New Grand Seiko - SLGH019

[ink3027]

Grand Seiko just announced a new model, the SLGH019. It's the first time the well known Mt. Iwate dial has been used in an Evolution 9 case. This watch will have the same case and bracelet as the other Evolution 9 models, but will be in titanium. It features the new hi-beat 9SA5 movement which has an 80-hour power reserve.

MSRP is $10,400 USD and is available through the GS online boutique, with shipping expected in November.

More pictures are in the link below.

I love this watch, but my only critique is the price point. GS has been moving upmarket considerably with the new Evolution 9 watches, and I'm afraid they've lost me there.

https://wornandwound.com/grand-seiko...-9-collection/

[FrugalGreubel]

Looks pretty nice but nothing special.

[pbankey]

Grey prices for the evo9 watches have come down substantially as the watch market has been adjusting. My concern is GS will be shooting themselves in the foot with their MSRP asking prices. They took advantage of the GS hype in a market where demand for watches was rising.

Now with the market adjustments... I dunno. I can't see myself paying MSRP for this, but I think it's an incredible watch.

[Xbj]

The dial is lovable. Love the watch itself but not sure I can get it over couple of other watches.

[1William]

A good looking watch.

[DJ2020]

I love the style and the dial. Nice watch.

[GolfT3]

Agree with the pricing comments. No doubt GS is trying to recoup development costs on the new movements, but the new pricing runs counter to their strategy on increasing US market share.

At $6,500-$7,000 these things would be flying out the door as fast as dealers could get them. At $10,500 in a declining market, they're going to sit or get resold at a loss.

[sinkholeninja]

As I pointed out in the past, GS dials are being repurposed from model to model, and any initial uniqueness and novelty they might have had fades away. Are they nice? Yes. Are they special? No.

GS has been churning out new releases at a crazy rate, and this is frankly causing decision fatigue at this point.

[Gebbeth]

I think this model was announced a month or two ago.

The problem with GS, other than bad bracelets and the price point nowadays, is that they are making multiple variations on the same dial now. First came the Birch series. Then came the Lake Suwa type dials (the Omiwatari, now with a couple of variants, when you look at it, is essentially the Lake Suwa dial).

Even the new SLGA015 diver seems very similar in dial structure as the Suwa dials, except for in black.

Now the Iwate dials are being replicated.

None of this would bother me if the price point were lower. It becomes a "collectible" series. At $10k plus, I don't see the value anymore. Certainly, it's not exclusivity.

I really think GS needs to slow its roll.

[TimeAZ]

These shouldn't be viewed as "new releases", but merely "new dial options" for the same case/design and same movement. I like this dial and movement, but unfortunately this case design is just a flat-out deal breaker with its non-tapering 22 mm bracelet (well, there's like a 1 or 2 mm taper, but not enough). Same hobbled clasp, as well.

I think GS really dropped the ball on this, the entire "Evo 9" range is a hard pass for me due to those shortcomings.

[Cru Jones]

Beautiful watch. Hard pass at the asking price. Oh well.

[Henry14th]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

As I pointed out in the past, GS dials are being repurposed from model to model, and any initial uniqueness and novelty they might have had fades away. Are they nice? Yes. Are they special? No.

GS has been churning out new releases at a crazy rate, and this is frankly causing decision fatigue at this point.

Couldn’t agree more. They have really gone overboard on the ‘in touch with nature’ marketing and basically rinse and repeat a watch with a different dial color or movement.

The white birch was released as a signature piece with a new hi-best movement. It’s a great watch and wears well….but make way for tue spring drive version, the green birch and the night birch.

I was close to buying a limited edition (gold) for around $50k. The at the time was unique and marketed as ‘rings of trees’, however the same dial is now available for $10k (stainless) with the dial now representing ‘the stars at night’….or something like that.

Very glad to have passed up on the limited piece. I won’t buy another GS until they sort their release policy out.

They made great progress as their watches are really nice and represented very good value. I feel they have lost their way somewhat.


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[Jmaster]

I also agree with all these comments. I saw several of the new GS recently at an AD, and while they all look very nice, the “recycling” of the dials and the upward movement in prices just turned me off.

Given that this is essentially the same as the “Night brich” with the Titanium case, Gs probably think that it can charge the mark up for it being Titanium. Still, the price point is pushing it “out of reach” for the reasonable buyer GS is targeting.

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by Jmaster

I also agree with all these comments. I saw several of the new GS recently at an AD, and while they all look very nice, the “recycling” of the dials and the upward movement in prices just turned me off.

Given that this is essentially the same as the “Night brich” with the Titanium case, Gs probably think that it can charge the mark up for it being Titanium. Still, the price point is pushing it “out of reach” for the reasonable buyer GS is targeting.

Actually, the dial pattern is not like the bitch, but rather what they call Urushi. Same patter as on SBGK005G.

[jmso786]

Originally Posted by sinkholeninja

Actually, the dial pattern is not like the bitch, but rather what they call Urushi. Same patter as on SBGK005G.

Not like the what…


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[DJ2020]

Pass for me as well.

[sinkholeninja]

Originally Posted by jmso786

Not like the what…


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Oops…birch!