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Why the Grand Seiko SLGW007 “Moonlight Birch” is Finally a Watch in the Evolution 9 Series with a Suitable Strap



I've always had a love-hate relationship with Grand Seiko. I'm not naturally a dress watch enthusiast, and in my experience, Grand Seiko watches—even those with standard steel bracelets—often look better and are more comfortable with leather straps. This is a problem for me: I prefer sports watches with steel bracelets because they're more suitable for everyday wear, and switching to leather straps can easily lead to the hassle of changing, matching, and adjusting. Over the past six years, I've bought and sold countless Grand Seiko watches, and more than once I've had custom straps made, only to discover afterward that the unique geometry of the Grand Seiko's lugs makes a "perfect" fit difficult. Those watches eventually ended up being sold.

The SLGW007 changes people's perception of watches because Grand Seiko did something simple and wise: it comes with a blue textured calfskin strap that perfectly complements the dial and the watch's design philosophy. No need to painstakingly search for the right strap, or repeatedly try to fit the slightly odd lines of the lugs. You buy it, wear it, and it presents exactly the effect the designer intended. This is a small but significant change that eliminates the concerns of certain types of buyers (including myself). This also lays the foundation for the perfect presentation of this watch. You can watch Zach's video review of this GS above—however, as the owner, I have a few additional points to add.

A compact Evolution 9 dress watch from Moonlit Birch

The SLGW007 belongs to the Evolution 9 series, whose design language defines the essence of modern Grand Seiko: wide planes, striking hands and markers, clean transitions, and a low center of gravity to ensure stability on the wrist. These design concepts are streamlined and integrated into this truly slim timepiece. The stainless steel case is 38.6 mm in diameter and only 9.95 mm thick. On paper, these dimensions exude elegance, and this is even more evident when worn on the wrist, thanks primarily to the watch's flat fit and resistance to movement. A box-shaped sapphire crystal, a screw-down transparent case back, and 20mm wide lugs complete the watch's detailed specifications. It is water-resistant to 30 meters, splash-proof, and anti-magnetic at 4,800 A/m: sufficient for a formal occasion, but not a professional military watch.

As for the strap, it features a subtly textured blue calfskin with a triple-folding push-button clasp. The strap color echoes the dial, which Grand Seiko describes as a navy blue, "reminiscent of birch bark under moonlight." Whether you've ever stood in a birch forest at night or not, this theme is clearly felt. The dial avoids excessive shine, opting instead for a textured surface, sacrificing brightness for a deeper, more sophisticated feel. Under indoor lighting, the dial appears a deep blue, its texture gradually revealing itself as the wrist moves.

Besides the dial, the craftsmanship of Grand Seiko's cases is often a reason people fall in love with the brand, and the SLGW007 is no exception. The case features clean, crisp lines in the center, with multi-faceted lugs that taper to create a more formal look. The case also cleverly utilizes the brand's signature brushed and mirror-polished finishes, showcasing a unique texture on specific facets. On such a small timepiece, this contrast reveals a subtle charm rather than ostentatious brilliance, and it is precisely this subtlety that makes the watch so captivating.

The proportions of this watch deserve special attention. Earlier Evolution 9 "Birch" models were larger and taller; the SLGW007, however, has been streamlined in both size and thickness, and importantly, it is also thinner. The resulting watch glides comfortably over the cuff while maintaining overall balance, avoiding a top-heavy appearance. If you've always appreciated the textured dials of the Grand Seiko series but found the cases too bulky, this watch is the perfect choice.

Dial and Hands: Distinctive Design, Masterful Light Control
Grand Seiko has always been known for its textured dials, and this one is a prime example. The deep blue "moonlight birch" grain is deeply cut yet not coarse, skillfully balancing decorative and graphic elements. The dial avoids becoming mere decoration thanks to the precise design of its "furniture." The hour markers are tall, clearly defined, and polished; the hour and minute hands feature the signature diamond-cut edges and broad bevels; the central seconds hand is simple and slender.

The watch's light performance is outstanding: the facets on the dial shimmer with a bright light, but the blue dial effectively suppresses this brilliance, resulting in an elegant rather than ostentatious overall readability. The typography is clean and restrained, although the text at six o'clock might be controversial. Personally, I don't mind; there's relatively little other text on this watch, and the two lines of text complement the length of the nearby hour markers. This is something to be aware of if you prefer a dial with no text at all. The watch is extremely legible. The hands and hour markers catch the light easily, and the absence of a date display maintains a clear visual hierarchy. This watch lacks luminous functionality—which is consistent with its design philosophy.

The 9SA4 movement proves the necessity of manual winding.

What surprised me most about the SLGW007 wasn't the dial—Grand Seiko dials have always been renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship—but rather the finishing of the movement and the overall harmony and unity of the movement as a dress watch. The 9SA4 is Grand Seiko's manual-winding movement, oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour with a power reserve of approximately 80 hours, and is the brand's first manual-winding high-frequency movement in over half a century. It shares the same basic structure as the 9SA5 automatic movement: a double-pulse escapement, double mainspring barrels, and a free-sprung balance with an external hairspring.

These are the specifications. The user experience is equally refined. Grand Seiko redesigned approximately 40% of the base movement to enhance the sensory experience of winding: the touch, the sound, and even the click when touched by the fingertips. Through the transparent case back, its pecking motion is clearly visible. The power reserve indicator is located on the side of the movement, maintaining the dial's simplicity while remaining practical for everyday wear. I don't usually like manual winding, but with an 80-hour power reserve, winding it every three days is perfectly acceptable.

Aesthetically, the 9SA4 features wide stripes spanning multiple bridges, clean chamfers, and a clear view of the balance wheel assembly and pawl mechanism. It's not the kind of exquisite hand-finishing typical of Geneva haute horlogerie, but rather a precise and consistent Japanese mechanical design combined with hand-finishing, perfectly complementing the watch's price and the brand's aesthetics. If you're looking for a striking highlight, the free-sprung balance wheel under the full bridges will satisfy your needs—a functional movement structure that you can even admire from the back.

On the Wrist: Balanced and Quiet

The best Evolution 9 watches are often understated yet powerfully functional. The SLGW007 is such a timepiece. Its 38.6 × 9.95 mm dimensions make it compact without being small; the large hour markers and hands give the watch a recognizability that transcends the numerals themselves, while the slim case avoids any sense of embellishment. The box-shaped sapphire crystal adds a touch of vintage charm without compromising readability. The case design is ingenious, like a picture frame, guiding the eye to the dial—the deep blue "moonlight birch" textured dial—which forms the overall visual focal point, ensuring it remains the watch's protagonist.

The SLGW007 is a pinnacle of classic Grand Seiko design: its sharply defined case deserves close examination, the dial boasts a rich texture and natural color palette, and the movement showcases modern and technically sophisticated watchmaking. It also perfectly addresses a practical concern for those of us who typically prefer steel bracelets: the standard strap is comfortable, stylish, and requires no modifications.

As I mentioned before, even though Grand Seiko watches originally featured steel bracelets, they often look more appealing with leather straps. The SLGW007 is built on this philosophy—compact, slim, precise, and sophisticated. If you're interested in GS watches but have reservations about the bracelet-first design of larger Evolution 9 series or other models, this "Moonlight Birch" might change your mind.

Brand: Grand Seiko
Model: Evolution 9
Reference Number: SLGW007
Case Dimensions: 38.6 mm (diameter) x 9.95 mm (thickness) x 45 mm (length-width)
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Crystal: Sapphire crystal on both front and back
Dial: Textured blue dial
Lug Width: 20 mm
Strap: Blue calfskin strap
Movement: Caliber 9SA4, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds