Grand Seiko has a history of taking inspiration from nature and applying these influences in its timepieces. In the past year alone, we have seen the Grand Seiko Ref. SBGR321, which celebrates the morning sky over Japan?s Mt. Iwate, and before that the Grand Seiko Toge Special Edition, recalling mountain passes through the slopes of the same mountain, to name just two of several examples. Today, we look at the latest nature-inspired piece from the luxury watchmaker, the new Heritage Hi-Beat ?White Birch? ref. SLGH005

As its name indicates, the watch takes its foremost inspiration from the white birch tree forests which grow adjacent to the Grand Seiko Studio in Shizukuishi, Japan. According to the brand, white birch trees grow in abundance in this region, standing beautifully and mysteriously through each season, shimmering in each morning light and providing a glowing silhouette for each evening dusk. Grand Seiko?s ever-creative watch designers used this stately background as the template for the new model’s white-birch-patterned dial.
The watch’s 40-mm-diameter steel case is 11.7 mm thick and is finished, like all its brethren in the collection, in Grand Seiko?s signature ?Zaratsu? style, with super-sharp alternating brushed and mirror polished surfaces. The shape of the case is relatively new, introduced by the brand specifically for its Heritage collection and dubbed the ?Series 9? style. Among its unique traits, the Series 9 case design featur...