The Grand Seiko SLGB005 is a limited edition of the Evolution 9 Spring Drive U.F.A. (Ultra Fine Accuracy) in Ever-Brilliant Steel, a corrosion-resistant steel alloy with a brighter tone than standard stainless steel. The case measures 37 mm in diameter, 11.4 mm thick and 44.3 mm lug to lug, with brushed surfaces and Zaratsu-polished accents. It has a screw-down crown, a box-shaped sapphire crystal with inner anti-reflective coating, a sapphire display back and 100 m of water resistance. The dial carries the embossed Shinshu Ice Forest pattern in a violet gradient, with faceted hands and indices and a date window at 3 o’clock. Inside is calibre 9RB2, an automatic Spring Drive movement with 34 jewels, a 72-hour power reserve shown on the back and an official rating of plus or minus 20 seconds per year.

Grand Seiko unveiled the watch in September 2025 for delivery from November 2025. It is the first U.F.A. model in steel, after the platinum SLGB001 and the titanium SLGB003. The dial colour was inspired by winter sunrises over Mount Kirigamine in Nagano. The three-link Ever-Brilliant Steel bracelet closes with a three-fold push-button clasp bearing an 18k rose gold medallion. Unlike the SLGB003, it does not have the micro-adjustment clasp. The edition is limited to 1,300 pieces, priced at USD 11,100, EUR 11,000 and GBP 9,500.

Coverage praised the finishing and the movement. Watches by SJX singled out the hands and dial furniture and called the watch a worthy counterpart to the SLGB003. It also noted that the price sits slightly above the titanium model and that the dial is a new colour of an existing pattern rather than a new design. Monochrome liked the 37 mm size and the brighter steel but felt the case could be about 1 mm thinner, and it regretted the missing micro-adjustment clasp. Some Monochrome readers called the clasp a deal breaker or questioned paying over 10,000 for a steel Grand Seiko. Fratello listed it among its late 2025 highlights, while Oracle of Time saw it as a solid addition rather than a breakthrough. As of October 2026 the SLGB005 is a limited edition of 1,300 pieces delivered from November 2025, and its page no longer appears on Grand Seiko’s regional websites.