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Grand Seiko · Family: Heritage Collection

Grand Seiko SLGH005 "White Birch"

The Grand Seiko SLGH005, nicknamed 'White Birch,' is a 40mm steel Hi-Beat automatic built around the in-house Calibre 9SA5 (36,000 vibrations/hour), delivering 80 hours of power reserve from a dual barrel. Cazador has no verified price observations as of July 2026. Its differential: a machine-engraved, hand-finished dial texture modeled on the white birch bark surrounding the Shizukuishi watch studio.

Specifications

Case diameter
40 mm
Case material
Stainless steel
Movement
Calibre 9SA5, in-house, automatic, Hi-Beat 36,000 (5Hz)
Power reserve
80 hours (dual barrel)
Accuracy
+5/-3 seconds/day
Water resistance
100 m
Dial
White birch bark pattern, machine-engraved and hand-finished
Crystal
Sapphire, anti-reflective coating
Case back
Sapphire, transparent
Launch year
2020
Status
Current catalog, in production

Price & trend

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No verified market price data in Cazador yet. We do not estimate or infer a range without sourced data — this section activates once sufficient observations exist.

History

Grand Seiko began in 1960 as Seiko's top-tier watchmaking line, and since its formal split into an independent brand in 2017 has maintained three proprietary movement families: the mechanical Hi-Beat, the high-accuracy 9F quartz, and Spring Drive. The SLGH005, popularly known as 'White Birch,' introduced in 2020 the new generation of the Hi-Beat caliber: the 9SA5.

The 9SA5 replaces the long-running 9S85 (28,800 vibrations/hour) with a 36,000-vibration/hour frequency, a newly developed escapement built in-house, and a dual barrel that raises power reserve to 80 hours — well beyond the previous generation's 55 hours. Grand Seiko rates the caliber's accuracy at +5/-3 seconds per day.

The dial is what gives the reference its popular name: its pattern, machine-engraved and then hand-finished at the Shizukuishi studio in Iwate Prefecture, reproduces the bark texture of the white birch (shirakaba) trees surrounding the manufacturing facility.

The case, in 40mm stainless steel, is closed under an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a transparent case back that reveals the 9SA5's finishing, with a 100-meter water resistance rating.

The SLGH005 received recognition at the 2021 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), a widely covered milestone in trade press [UNVERIFIED: the exact award category is not precisely confirmed in this source]. As of this fiche, the reference remains in Grand Seiko's current catalog within the Heritage Collection.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Grand Seiko SLGH005 'White Birch' cost?

Cazador has no verified price observations for this reference yet, so we do not publish a market range. This section activates once sufficient data exists.

What is the Calibre 9SA5 in the Grand Seiko White Birch?

It's Grand Seiko's new-generation Hi-Beat movement, running at 36,000 vibrations/hour with a dual barrel and 80 hours of power reserve — a major step up from the earlier 9S85 caliber.

Why is this reference nicknamed 'White Birch'?

It's a collector nickname for the dial pattern, machine-engraved and hand-finished, which reproduces the bark texture of the white birch trees near the Shizukuishi studio.

How accurate is the Calibre 9SA5?

Grand Seiko rates this mechanical caliber at +5/-3 seconds per day, a tighter margin than the standard Swiss COSC chronometer certification.

Is the Grand Seiko SLGH005 water resistant?

It's rated to 100 meters, enough for daily wear and surface swimming, though it isn't built as a dedicated dive watch.

What size is the White Birch case?

40mm in diameter, in stainless steel, with a transparent sapphire case back that shows off the Calibre 9SA5's finishing.

Did the Grand Seiko White Birch win any awards?

Yes, it received recognition at the 2021 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), though we do not precisely confirm the exact award category in this source.

Related references

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