Hello WatchExchange, I’m back from my slumber to offer you a very special watch. A watch that I personally hunted down for years before I pulled the trigger and owned. A watch that, for all intents and purposes was my perfect daily, my attainable grail, my “Japanese Overseas”. I warn you, I will be waxing poetic extensively about this watch. I’ll add a TL;DR near the end if you’d rather avoid the romanticism. **The Album:** https://imgur.com/a/R7zJRjO **The backstory:** The SLGH003 was the first non-precious metal watch produced by Grand Seiko housing their then brand new 9SA5 Hi-Beat movement housed in the new Evolution 9 case architecture. Grand Seiko seldom comes out with entirely new case designs or movements, even less so both in one release, so the proof is in the proverbial pudding that this was no ordinary release. Unveiled in 2020, despite the raging global pandemic and as a deliberate sign of resilience, Grand Seiko released the SLGH003 to celebrate their 60th year anniversary. Commemorating 60 years is a big milestone in one’s life for Japanese culture. To symbolize the specialness of the release, the Grand Seiko logo on both the dial and the clasp is crafted out of 18k solid gold. If you would like to know more, here is An essay on the significance of 60 years in Japanese culture: [https://academyoflifeplanning.blog/2024/04/18/rebirth-at-sixty-the-cultural-significance-of-kenreki-in-japanese-tradition/](https://academyoflifeplanning.blog/2024/04/18/rebirth-at-sixty-the-cultural-significance-of-kenreki-in-japanese-tradition/) Fittingly, Grand Seiko came out with a movement that truly innovated watchmaking. In the past 100 years or so, very few true innovations have been made in such an ancient and incrementally improving field such as horology. Of note, Omega’s release of the Co-Axial escapement, is one that establishes itself as a before and after landmark movement. I would argue that the release of the 9SA5 (and perhaps even the new UFA Spring Drive), are the next greatest achievements in horology. When this watch was released, those in the know gawked at it, but recoiled at the seemingly high price tag. My favorite YouTube channel not only covered its release, but the anonymous man behind the hands at Watchfinder & Co., who produce some top notch watch content (not being paid to say this) raved about how this would probably be his next personal watch. This video pushed me over the edge in knowing that I needed it for myself as well. [https://youtu.be/5f-UKFHWKvc?si=t6sMvcBPM0nmGHhb](https://youtu.be/5f-UKFHWKvc?si=t6sMvcBPM0nmGHhb) **The what:** The new 9SA5 movement is a marvel. Dual barrels powering an 80 hour reserve hi-beat movement that simultaneously ticks away at 36,000 bph? Impressive. Making the movement 15% slimmer on top of that? Alright, GS. And that’s without mentioning the new patented dual-impulse escapement which, to be honest, is a bit too complex for me to explain (or grasp), but that essentially makes the watch more resistant to shocks, self-lubricating and extending service intervals by years. Oh, and it has a free sprung balance as well. And a movement finished so beautifully that if you slightly squinted and walked quickly, you wouldn’t double take if it hid itself on an A Lange & Sohne assembly line. And that’s just the movement. The case was an entirely new design that comes in under 12mm thick and lowers the center of gravity of the watch making it wear exceptionally comfortably. The large lug width ensures a snug fit on the wrist with no oscillation. The bracelet is a noticeable step forward for GS, despite the lack of micro adjustment (the presence of a few half links makes up for it and I managed to get a perfect fit after some rearranging). Which brings us to my favorite part of this watch: the dial. I call it the “Japanese Overseas” and I hope the name will stick. I haven’t seen such a rich, vibrant, deep blue dial in anything other than a Vacheron. It is truly beautiful. In low light it turns into an almost inky black, while in indirect light, the sunburst pattern ignites and shines with a beautiful blue sheen. People rave, rightly so, about the prowess of Grand Seiko textured dials. However I think the subtlety of such a finely crafted sunburst dial makes this watch timeless and a future classic. The evolution 9 case comes with wide hour markers that are quite remarkable to appreciate under a loupe. Grand Seiko beats all other brands under $10k in finishing and I will die on that hill. **The why:** So, why sell it? I lusted over this watch for years. I watched on the sidelines as the price became more and more tempting. The original MSRP of slightly over $10,000, like the new UFA spring drive, was just too far out of my budget. When this one popped up on this forum a few months ago at a price slightly above what I’m asking, I jumped at the chance to own it. I’m truly grateful for having had the opportunity to daily wear such a special watch. However, life gets in the way of luxury, and there are simply too many other uses for the money I allocated towards this watch that don’t allow me to continue to enjoy it as carefree as I did when I got it. So I begrudgingly list it here, for the next person to cherish. If my rant wasn’t enough, here is another fantastic article about this watch: Hodinkee covered the release in better terms than I ever could: [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-slgh003-hi-beat-60th-anniversary-le-featuring-the-new-dual-impulse-escapement](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-slgh003-hi-beat-60th-anniversary-le-featuring-the-new-dual-impulse-escapement) **The TL;DR:** 1 of 1,000 60th Anniversary Limited Edition 9SA5 movement, serviced by Grand Seiko and under warranty until January 2026, keeping fantastic time. Evo 9 40mm case, 11.7mm thick, 47mm lug to lug with curved lugs that hug the wrist 100m WR Full kit, box, papers, warranty info and 3 extra straps including an Artem sailcloth, a Hirsch leather and a yellow silicone strap. Condition: lightly used, some wear visible on parts of bracelet. Bracelet has been ultrasonic cleaned prior to listing to ensure a fresh and supple wearing experience. Sapphire is clear of scratches or flea bites. Price: $5,500 + shipping. Watch is located in the United States. Payment via PayPal F&F or G&S with buyer covering the fee. Not interested in trades at the moment. Kindly reach out with any questions. I reserve the right to choose the buyer. Thank you for looking.