The White Birch. The watch that launched Evolution 9.

In 2020 Grand Seiko introduced the 9SA5, a Hi-Beat calibre rebuilt from scratch: 36,000 vibrations an hour, a free-sprung balance with adjustable weights, a new dual-impulse escapement that feeds energy to the balance directly on one side, and twin barrels for 80 hours, in a movement thin enough to keep the case under 12mm. The SLGH005 was the first watch to carry it in series production, and its case set the Evolution 9 design: wider lugs, a lower centre of gravity, bigger markers and hands for legibility, and a bracelet with broad, low links. The dial is birch bark, from the forests around the Shizukuishi studio in Iwate where the movement is made.

It is the Grand Seiko most people mean when they say Grand Seiko now.

The listing carries the reference SLGH005 in the title and model row and calls it a 40mm steel White Birch Series 9 watch with a calibre 9SA5, 11.7mm thick, sapphire, steel bracelet and 100 metres. The photograph shows the birch dial, faceted markers, blued seconds hand, date and Evolution 9 bracelet. The lug to lug, beat rate, escapement, reserve, accuracy, 10 bar and list price are Grand Seiko’s published figures for the reference.

The dealer is Luxor Watches, a marketplace dealer, and the rows we read do not state whether the watch is new with Grand Seiko’s warranty card; ask, and ask for the box and the card. Nothing here was measured on the watch.

This is a regular Amazon listing from a marketplace seller with Amazon’s 30-day return window; it is not a Luxury Stores pre-owned unit and the seller has not published a condition. The second button opens the live search for Grand Seiko Hi-Beats in case this one has sold.

Grand Seikos have resold for under new and close to what pre-owned buyers paid, sometimes more, sometimes less; that is a pattern, not a promise, and nothing here is investment advice.