The Hi Beat is a masterpiece of a watch. The dial and movement are amazing! I’m proud to own one and prefer it over my Rolex Panda & Day Date.

The Hi-Beat for me. It is not Spring Drive but the Hi-Beat is no slouch in the innovation department either. This 9SA5 has a new dual-impulse escapement! This means Grand Seiko joins Omega’s co-axial as one of the few mass-produced purely mechanical watches that don’t use the Swiss lever escapement

Well, I just got home from the NYC Grand Seiko boutique with my brand new white birch spring drive. I think I made the right choice. Off camera the spring drive version has more definition on the dial than it does on camera Just gorgeous and classy. The high beat was just a bit too much of a dress look and I wanted an everyday watch. So far, I am thrilled and made the right choice. This is also my first Spring Drive and I wanted that unique tech it offers.

I purchased the High Beat since I already have a Spring Drive (Sbga463) I love the mechanical movement and everything about this watch. Despite what the reviews say, the bracelet is top notch and the 22mm width tapering to 20mm rests the watch securely and balanced perfectly on my wrist .

I like the 005 Hi-Beat better. I prefer the silver dial, and for the white dial I like the snow flake over this. Both gorgeous watches however.

I would have chosen the Hi-beat if I didn't already own a 36000 bph watch (Zenith Chronomaster). So for this watch, it's the Spring Drive. Especially since the power reserve indicator has been moved to the back of the movement. Time to start saving!

If you love Grand Seiko, you will buy both Hi-beat and Spring Drive. Both are engineering masterpiece in terms of movement, although the Hi-beat (i.e. 36000 vph) are also available from other brands. If you have to only choose one, I will prefer Spring Drive for the uniqueness of Grand Seiko.

I had this decision recently. I chose the Snowflake & Tentagraph. Reason being, the Snowflake Spring Drive is a lot cheaper than the White Birch Spring Drive. Yes it's 5 seconds a month worse accuracy, but as a casual wearer this makes no difference to me. The cost saving then allowed me to buy the Tentagraph. This is a high beat movement but with a different style for a different day.

I’ve been cursed by the Spring Drive. I almost wish it didn’t exist because it ruined all mechanical movements for me. I literally stopped desiring any watch without a Spring Drive ever since I witnessed the infinitely smooth sweep of that seconds hand.

@mendipfox1650

Жыл бұрын

If you like Springdrive, you’re gonna love Quartz. Check it out. The power reserve is about 3-5 years!

@Karlashnikov

Жыл бұрын

​@@mendipfox1650tell me you know nothing about spring drive without telling me you know nothing about spring drive.

@akallstar5

11 ай бұрын

@@mendipfox1650ur dumb lol

I was at the GS Boutique in Soho NYC and was having a tough time deciding. That silver dial on the hi-beat is too silver for me. If it was the spring drive dial but the hi-beat movement, that would've been a no brainer and a sealed deal. But at the end of the day, I got the Snowflake for the white dial and the snowflake weight of the titanium case. After getting home, I found out about the Night Birch, with a titanium case, hi-beat movement, and a black dial. That could've been the one had I seen it in person but I'm happy with the original Snowflake that started GS's rise in popularity.

I'd take either one of these incredible Seiko timepieces. However i think the Spring Drive will be the better value over time. Thanks for setting this review up it was great seeing the dial & second hand movement comparison.

@johnassaad492

2 жыл бұрын

Curious why you think the SD will be the better value over time? I tend to think the opposite

@lmt3777

Жыл бұрын

@@johnassaad492 agree, 9SA5 movement shows higher watch making technique as well

Birch Hi Beat Dual Pulse Escapement is more exceptional than regular hi beat. The Dial is more stunning and the Crown is not as huge as the spring drive. I find it more elegant

I have a spring drive White birch and it's awesome

Can't decide, I'll take both.

Once you've had a Spring Drive everything else is just stuttering. Even a Hi-Beat

I landed on high-beat because I already have 4 spring drives.

@JayzBeerz

5 ай бұрын

Awesome bro. I want the Snowflake but unfortunately I can't afford it. Enjoy your collection.

Excellent narration. I came to you for a citizen pro divers watch and I’m now thinking you may have me hooked on one of theses watches as well, Boy is wife is gonna love me 😀

I would also go for the spring drive movement. But the silve dial on the hi-beat is just stunning. Also the crown on the spring drive is to big on the spring drive

The slga009 is a masterpiece, I saw it yesterday in person. I can't think anything come close for that price. Nobody works harder for your watch than grand seiko. Japanese excellence. 🙌🇯🇵

The new spring drive birch with titanium would be perfect

3:41 small detail that push me toward SLGA009 -- there's no cap for the second hand in the middle for SLGH005.

One day I’ll own the SLGH005 😆

There are some extra differences. The day window is wider on 009 and there is no extra black mark on the right. Also the inside edges of the dial on 009 are slightly wider and so is the taller crown.

@RA-yc9fb

6 ай бұрын

What's with that little black mark by the date window? And damn I prefer the smaller crown on the hibeat

Tough, SLGH005 has the better dial but the SLGA009 has that silky smooth sweeping second

I just bought spring drive white birch… Difficult to buy others once you have a spring drive…. My other fine mechanical watches are having less wrist time. Sigh..

I think I like the "melting snow" model the best...slgh013. Weird that they DON'T have a spring drive version of this watch. I like the spring drive movement, AS LONG AS the power reserve ISN'T on the dial. Will there be more spring drive models, without the power reserve cluttering the dial? melting snow, snowflake, pink blossoms, blue blossoms, etc. THANKS

SLGH005 for me… I prefer the more pronounced dial and the pure mechanical movement. To each his/her own… can’t go wrong with either one and I think that’s why GS came out with both models to cover everyone’s “itch”.

the red with the GS logo in the back look like something problematic! (WW2 era..) like the video by the way

Spring Drive all the way....

Wow nice! How did you get both? Did you buy them?

@righttimewatches

5 ай бұрын

We are a Grand Seiko Authorized Dealer!

Hi Beat dial is superior. Win-win, though.

Both!

@righttimewatches

11 ай бұрын

Now we’re talking!

I have the Snowflake and I wear it every day. My Rolexes are in the safety deposit box. I would like to get a hi beat, since I already have a Springdrive.

@jsusna1972

7 ай бұрын

I have the SBGA493 and sold my Rolex. i just couldn't see keeping it in my safe since my GS gets all the wrist time.

Spring drive sounds much better. Hi beat sounds like your heart's gonna pop

Naturally aspirated or hybrid engine

Got the spring drive while I was in Ginza last month! That white dial with the smooth blue sweep cant be beat...

@righttimewatches

Жыл бұрын

I think I prefer spring drive as well

If you are going to buy a GS. You have to choose the Spring Drive. Its like the unwritten law. The only nitpick I have with the SLGA009 is them printing the ‘5 Days’ font on the dial; it was so unnecessary. Otherwise its beautiful watch.

Why is the texture on the automatic so much better? It’s just more bang for your buck. The dial is much more dramatic, with the automatic clearly having deeper ripples. Why wouldn’t they just use the same, incredible dial and slap a spring drive in the case? Seems very much wasted.

High beat is a no brainer... from a horological standpoint it's by far the finer movement.. Quartz tech isn't that fascinating to a watch aficionado

@d7r_tv

Жыл бұрын

The quartz here is not really just about the quartz but the tri-synchro regulator that replaces the typical escape and balance wheel to reduce and control the speed of the spring with magnetic fields. If you look into the details of it is truly piece of advanced engineering that took years to develop. The swiss tried to bring something similar but failed.

@estergiou

Жыл бұрын

I would not want to have a CMOS in my watch

@Karlashnikov

Жыл бұрын

😂

@akallstar5

11 ай бұрын

You’re missing why quartz tech isn’t interesting to watch people. It’s uninteresting because it’s simple, and requires little if any mechanical engineering, finesse, and craftsmanship. But the spring drive is complex, and has everything that a quartz watch doesn’t have, not to mention it serves a serious purpose. You think watch folks don’t like quartz, you’re wrong, it isn’t that they don’t like quartz in it of itself, they don’t like what quartz movements say about the watch.

You can see spring drive second hand move so smooth you can't see any friction