At BaselWorld 2011, Seiko introduced a whole range of watches. Of specific interest, at least for this post, is their 4R39 Caliber as showcased in their automatic with 24 hr indicator (SSA021J1). What immediately jumps out, aside from that 24-hour indicator, is the “open heart” on the dial.
Why is this interesting? It allows you to see the mechanical movement (at least, part of it) ticking away, without having to turn the watch over and/or open the case. Certainly, there are plenty of skeleton watches that allow that as well, but I tend to find those more difficult to read than anything.
- Stainless steel case and band (also available with a leather strap)
- Sapphire crystal
- Water resistant to 100m
- Approximately 41 hour power reserve
- 4R39 Caliber movement: 21,600 bph, 24 jewels, automatic
On the steel bracelet, this is a watch that can quite certainly stand up as a daily wear piece, transitioning from the office to a night out without a blink of an eye. Of course, before you can do that, you’d have to acquire one – and that part seems a bit sticky. While I can find European and Asian sites offering the watch for sale (for around $600), I’ve been unable to find a reseller in North America. Of course, if you come across one in your own searching, feel free to let us know!
And while you’re searching the internet on these watches, you will see that there is considerable buzz on the watch forums surrounding this collection, and the new in-house movement. While it is an untested movement, it does have Seiko’s track record standing behind it – and I’m sure we’ll learn more in the days to come as those forums start to get some hands-on time.
