The Return Of The 45GS With The New Grand Seiko SLGW004 And SLGW005

While the 44GS might be Grand Seiko’s most famous model, another impressive watch came out just one year later. Aptly named the 45GS, this was a high-beat hand-wound watch in a similar design. Now Grand Seiko is reviving that model with the new SLGW004 and SLGW005. Grand Seiko opted to remain faithful to the original, which shows in several authentic details. In short, these are surely worth a close look.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, the headline is that the SLGW004 is 18K gold and priced at €32,200. Grand Seiko will make only 200 units of this watch. The SLGW005 is stainless steel and priced at €10,400. A total of 1,200 pieces will see the light of day this November.

Grand Seiko 45GS

You are probably familiar with the 1967 release of the Grand Seiko 44GS. The 45GS does not enjoy similar fame, but it was quite an upgrade over the 44. The addition of a high-beat movement greatly increased accuracy and stability in performance.

An original Grand Seiko 44GS

The styling was virtually identical to the 44GS and based on Taro Tanaka’s Grammar of Design. This may be why the 44GS is better known as it set the template for Grand Seiko watches to come. The 45GS was “only” a mechanical upgrade.

Grand Seiko is now reintroducing the first 45GS model with the SLGW004 and SLGW005. However, GS produced several 45GS variants with three different calibers between 1968 and 1970. What they all shared was a high frequency of 36,000 beats per hour. At the time of introduction, the finely regulated 45GS was one of the most accurate watches on the market. It’s no wonder, then, that Grand Seiko deemed it worthy of revival.

A faithful reissue

You would be forgiven for having to check twice if the pictured watches are new-old-stock originals. This is because Grand Seiko remained true to the original design. With the watches placed side by side, you would immediately notice a modest upscaling. The diameter went from a little over 36mm to 38.8mm. Oh, and the original gold model had a gold-capped case, whereas the new model is solid 18K gold. Other than those details, the fronts of these two watches look extremely similar to the originals.

The logo at 12 is an applied Seiko logo, for instance. Usually, in modern Grand Seiko, this spot is reserved for a GS logo. The typography matches the late-’60s models too. The well-initiated Seiko fans will even recognize the Daini Seikosha logo on the dial, referring to the factory where the original was produced. The even better initiated may also spot the omittance of the black-lacquered details on the hands and indices, which were present on the 1968 original. In this sense, the aesthetic comes even closer to the 1967 44GS. Thanks to my friend Samuel Baker for pointing this detail out on his Instagram; it had escaped my attention before.

The case follows Tanaka’s Grammar of Design. This includes the unique overall shape, escaping from mundane round watches. The flat surfaces finished to a level that prohibits any visual distortions in reflections are another key identifier. The beautifully finished straight “bridge” between the lugs is a prime example of this grammar.

Caliber 9SA4 inside the new Grand Seiko 45GS

If you are truly in doubt about whether you are dealing with the new model or the original, you only need to turn the watch over. While the originals had a metal case back with a gold medallion, you are now greeted by a sapphire display atop the Grand Seiko caliber 9SA4. And, in all fairness, that is no disappointment.

The caliber neatly combines a high 5Hz beat rate with an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Grand Seiko accomplished this via an efficient double-impulse escapement and a set of twin barrels. Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too, it seems.

Grand Seiko went to great lengths to optimize the winding experience. The click is shaped like a wagtail, a bird native to Japan. The overall geometry and execution are such that winding sounds and feels precise, delicate, and confident. We can confirm the winding experience is indeed extremely enjoyable. In fact, it is so nice that it makes you dream of an eight-hour power reserve instead of 80. The accuracy is a healthy average of +5/-3 seconds per day.

Impressions of the new Grand Seiko 45GS

I won’t beat around the bush; these are two watches I would happily wear every single day. You may know I have a soft spot for hand-wound watches of this style, and these are right up my alley. I love how they are faithful to a 1968 release, yet they don’t appear overly vintage. The design was simply so good and timeless that it still looks relevant and fresh today.

So, are these watches perfect? Of course not; no watch is. I would change two things if I had the opportunity. First, the three-bar water resistance could be a bit better. Grand Seiko positions these as dress watches, while style-wise, they could perform perfectly as GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) watches. For such use, a little more water resistance would have been nice. That said, I don’t think it would hold me back from using them every day by any means. I don’t swim with anything other than dive watches anyway. The second issue I have is more serious. I cannot stand brands putting etchings or prints on the sapphire crystals of display case backs. Unfortunately, Grand Seiko has done that here. Although the etching is faint, just give me a clear view of a beautiful movement, or say what you have to say on an all-metal case back.

I am truly nitpicking here. The bottom line is that I think these are gorgeous, well-made, elegant, and technically impressive watches. What do you think of the SLGW004 and SLGW005, Fratelli? Let us know in the comments section below!