Grand Seiko 45GS – 1968 Recreation Limited Edition

Quick specs Grand Seiko 45GS – 1968 Recreation Limited Edition
Price:
$ 30,000 | € 32.000 | £ 27,300 | approx. CHF 26’000 (gold)
$ 9,700 | € 10.400 | £ 8,950 | approx. CHF 8’300 (steel)
Size: 38.8 mm
Reference:
SLGW004 (gold) – limited to 200 pieces
SLGW005 (steel) – limited to 1,200 pieces

It’s about time the legendary 45GS gets a remake version, so here is the Grand Seiko 45GS – 1968 Recreation Limited Edition. And this remake is available in gold or stainless steel, both limited editions. 200 for the gold one, 1,200 for the stainless steel one. But more important, are they in line with the original?

To be honest, if you have the photos only it’s hard to tell which one is the real 1968 GS45 and which one is the new reference SLGW005. A good thing. The original with reference 4520-8000 is a smaller 44GS from 1967 but contained a new movement. As the 45GS is the first Grand Seiko with a 10-beat mechanical caliber, the caliber 4520A, operating at 36,600 vph (5Hz).

It was produced between November 1968 and somewhere in 1971.

45GS from 1968 vs 45GS from 2024

Of course, the differences between the 45GS from 1968 vs the 45GS from 2024 are pretty clear when it comes to the movement. It’s the Grand Seiko caliber 4520A vs the Grand Seiko caliber 9SA4. Both mechanical hand-wound, and both beating at a high rate for excellent precision.

Obviously, the new one is 56 years more modern, with a dual impulse escapement for instance and two barrels for 80 hours of power reserve. The accuracy of the caliber 9SA4 is +5/-3 seconds per day, with a magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m.

Design and functions of the 45GS – 1968 Recreation

Also, the size differs. The original 45GS measures 36.5 millimeters in diameter, with a thickness of 9 millimeters. The new 45GS has a diameter of 39 millimeters and is 10.4 millimeters thick. Just a more modern size.

Both 45GS models are a classic three-hander dress watch. The only difference in functions is the power reserve indicator at the back of the new version. The design of the case follows the contours of the old one strictly, with very fine polishing. And the dial of the new one has the same off-white color as the original. So, the overall design language is still the same, with comparable hands, markers, logo and more.

Prices of the vintage 45GS and the new 45GS

The Grand Seiko 45GS – 1968 Recreation Limited Edition has a serious price. The gold one is in the 30k price tag zone, the stainless steel one costs around 9 to 10k, depending on the currency you are using.

You must be a real fan of this model to pay this price, even though it is a limited edition. If you think it’s too much, you can always try to buy the reference 4520-8000 from 1968. Which is about 1,500 now for a decent one.