Zach Blass
I know I am billed as Mr. Grand Seiko, but I am not going to lie… I have mixed feelings about this one. But it’s precisely its polarising nature that made the new Grand Seiko SLGC009 Tokyo Lion Tentagraph one of the most interesting Grand Seiko launches at Watches and Wonders this year.
My mixed feelings largely surround one element of the design, and it is very subjective. But as we dig into this SLGC009, I think you might find there are far more interesting and promising elements of this watch that could make it an attractive proposition than subjective negatives, all of this depending on your parameters for watch sizing, taste in aesthetics, and, of course, your budget.
The case
Likely, the first possible criticism would be that the case is too big. This is a point of feedback I would normally entertain, but this watch design is meant to be big and works big. There is nothing dainty about a lion, and let’s clarify what is actually big here. It’s a 43mm case, which is .2mm less than the more standard Tentagraph. It is 15.6mm thick, which is .3mm thicker than the standard Tentagraph, but it is 50mm lug-to-lug, which is actually 1.5mm shorter than the standard Tentagraph. Now, a 43mm diameter with a 50mm lug-to-lug is actually quite wearable for most wrists. It is really the thickness, which is again only.3mm higher, which potentially poses a point of hesitation in my eyes.
The Tentagraph case, though complex in its own way, can understandably be perceived as a more conventional shape. Grand Seiko’s ‘lion case’, however, is anything but conventional: a highly faceted case form that is almost like an octagon set within a diamond. There are so many facets that need to be perfectly Zaratsu finished to the Grand Seiko standard, and I suspect that Grand Seiko’s case finishers, despite being up to the task, broke out in a cold sweat when they first learned this case design was entering production.
This Tokyo Lion Tentagraph case is in Grand Seiko’s newer Brilliant Hard Titanium alloy, which is a brighter, more radiant titanium in hue than the brand’s High-Intensity Titanium. Additionally, it’s 200 metres water-resistant, which is twice the depth rating of the standard Tentagraph. Look at the detailing on the pushers flanking the screw-down crown, too – those deep serrations make it look very purposeful.
A significant design feature the Tokyo Lion brings to the table is that its caseback is curved and cambered – a first for Grand Seiko – and therefore its case will hug and situate itself on the wrist very nicely, creating the illusion that the watch sits thinner than it actually does… Though I am under no illusions that it will look slender either.
So, with its more structural form, twice the water-resistance, and its unconventional sporty design, I think the dimensions, for the haters at least, are more forgiving in this context. I get that the Tentagraph, due to its look, gets stacked up against a competitive set that might have tamer dimensions. But this Tokyo Lion Tentagraph has far fewer parallels to be drawn. It’s a very distinct form that maybe could drum up Offshore comparisons, but with such a comparison drawn, it only further justifies that this is simply a design meant to have a bigger presence.
The dial
Turning to the dial, here is where I have a very personal, subjective criticism. I do like the lion’s mane throughline found in the colour and texture of the dial. However, I am not the biggest fan of having two colour-contrasting chronograph counters and a third small seconds counter that blends into the dial. But there is an understandable reason for this. The argument for such a layout is that, from a legibility perspective, it delineates which two counters are tied to the chronograph functionality of the watch and the one that isn’t. But for some, like me, it is a little off-putting. I recognise, though, that for many, this lack of uniformity causes little issue.
As a Grand Seiko sports watch, the broad and well-finished Evolution 9 hours, minutes, and small seconds handset, along with the faceted applied indices, are all filled with LumiBrite for visibility in darkness. At 4:30, you have a non-dial-blending date complication nestled between the two-hour indexes.
The strap
Perhaps the most subtle but also most significant development introduced with the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph is its strap: the first-ever, arguably integrated but definitely fitted, rubber strap from Grand Seiko. Hopefully, this is an area Grand Seiko will explore more, as I think all Evolution 9 designs – whether staples like the White Birch, the standard Tentagraph, or the dive watches – could really stand to benefit from their own rubber straps.
For those critical of Grand Seiko bracelets, such rubber-strapped options would satiate those in that camp while also delivering configurations that would naturally be a bit lower in price, as bracelets typically raise the price of a watch. The strap is executed in a dial matching brown, and has a lion’s paw-inspired texture on the underside to not only serve as a thematic tie-in but also increase comfort.
The movement
As it is the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph, it, of course, uses the same 9SC5 movement found in the original SLGC001 Tentagraph and the newer SLGC007, which launched alongside this SLGC009 earlier this year. It is a high-beat automatic chronograph movement built upon the pioneering Grand Seiko 9SA5, which notably introduced a new dual-impulse escapement and the brand’s first-ever overcoil hairspring. The impressive movement, despite being a high-beat chronograph calibre, is billed with 72 hours of power reserve. However, that 72-hour quote includes the chronograph being run continuously. If the chronograph is not running, then it will last 80 hours, just like the 9SA5.
As a modular movement, the view from the exhibition caseback will look familiar if you have ever had a look at Grand Seiko’s 9SA5-driven watches, and you will see its very handsome decoration and architecture inspired by the Shizukuishi river near where the watches are made.
The verdict
I think it is fair to say Grand Seiko has no illusions that the SLGC009 will topple the Snowflake or White Birch as its best seller. This is an exercise in creating a bold, distinct sports watch design that is unapologetic, creative, and highly artistic. That being said, these lion cases tend to garner a cult-following, with the long sold-out Grand Seiko SBGA405 Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition and the SBGC275 Shinshu Sunrise Limited Edition still highly sought after by all those who missed out.
Grand Seiko by no means is short of references in its catalogue. If you want something smaller and slimmer, I would highly recommend you check out our review of the SLGB003 ‘Ice Forest’ – a slender 37mm watch that debuted Grand Seiko’s first-ever micro-adjust bracelet and the first UFA Spring Drive movement accurate within 20 seconds per year.
A final note: with its usage of Brilliant Hard Titanium for its complex case shape, and being driven by one of Grand Seiko’s most premium movements, the SLGC009 does come in at US$16,900, or A$24,500, placing it at the higher end of Grand Seiko’s catalogue before hitting the Masterpiece tier.
Grand Seiko SLGC009 Tokyo Lion Tentagraph pricing and availability
The Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 is available now for purchase. Price: US$16,900, A$24,500
Brand
Grand Seiko
Model
Evolution 9 Tentagraph Tokyo Lion
Reference
SLGC009
Case Dimensions
43mm (D) x 15.6mm (T) x 50mm (LTL)
Case material
Brilliant Hard Titanium
Water Resistance
200 metres, screw-down crown
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front and back
Dial
Brown
Strap
Integrated brown rubber, folding clasp
Movement
9SC5, in-house, automatic, high-beat
Power Reserve
72 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph
Availability
Now
Price
US$16,900
A$24,500
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