The Grand Seiko Night Birch is a PROBLEM 

The Rolex marketing strategy and supply issues have turned me off the brand. I no longer wear mine and have no desire to be associated with them. Grand Seiko on the other hand are a breath of fresh air and where I will be spending my money. Good video thank you.

Grand Seiko Night Birch and Lexus LFA was such a perfect comparison. Grand Seiko reminds me of Lexus when you are tired of usual options. BMW M4 or Mercedes C63 are great but a Lexus RCF is something you go for when you want something out of ordinary. A Rolex is very well-known but a Grand Seiko is something that only true enthusiasts can appreciate.

Grand Seiko is really upping their game with this new movement. The 9S85 is a great movement but from a horological perspective its no comparison to the 9SA5 which is excellent. I know people will balk at the price, but when you compare apples to apples the value you get from a Grand Seiko is still unmatched.

The quiet part that Andrew didn't say out loud is that GS are only going to get better and better with their finishing, more adept with their movements, and become much more of a threat to VC, AP & PP.

I commemorated my retirement and 65th birthday with the GS SLGH005. My sense is that the 9SA5 is under-appreciated. It‘s a technologically innovative movement that is beautifully designed and finished. The SLGH005 is very dynamic and interesting. I don‘t feel the same about the other Birches. I can‘t take my eyes off the watch in daily wear.

Grand Seiko and Jaeger LeCoutre spoken about in the same breath - i think this watch has already achieved what is set out to do

Had exactly the same 'problem'! I own a Snowflake for years and definitely wanted to have the White Birch due to it's brand new and stunning (especially at this pricepoint) 9SA5 movement. But hey were just too similar... after discovering the Black Birch I was instantly sold and bought one. Couldn't be happier with it!

Andrew, I'm glad that you've expanded your work to include your videos with Tom and AMW, both of which are really good and enjoyable, but WF still is your sweet spot. Looking forward to another year of outstanding content.

Watching Andrew talk about Grand Seiko is like watching Robert De Niro play in Martin Scorcese movie. They go together so well, hard to tell which one is made for the other !

How do you keep coming up with these brilliantly worded masterpieces. Keep up the fair work. Thanks Andrew

GS is leaving Rolex in the pits and frankly isn’t really concerned about them. The comparison to JLC is much more apt. I further suggest that they have their sights beyond even that. And Credor is directly competing with Moser and Patek.

I typically don’t like black dials but… I absolutely love this dial! This watch is near perfect to me. If it had a spring drive it would be perfect and I hope they make a spring drive version! Power reserve indicator would be nice too cuz I just love how grand seiko does them.

I have to give credit to you guys and the watch community on RU-vid for creating such a wonderful channel/ atmosphere educating new and old collectors alike. I had the opportunity to acquire a 'limited edition' Grand Seiko at the end of last year with a 9R16 movement. It has a +/- 0.5sec per day accuracy and an amazing level of detail finish on the dial, bezel and the case back. It is such a wonderful piece of art to enjoy and I would've missed-out had i not been introduced to this amazing brand. much Thanks!

My first watch was a White Birch and I adore the white dial, but this is stunning too

Grand Seiko is quickly becoming the Lexus of watches.

I own the white birch spring drive. However this version with the dark dial, though beautiful and elegant, I think it will look better with a bracelet made of smaller links. Something along the lines of the Jubilee but perhaps with a design similar to the GS markers.

This time last year I was a Grand Seiko hater. Today I’m a huge fan, truly an acquired taste

A welcome return to form. Love the Night Birch. Watch prices are ever increasing and a watches "value" is subjective in terms of affordability. Knowing the level of craftsmanship, I'd say it's priced accurately and as Andrew says, on par with JLC . Whether or not I'd fork out 9 grand for one, is another thing ...

The blunt cut hands diminish the look of this model.

All the birches have the same problem compared to the Snowflake, those stubby hour hands and that truly heinous 12 hours triple marker. They would be perfect otherwise. Well except for those cheapo clasps but that common to all the Seikos. I agree on the comparison with Rolex but fully disagree with the JLC comparison. Seiko has a long history and legacy to not have to feel embarrassed in front of any Swiss maker. They single-handedly almost caused the Quartz crisis and have been in business longer than Rolex (a British company may I add). My daily wear rotation are actually a SLGA211 snowflake and a JLC Geophysics.

Another beautiful piece from GS. Their dial are simply unbelievable. Amazing piece.

Awesome video guys! Absolutely love the Night Birch 🤩

The Problem is, that there is still no Spring Drive version of this beauty! Also, if GS could up their bracelet game to the same level as the rest of the watch... it's one of my only gripes with the brand.

For me, the Hi-Beat movement is key. Not just for the reasons Mr. Hands enumerates, but also because it links Grand Seiko back to 1968. For more than 50 years, Seiko has been kicking Swiss butts. But Mr. Hands is right. This is a very pricey watch and, for many normal folks, it is a question of Grand Seiko or Rolex (although some would like to pretend Rolex doesn't exist). It is not an easy call. The Night Birch checks all the boxes with the movement, the titanium and the dial, which is arguably more interesting than the White Birch's monochromatic aesthetic. But being a man of a certain age, the crown has that feel and appeal...just like a Dino. (Mr. Hands: Are you familiar with the Isuzu 117 Coupe? Check out the vintage models 1973 and before. I'll dare you to pronounce the designer's name on a video again.)

Nice video. I think the Lexus analogy you seek,is more akin to the "Original Gangster" LS400. That showed the world they weren't mucking about. Even had a TV advert claiming all the other luxury manufacturers were given notice that their easy time at the top,was over. They were right. "The Relentless Pursuit" is a book about the beginning of lexus and a brief Toyota history lesson. Its on Google audio books as well.

Classic WatchFinder. I actually feel nostalgic watching this and this video also makes me want to buy a GS.

This watch is more stunning in person than one would think. Understated elegance and austerity is what comes to mind and the titanium does not feel too lightweight. It still feels substantial. I will own this watch and certainly prefer it over any Rolex I've ever seen.

I own Shunbun (sbga413), and Godzilla (SBGA405), and a few months back tried on the night, white birch, and snowflake. I’d put the night birch in the top 3 best GS. Beautiful watch. Prefer it and the contrast on the dial to both the snowflake and the white birch, and the overall watch finish is nicer than the Shunbun I own. My top 3 GS in no particular order remain SBGK005 (limited edition discontinued), Godzilla (limited edition discontinued), and this the night birch. Great video and good to see this featured.

I love my Grand Seiko for the same reason others dislike them. I can wear my grand seiko and only a watch fan will know what it really is and not hear "Seiko" and think its some $200 watch from the Mall. I owned a Rolex and will never again buy another. Its all name, it does nothing better or even as good as Grand Seiko. Some flock to that name needing validation and some don't.

I can't find any better value watches in this price range. I think the fantastic movement and great finishing has already covered the value. In additional perfect sitting on the wrest, beautiful 3D feeling dial, great cutting index etc...

Tx for the review I enjoyed every moment of it

funny, at 8:58 you actually said “night birth”😂

I wish you would have flipped it all the way over and shown the latch on the bracelet. It looks different than my Shunbun bracelet but I wanted to see the latch. I can't find a picture of it anywhere. Thanks for sharing Andrew! Hope all is well!

I remember when the lake suwa model came out - I was in a jewellers, comparing it to the white birch, and my opinion was split. If I could have had the lake suwa dial with the white birch movement, I'd have been sold. This, however... In black, the dial seems a step up, while that gorgeous movement remains. If my wallet could afford it, this is the GS I'd buy.

I love the night Burch. I also love the snowflake. I recently went and looked at the white birch and was pretty turned off, making it black makes all the difference. I would definitely buy the grand Seiko over a Rolex. In fact, I already have, and I would do it again.

I couldn't agree more with you. Your review is precisely aligned with my thoughts. I have tried this on several times. It's a stunning time piece. The look, the weight, the movement...all juicy stuff. But the price tag is just too hefty for me. I tried to make justification for it to myself several times but failed. Even the titanium is grade 2 (like the Pelagos 39) and not grade 5. GS perhaps missed a trick there. You are 100% spot on about past vs future. It's a quest of brand power and right now GS isnt exchanging punches with the elite. Not yet anyway. On a final note, depending on where you are in the world, these can be picked up in promotions. In the UAE, this was offered for 8000 pounds in December. Still a hefty sum but every little helps. Keep up the brilliant work Andrew. Loving your vids.

Anyone else catch ‘night birth’ at 8.59? I’d love to think it was an on-purpose little Easter egg but the more I entertain that, the weirder it gets 😂

Thanks for introducing me to the HI-BEAT movement. I purchased and love my SBGJ239.

Why doesn’t GS make a watch in 38.5 or 39 mm? 40mm is too big for so many of us, and the 22mm lug width is the closing argument for a pass. What a shame.

The Night Birch is a beautiful watch no doubt and it's definitely on my wishlist. But I have the money saved and my name down for an Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy so that will get my attention first. If it were a standard Speedy then no question I'd go for the GS as I love what they do and how they do it. The SBGA469 Katsuiro plugs the gap beautifully until the coffers are suitably full to add this to the collection.

Thank you for the amazing review 😊

I'd love to see a video on the Grand Seiko SBGK015 Ryusendo. THAT dial is stunning!!

I adore Grand Seiko. If I was a Swiss watchmaker, I'd be watching this space!

GS will be the luxury brand of this decade. What a beautiful watch and movement.

I want a manual wind version of the 9SA5 in the Omiwatari.

I love pretty much everything about the watch, the dial is great and my favorite is the innovation in the movement. But I just cant justify 9k, it would be lovely for 6-7k.

Even the macro shot shows no flaws on the perfectly polished hands and indices. Insane value for money at this price point. However, the movement wasn't finished/decorated as perfectly. Well for this price point, I wouldn't complain

Why do i always have to turn this channel volume up 200%

I'm lucky enough to own an affordable Credor. I've worn it twice but it is so beautiful. I hope to get a diver gs one day ....but I don't know if I'll afford it.

The Soko Shadow Edition is still my favorite design from GS. Love this watch though

Love the reference to the Enzo! I remember seeing the first one at a car show - it had the reg EN20 which probably cost more than my house then the guy got out and was carrying a bottle of Tesco Smart Price water. As they say, watch the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves!

I’m a Spring Drive nerd, so I’m gonna hope and pray this comes out with a SD.😊

The only missing features are lume on the dial and micro adjustable then it will become perfect alternative. I have not own one of these new ones yet purely because of those TWO things.

Stunning watch. Thank you.

I have tried this watch on, and I love it, but I want the currently unavailable Green Birch. I have a couple of JLC watches, and I love those too, but for different reasons than the Grand Seiko.

The dial of the Night Birch is beautiful, the color giving more impact than the White Birch. Beautiful dial, beautiful movement, outstanding finishing. And the price is excellent for what you get, in comparison to other watch brands.

Equally clean and powerful, just wow!

The answer is not 2. It's 1. Omega purchased the co-axial patent. Grand Seiko is all in-house. And many GS aficionados have elevated Shunbun above Snowflake as the standard bearer for best overall GS.

The movement finishing is insane here. Just make these new releases in 38mm and I’d buy one in a second!

This is the grand seiko I want along side my SLGA009 but what I really want is the SLGH011 which is this watch but with a sexy green dial.

I love it. But when it comes to black dial 40mm Grand Seiko's my personal favorite remains the underrated SBGE271G.

I just love this watch. im waiting on the latest movement to be used then that will be the one for me.

Stunning. I would like to see a 9F quartz version. Then I might be able to afford it!

I adore Tom, but you are the BEST! I hope you are working on a book. Can I get that Spring Drive secondhand sweep on a mechanical watch?

That might be my favorite watch ever. Gorgeous!

I really like the cherry blossom spring drive. The one I've seen was accurate to a second a week, and looks great under different lighting.

Honestly Grand Seiko has some of the best dials in the game.

My only gripe with Grand Seiko is its aftersales experience, at least here in Hong Kong. If you ever need to get your GS serviced, you'd go to this only service centre in town, which is situated in a dull commercial building at an industrial district. This is also where all of Seiko's watches are serviced. The centre's setup is, shall we say, very industrial. And the experience is like taking your laptop to a repair centre. I'm in the market for a GMT watch in titanium, and the SBGE285 has caught my eye. Whilst the tech and craftsmanship of the GS lineup are undoubtedly impeccable, their aftersales service in my opinion does not live up to its luxury image. This is the only thing that hinders me from pulling the trigger.

It's interesting that you refer to the Snowflake as the one that "first turned your head". I feel exactly that way about it as well. Grand Seiko makes some truly beautiful timepieces (and there are many I'd like to have), but the Snowflake - even at its more modest price point - is still the GS I'd look at first before any others. For its relative "shortcomings" (i.e. lower weight and more nuanced dial), its still the one that made me fall for Grand Seiko. That's a hard allure to pass over. For me, the Night Birch would be a lovely watch to have, but it'd be a hard ask for me to purchase it over a Snowflake as my first Grand Seiko.

The more I look … the more …. I want! Arguably, underpriced. 👍🏻

Traded in my sbga413 to buy the black birch. Very happy with the watch. If you want a flashy one, this is not it. It is very underrated, but handsome.

But..but the birch has a horizontal pattern.

This just looks so beautiful!

i rly would like to see once episode about Behind the scene .... like how this videos are made, i am interesting in setup of lights cameras and stuff etc......looks rly neat guys! good work! anyway i think it would be nice special episode..... what do you think?

Cries into my snkl32j1 "no, you are good enough for me" 😭

I’d far rather own this black dial version over the white/silver version, or even the original Snowflake. If they could chuck a Spring Drive movement in it, I’d happily join a waiting list to buy one. Oh, hang on, this is Grand Seiko. Do they even do waiting lists? Keep up the great videos and keep well :-)

Your first automatic, Seiko 5. You next, Prospex or Presage. When you finally get your Grail Watch; you buy GS because it honors the journey.

While unexpected the LFA was a huge commercial failure for Lexus. It was great for people who bought one at retail and sold it for twice the price but a huge flop for Lexus itself

Jeez these 5Hz balance wheels are mesmerizing.

My problem with grand seiko is their rapidly escalating prices. That and while I appreciate them, I just don’t get the “I gotta have that one” yet.

It's an amazing looking watch, but I have one issue with it. The hour hand, looks like it's broken at the tip. I know it isn't, but comparing with the razor sharp sword look of the other GS, it leaves me a bit dry..that texture dial though, holy moly. I don't even care about the Quartz engine. This beats any rolex that you'd have to wait in line for 2 years to be able to buy, after buying 3 other rolexes you don't want first (or pay triple price on a website)

ive gone to Grand Seiko sbgh245 lovely watch , rolex don't want to sell me a watch but brand seiko sold me 3 lol

FYI, Yamaha developed the engine in the Lexus LFA, not Toyota/Lexus. Still Japanese developed though.

Please make a video on the GS green birch

video quality is always great, your voice is amazing, but the audio is always softer than other videos so i end up having to raise my phone volume by 4 notches to make it equal other videos. the audio itself sounds low quality too; sounds highly compressed and lacking any high end. your videos are great but if u cud just fix the audio it would be perfect

If this had a spring dive movement, I would buy it today

Love this watch, everything about it. But I'm not sure I'd choose it over a similarly priced JLC.

My first luxury watch was/is the Grand Seiko SBGA375 featuring a stunning midnight blue dial, exquisite sword-style hands, and indices that only get better under magnification, a 44GS case that I find to be captivating from every angle, especially the side profile, a display case back and very subtle GS lion logo watermark in the sapphire crystal, and of course the 9R65 Spring Drive movement which achieves a smooth sweeping seconds hand and an accuracy of +/- 1 second per day. All for $4,500 NEW. It is truly superior to my Rolex Datejust ref. 126200 in every way with one exception...the clasp. Also, really think about lume...how often is it necessary? I have grown to prefer the dazzling, sparkling indices/hands of my GS over the Rolex which lacks the same eye-popping quality. Will I buy another GS? I doubt it. Don't feel it's needed in my collection. I am more likely to acquire a JLC or Omega. As for the price of this Night Birch...I do not think I can stomach it. Ask $7k and just maybe. Thanks, Andrew.

Beautiful watch. My only complaint is that I keep seeing “3” at the 12 o’clock position every first glance.

I like this but like the lake suwa more. Is this the best black dial/steel combo watch? Better than Rolex Explorer/Sub no date/Speedy?

Seiko has the bark, JLC has a bit more bite, at least for now. It really needs the spring drive though.

Movement much improved

An issue that gives me pause to enter the GS world is the Zaratsu finish, which is to such a high level that the slightest scratch seems to immediately reduce the entire watch to looking a little shabby. A bit like a bird dropping on a brand new Rolls Royce, it's disproportionately noticeable. Maybe titanium overcomes this? And yes, there are other watches with incredible finishing but somehow there's a different panache wearing a battered constellation or even a reverso compared to wearing a battered snowflake. I'm over the dismay of 'Seiko' on the dial because I empathise with Seiko's pride. Hey, everybody knows a Lexus is a Toyota! I'm kind of over the bracelet issues, kind of. Not sure about the clipped hour hand on this watch, it disconcerts me. I would however buy the night birch for the superb movement and the strapifying potential of this beauty. Plus, I suspect that in a decade we will be looking at paying a lot more for GS and even the potential for Seiko to go the high end route of limited total production.

Generally love GS. But imho, on this piece, the marker at 12 is too wide & the blunt ‘cut’ of the hour hand is a bit harsh.

GS's are really all starting to look the same...

I would definitely get this before similarly priced Rolex.

One day I will own a GS as their design language and feature set are my ideal setup for a watch.

I became a die hard Seiko fan in the 70s.. was also my first watch ever approaching triple digit value... Today, I appreciate the mechanical wonders that they are.. I do not need a watch, I need to feel the awe of such machines.. Well now.. do i blow 10G on a watch today..

Now if only they could make 36-38mm spring drive watches. Seems like a movement size thing more than a design decision so I hope they figure that out because their spring drives are absolutely beautiful but huge watches!

A stunning watch and a historic movement.