Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT – SSK001K1, SSK003K1 & SSK005K1 (Live Pics & Price)
Seiko is adding the traveler’s hand to one of its most beloved dive watches.
It could very well be the case that whenever people hear the name “Seiko” being touted, a mental image of the Seiko 5 Sports pops up in their head. The design is instantly recognizable, I even dare to say it’s emblematic. Over the years it hasn’t changed all that much, with the same basic design principles still holding up. Materials have progressed, styles have come and gone, but the trusty little Seiko 5 Sports still soldiers on. And today, in the year 2022, it will be able to take you further than ever before. How? With the introduction of the Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT models SSK001K1, SSK003K1 & SSK005K1.
If there is one watch that offers style and substance in abundance, without breaking the bank, the Seiko 5 Sports delivers on all fronts. Introduced in 1968, it has always stood for honest, reliable watchmaking with an active lifestyle in mind. Relaunched in 2019, the Seiko 5 Sports family now welcomes a very important new member, indicated with just three simple letters: G, M, T.
The case for the new Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT Series has grown by just 0.1mm in height and now measured 42.5mm across and 13.6mm in height. The case is done in steel, with a brushed and polished finish. On top sits a rotatable bezel with a two-tone insert showing a 24h scale. The Hardlex crystal has a cyclops over the date, and round the back we find a transparent caseback revealing the movement (more on that in a bit).
While the very legible black, blue or orange dials reveal nothing special at first, it is the hand set that gives away what this trio is all about. Next to the well-known set of hands indicating central hours, minutes and seconds, a fourth hand can be identified. This hand, done in black or red, indicates the second time zone, making this a first-ever GMT watch in the Seiko 5 Sports lineage. The applied indices and hands are coated in Lumibrite, and the date window has a magnifying cyclops.
The new Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT series rely on the Seiko Calibre 4R34, based on the trusted 4R platform. This runs at a frequency of 21,600vph and offers 41 hours of running time. Next to being wound by the rotor, it is possible to wind it by hand through the crown. The movement has a basic level of finishing, which is what you can expect at this price point. Finally, and rather understandably in such a price range, the new Calibre 4R34 isn’t a true traveller’s watch, like this Grand Seiko or a Rolex GMT-Master II, where the second position of the crown allows one-hour jumps of the local time. Here, the GMT function acts like an ETA 2893, where the second position of the crown independently set the 24h GMT hand.
The Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT SSK001K1, SSK003K1 and SSK005K1 are worn on a brushed and polished five-link Jubilee-style bracelet with a folding clasp and secure lock. Priced at just EUR 470, it will be available from Seiko Boutiques and selected retailers worldwide from July 2022 onwards.
For more information, please visit www.seikowatches.com.
2 responses
Pwoah, now that’s a value proposition!
As much as I can’t really stand the ‘SIM removal tool pin’ 6 and 9 (and 12 o clock ‘lab glass’ or ‘funnel’), nor handset in particular, having a mechanical watch with GMT hand sell for under €500 is pretty sick.
Might get the Batman, as the black/red combo is reserved for the Presage Sharp Edged collection GMT I still want to get.
Can we use this upgraded bracelet with SKX007/9 ?