This Sunday morning, it's time for another Sunday morning showdown.
After two battles involving Rolex and Tudor, it's time to move on to something else. This week, we pit two classic dress watches against each other. Both models were presented at Watches and Wonders, and both impressed journalists and watch enthusiasts alike. Anton's choice is the Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green, hailed as one of the most stylish releases of the show. Artyom's choice is the Grand Seiko SLGW003 'Birch Bark' with a stunning new manual-winding movement. Which watch will win this week's battle? You can choose your favorite, so let's find out.
In the weeks following Watches and Wonders, you'll find numerous detailed accounts of the various watches that were presented. One of the standout releases for many was the new Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green. At the WatchTested office, there was no other opinion. We agreed that Chopard created some of the most stylish watches of the year with one of the best micro-rotor movements of the L.U.C line. Today, the XPS Forest Green faces the new Grand Seiko SLGW003 'Birch Bark'. These new dress watches belong to the Evolution 9 collection and feature a magnificent Hi-Beat manual-winding movement. It's time for Anton and Artyom to draw their conclusions, so be sure to stay and vote for your favorite.
Last Week...
But before both men engage in today's battle, let's recall last week's Sunday morning showdown. Although Anton and Artyom will face each other today, they firmly agreed that the two-tone Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126713GRNR should have won the black-grey-beige GMT-Master II battle last week. Instead, it lost to the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126710GRNR, one of The Crown's new releases presented in Geneva. Ultimately, the stainless steel version garnered 60% of the votes, while the Rolesor version got 40%. Checking the comments section shows that many people still can't get used to the gold and steel combination. We know Anton and Artyom will be shaking their heads in bewilderment for a long time. So let's give them another task and have them make their cases for this week's contenders.
Artyom: Grand Seiko SLGW003 'Birch Bark'
I really love what Grand Seiko has achieved over the last couple of years with the Evolution 9 series. The brand has taken a step away from traditional design and created a style that is a clear step into the future. The new angular case designs paired with the new generation of calibers make the Evolution 9 series the most interesting offering from the brand. My favorite is the SBGE285 'Mist Flake'. It's a modern GMT that I fell in love with the moment I saw the press images before Watches and Wonders two years ago. Although the black dial version is also beautiful, the monochromatic 'Mist Flake' is truly stunning. There's something mysterious about this dial that I've almost never seen, and it makes the watch so special.
But the foundation is the angular case design with the modern Spring Drive movement. This epitomizes the brand's modern side. From this perspective, the new SLGW002 and SLGW003 'Birch Bark' models completely surprised me. I never expected to see the brilliance of 1960s design within the Evolution 9 series, characteristic of many vintage Grand Seiko and King Seiko models. Usually, we see this in the Heritage collection. But when I saw the new SLGW003, I was amazed and captivated by a watch that impeccably conveys the spirit of the brand.
Technical Specifications of Grand Seiko SLGW003 'Birch Bark'
The new Grand Seiko SLGW003 comes in a Brilliant Hard Titanium case measuring 38.6mm wide and 9.95mm thick with a lug-to-lug distance of 20mm. As we've come to expect from the Evolution 9 series, the case design is angular yet elegant. The different sides and facets captivate the eye, not least due to the meticulous finishing we've come to expect from Grand Seiko. The combination of matte and Zaratsu-polished elements is pleasing to the eye and gives the case a superb appearance.
The case is paired with a 'birch' dial that we know from the SLGH005 and SLGA009 models. These two 'White Birch' models battled in a previous edition of our Sunday Morning Showdown series. Ultimately, the Spring Drive version won. Some preferred the Spring Drive caliber, while others liked the whiter dial of the SLGA009. In the new SLGW003 model, this dial is shown in all its glory. The combination of its unique texture and tone with Zaratsu-polished hands and applied indices creates a dial that immediately stands out. At the same time, it remains stylish enough for a brilliant dress watch.
The Splendor of the New Caliber 9SA4
Turning the watch over, you get a magnificent view of the new manually wound caliber 9SA4. It is based on the existing automatic caliber 9SA5, used in other Evolution 9 models. The main changes involve removing the rotor and automatic winding system and adding a power reserve indicator on the back of the caliber. But Grand Seiko didn't stop there. Its watchmakers also redesigned some of the bridges to create the impression that the movement was designed with manual winding in mind.
Only the twin-barrel mechanism remains, providing an 80-hour power reserve. Since it's a Hi-Beat movement, the caliber runs at 36,000 vibrations per hour with an accuracy of -3/+5 seconds per day. The result is a stunning movement with much greater stylistic appeal than its automatic counterpart. Add to that the magnificent finishing and complex level of detail, and you'll find yourself regularly looking back at this watch.
Grand Seiko SLGW003 'Birch Bark' is the Full Package
But part of the magic of the movement is visible from the front. Nothing compares to the visual splendor of the smoothly moving seconds hand of the Hi-Beat caliber. The beautiful blued hand here glides silently over the 'white birch' texture. This creates a spectacle that is as magnificent as it is serene. The combination of the titanium case and 'Birch Bark' dial also gives you the opportunity to change the look of the watch. The standard setup comes on a black alligator leather strap with a deployant clasp, priced at €11,700.
But I would spend a little extra money to acquire a few additional leather straps, just to ensure the new SLGW003 is a versatile model that completely surprised me. I didn't expect to see a titanium manual-winding movement with good proportions in the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 series. Moreover, if you had described this model to me orally, I wouldn't have been impressed. But having seen the watch up close, I was captivated by its splendor. The new Grand Seiko SLGW003 perfectly captures the vintage and future spirit of Grand Seiko in one watch.
Anton: Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green
As you might know, Chopard's L.U.C collection is named after the company's founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard. This is Chopard's Haute Horlogerie division (not a sub-brand), located in Fleurier. I had the pleasure of visiting this manufacture a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much work Chopard does in-house at its facilities in Geneva and Fleurier. The latter is where L.U.C movements are produced.
Haute Horlogerie
Chopard may not be the brand that immediately comes to mind when you think of haute horlogerie. However, in recent years, the L.U.C collection has gained more recognition, and Chopard certainly caught my attention with this new XPS Forest Green model in Lucent Steel. At a price of €12,700, these are very attractive watches in this high-end segment. But beyond the price, these are also beautiful watches. A colleague recently said, 'They look better than any Calatrava on the market today,' and I completely agree with him.
The beautiful L.U.C XPS Forest Green watches have a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of just 7.2mm, thanks to the 3.3mm thick movement.
L.U.C 96.12-L Movement
I have also visited Grand Seiko's manufacturing sites in Japan multiple times, and they were just as impressive as those I saw at Chopard. Ultimately, they're not that different. With the new Grand Seiko 9SAx movements, the brand has raised the bar for its watchmaking, which now matches its attention to case finishing and dial making.
Nevertheless, I prefer Chopard's movements. The L.U.C 96.12-L movement uses a 22-carat gold micro-rotor, and I like its design more than the 9SA4. The new Grand Seiko manual-winding movement has a very 'technical' look, but it has more attention to aesthetics than, for example, the 9S8x calibers.
Elegant Watches
The Grand Seiko SLGW003 is an excellent watch, priced similarly to the L.U.C XPS Forest Green, but they are simply less elegant. I prefer the classic sector dial of the Chopard to the 'birch' dial of the Grand Seiko. However, for semi-dress GS watches, I don't like the primary case material. While many love titanium for its lightness, I believe it should be used in tool watches or at least watches with a specific (sporty) purpose.
And yes, I like some gold diving watches, so my argument isn't very strong. Nonetheless, titanium for classic watches with leather straps seems wrong. Moreover, the dial color, hands, and case material make the Grand Seiko 'Birch Bark' very monochromatic, which is also not for me. I much prefer the rose gold version (SLGW002), but it costs just under 50,000 euros, and for that money, I would consider other watches.
The chronometer-certified L.U.C XPS Forest Green is my choice of the two, and they even led me to check out some previous L.U.C models on Chrono24. Aside from the 1860 model that enthusiasts have rediscovered, you'll find dozens of these watches at crazy low prices for what they offer. The new XPS Forest Green is one of my favorites, and compared to competitors, including the Grand Seiko SLGW003, the price seems fair to me.
You Can't Go Wrong with Either Model, But I'd Choose Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green
Both watch models in this Sunday morning showdown are magnificent, and it's hard for me to make any unpleasant comments about Grand Seiko. It's simply a fantastic company producing incredible watches. However, I believe Grand Seiko has gone beyond the price segment where it was considered 'a lot of money' and offered significantly higher quality than some of its Swiss counterparts. With prices exceeding 10,000 euros for Evolution 9 models like the new SLGW003, it's become much harder for Grand Seiko to maintain this argument. Fortunately, the brand hasn't said goodbye to the Heritage and Elegance collections. They still feature watches priced from 5,000 to 8,000 euros (approximately).
However, I wouldn't place them in the same segment as the L.U.C XPS Forest Green from Chopard and the Evolution 9 collection from Grand Seiko. The price difference between the two contenders in this article is 1,000 euros, which doesn't convince me to choose GS. The Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green draws attention both front and back.
Cast Your Vote
There you have it - two stylish watches with beautiful movements. Which one is your favorite? Cast your vote and share your thoughts on our Telegram channel.