy, but NOT the new stuff at quite frankly ridiculous prices…..post Covid watch price inflation has become egregious!
For c. US1000 you can get a fine vintage GS hi beat with a 36000 bph movement (or 10 for the price of this good looking but stupidly expensive SLGW007)
that only James Bond could afford lol
Vintage GS is a bargain, the new stuff is a rip-off :(
The price of the watch needs to be reduced significantly. From where you come from with £8600? What acurracy has a watch ?
At the moment I have a watch better than that for £670 and it is also too expensive. Bear in mind you destroy yourself good watch from China is £150. Lithuania produce much better watches for £300 and you will be finished when Russia, India and Brazil start produce good watches.
I enjoy the reading the watch reviews on this site but I never see any comments so I thought I’d say keep up the great reviews,my dream watch is a breitling navitimer as much for the history behind it but I must say that grand Seiko moonlight is just stunning