Grail Watch

Always watching for holy grail timepieces

  • Grail Watch Reference
  • The Watch Files Podcast
  • Grails
  • Commentary
  • Collection
    • Watch A Day
    • Breitling Datora 592
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX1
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • King Seiko 56KS
    • Nivada Antarctic
    • Paul Picot Firshire Chrono
    • Seiko SCED “Aliens” Chronograph
  • Reference Materials
    • Reference Database
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Christiaan van der Klaauw Satellite du Monde
    • Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Reference
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • Nomos Models and Movements
    • Sinn Models
    • Watch Battery Cross Reference
  • About Grail Watch
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 · Log in

Seiko Premier SSA027: Upscale, Open-Heart

April 11, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” is a Seiko Premier SSA027, the dressy brother of yesterday’s SSA005 tool watch. Part of the Seiko Premier automatic line, it features the updated 4R39A movement and an “open heart” design. It’s a decent if clunky dress watch, better made than most Seiko models and a bargain compared to Swiss offerings.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 4R39, Open Heart, Seiko, Seiko 4R, Seiko Premier, Seiko SSA027

Seiko SSA005: Bargain Navitimer

April 10, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today I’m wearing a more recent watch for “Watch A Day”. This Seiko SSA005 has a great “tool watch” look with a Navitimer-esque slide rule bezel and funky 24-hour subdial at 12:00. It’s extremely well-built and was pretty affordable too!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 4R37, Navitimer, Seiko, Seiko SSA005

Enicar Sherpa Super Divette: Super Compressor!

April 9, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” is one that surprised me. I bought this Enicar Sherpa Super Divette on a whim, not realizing the beautiful shape and historical importance of the watch. Now it’s one of my favorites, a vintage diver with a stylish Tropic strap!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: AR 1140, AR 1145, Compressor, Enicar, Enicar Sherpa, EPSA, Super compressor, Tropic

Seiko SCED017 Giugiaro Reissue

April 8, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

One of the most famous Seiko watch lines is the 7A28 chronograph series used in the movie, Aliens. These watches feature off-axis bracelet alignment and big boxy pushers that even regular people notice. In 2013, Seiko reissued these watches in their Spirit line, and today I’m wearing the 2014 SCED017 “Bishop” model.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 7T12, Aliens, Giugiaro, SCED, SCED017, Seiko, Seiko Spirit

Seiko Lord Matic: Emerald Jewel

April 7, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

When traveling to new cities, I often stop by a local watchmaker and dealer for conversation and to see what they kept to sell. I ran into this model Seiko Lord Matic at just such a shop in San Francisco, falling for the faceted crystal, green dial, and arrowhead markers, but felt that his price was delusional. This set off a 6-month quest to find a better example at an affordable price.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 5216, Daini, Hi-Beat, Lord Matic, Seiko, Seiko 5200, Special

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo: Classic Elegance Incarnate

April 6, 2018 By Stephen 1 Comment

Today’s watch is a wonderful travel companion, a versatile and elegant accessory, and a true classic: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo. This was my first high-end watch and cemented in me a love for Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 854/1, GMT, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Reverso

Seiko Lord Marvel: Hi-Beat Cool

April 5, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” is a “Hi-Beat” Seiko Lord Marvel, with a 10 Hz escapement, wonderful textured dial, and retro domed crystal. It’s an occasional wearer for mine, but I love that fast ticking sound.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 5740, Hi-Beat, Lord Marvel, Seiko, Seiko 5700, Seiko 5740

Nomos Tangomat GMT: Easy Traveler

April 4, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

GMT or multi-timezone watches are one of my favorite complications, but many are so complex (with additional hands and dials) that they’re hard to use. Not so the Nomos Tangomat GMT with its integrated pushbutton time zone feature. In fact, you’d be forgiven for overlooking this handy and well-executed complication despite the clean Germanic look of the Nomos!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: DUW 5201, GMT, manufacture, Nomos, Nomos Xi, Tangomat, Tangomat GMT

My Own “Etablissage” Watch

April 3, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today I’m wearing a watch that’s special only to me: Back in 2014 I traveled to the Swiss Jura, visiting La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, and the Vallée de Joux and assembling my own watch at Les Apprentis du Temps. In the style of “marriage” and the tradition of “etablissage”, my oversized watch uses a classic pocket watch movement and components from various Swiss suppliers.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: ETA 6498, etablisseur, Le Locle, Les Apprentis du Temps, marriage

A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37 mm: My Favorite Watch

April 2, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Day 2 of my “Watch A Day” series has arrived and I just couldn’t stop my hand from falling on my favorite watch of all. I purchased this A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37 mm without the usual months of consideration and comparison. It was just perfect the moment I saw it, and it remains simply the best watch I own.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: A. Lange & Söhne, dress watch, Glashütte, hand-winding, L093.1, no seconds hand, Saxonia, Saxonia Thin, ultra thin

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Latest Posts

What is Haute Horology?

What Is the True History of A. Lange & Söhne?

Blancpain, F. Piguet, Biver, and the Path Forward

The Fall and Rise of Zenith, 1969-1988

Hajime Asaoka: Chrono and Kurono, Bunkyō Tokyo

In Praise of the Rolex Cellini Prince

The Thin Watch War | The Watch Files: January 12, 1979

The Day Gérald Genta Challenged the Watch Industry | The Watch Files: November 7, 1984

No Joke: H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp is the Smartest Watch

Inventing the Solar-Powered Watch: Patek Philippe, Synchronar, and Uranus

About

About Grail Watch

Favorite Sites

  • The Watch Files Podcast
  • Watch Wiki
  • Europa Star
  • Le Monde Edmond
  • McGST
  • The Naked Watchmaker
  • Perezcope
  • Plus9Time
  • Reddit /r/Watches
  • Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum
  • The Watch Lounge
  • WatchBase
  • Watches by SJX
  • Watchuseek