The famous Grand Seiko line of expensive timekeepers has recently been updated with a limited edition model. Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their signature Seiko Caliber 9F, the ultra-precise quartz movement that was first brought to market back in 1993, the Japanese watchmaker introduces their new Grand Seiko Caliber 9F 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. SBGX103) wrist watch.
As quietly as usual, the Japanese electronics manufacturer has updated the GA-1000 series of aviation-themed shock-resistant watches. Their new Casio G-Shock GA-1000-2A features a sporty body, which is similar in its styling to that of the last year’s Casio G-SHOCK GW-A1000-1ADF Smart Access watch. However, this new “aviator” sports a lot more readable dial with analogue and digital displays combined for (almost) perfect usability.
Although I always had an impression that the SARZ series of sporty automatic watches were sold only on the Japanese domestic market, it looks like this mildly refreshed MY 2013 Seiko SARZ033 collection will actually make it across the Pond and will probably make landfall not only in the North America, but, hopefully, here in Europe, too.
Seiko has released a number of limited edition models recently. For this year, the Japanese watchmaker introduces yet another rugged-looking watch. Limited to just 300 numbered pieces, the new Seiko Prospex Landmaster Miura Everest (Ref. SBDB007J) model is built to celebrate the indomitable spirit of Mr. Yuichiro Miura, a Japanese mountain climber who, being 70 years old, became the oldest man on Earth to ever climb Everest. Now, ten years later, the man prepares to reassure his position by making another go to the world’s highest mountain.
The year 2012 wasn’t exactly rewarding for the better part of the population. Greece didn’t default, Doomsday didn’t happen and Valve yet again failed to deliver HL:3. However, there were certain bright spots, too: Spain emerged victorious in the 2012 UEFA Euro cup and the European politicians somehow managed to prevent collapse of the single currency. The watchmakers from Europe and Japan, too, managed to introduce a number of great watches, although there was nothing truly revolutionary neither in terms of design, nor technical characteristics (here I am talking about mass-produced models, not some ultra-expensive one-offs).
Here is a list of twelve timekeepers that were introduced in 2012 and enjoyed the most attention from our readers. Enjoy it right after the jump!
First revealed back in March, 2012, the new Seiko Astron GPS Solar watch is finally available on most markets around the world. Although the timekeeper is presented in four versions (two of them in titanium and two in much more massive stainless steel), the most interesting among them is, of course, this SAST001/007 (no, it has nothing to do with James Bond) model in hard-coated titanium, which is going to be limited to only 2500 pieces.
Although there are hundreds of Star Wars-themed watches there on eBay, most of them do not differ too much from the dirt-cheap jobs that your kids can get with their Happy Meal. This new Seiko Star Wars Stormtrooper (Ref. SDGC011) (and a whole plethora of other timekeepers dedicated to different characters of the SW universe), however, plays in a much higher league. Based on the well-known Seiko Ananta SPB021, the gadget comes powered by a high-quality self-winding movement and features a hard-to-scratch body crafted from hardened steel.
Besides the somewhat extravagant Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Golgo 13, the Japanese company has also recently revealed another “collaboration” model based on the same series of manga comic books: a rugged and grim Seiko Land Golgo 13 Automatic Limited Edition (Ref. SBDC021) automatic watch. Although clearly not as dramatic as the Marinemaster, the new timekeeper seems to be a nice improvement on the original Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster (Ref. SBDC013), which it seems to be based upon.
A little bit too late for the diving season here, in the Northern hemisphere, the Japanese brand Citizen has presented its new Citizen Promaster Sea Eco-Drive (Ref. BN0100-51E) diving watch. Powered by their trademark Eco-Drive caliber (a quartz movement that recharges itself using solar radiation and doesn’t need its battery changed during the whole lifetime of the engine), the watch is offered in a surprisingly discrete body and is rated for whole 200 meters of water resistance: more than enough for an average skindiver.
Browsing Seiko’s Japan site, I stumbled upon this beautiful Credor Node J (Ref. GTWE896) ladies watch. Although powered by a quartz movement (albeit a very good one) and possibly offered only as a JDM model, the new timepiece teaches the major Swiss-based watchmakers a lesson or two about creating a watch, which is both elegant and discrete.
