Seiko is, and will always be, an innovative watch brand that continues to push horology to new heights. Back in 2012, Seiko revived the Astron line and introduced the first GPS Solar watch, which synchronizes time via GPS satellites while being entirely solar-powered. Just as the introduction of the original Seiko Astron in 1969, the world’s first quartz wristwatch, took the world of watchmaking by storm, the GPS Solar watch also raised watch precision to a new level.
Fast forward to today, Seiko continues to revolutionize watchmaking and engineering with new Seiko Astron watches. They still feature GPS Solar movements, while updating and refining them to meet contemporary standards and remain sophisticated and innovative. Today, we’re looking at three Seiko Astron timepieces that showcase both the technology and everlasting appeal of the collection: The Seiko Astron SSJ013J1, SSH159J1, and SSH167J1.
The Seiko Astron SSJ013J1: The Modern Sports Watch
The heart of the latest Astron collection is the Seiko Astron SSJ013J1. This sporty timepiece looks and feels sophisticated, something you don’t usually associate with a quartz watch. At first glance, the SSJ013J1 looks like your usual wristwatch, with a silhouette heavily influenced by the 1970s sports-watch aesthetic, thanks to its geometric case shape and semi-integrated bracelet.
Upon deeper inspection, you’ll realize that the case alone is something more. The SSJ013J1 features a 41.2mm super-hard-coated titanium case that is only 12mm thick, making the watch light and discreet. As mentioned earlier, the octagonal shape of its fixed, faceted titanium bezel and the semi-integrated bracelet doubles down on the vintage sports watch aesthetic, with the pushers and crown blending seamlessly with the rest of the watch silhouette.
The dial of the SSJ013J1 is just as inspired as its case design. The sapphire blue dial features crystal-box-shaped patterns inspired by the original 1969 Seiko Astron and the geometry of the quartz crystal. The dial also has polished applied indices, creating a subtle 3D effect with the dial patterns for more visual interest. Each marker and hand has LumiBrite for better legibility in low light. The rest of the watch is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating and a screw-down caseback, giving the watch a respectable 10 bar of water resistance for daily wear.
The heart of the SSJ013J1 is the Caliber 3X62 GPS solar-powered movement. This movement has next-level precision, with an estimated deviation of ±15 seconds per month. It offers approximately 6 months of power reserve when fully charged, or 2 years in power-saving mode as well. The SSJ013J1 also features a date display, a perpetual calendar complication accurate through 2100, and a GPS receiver for automatic, accurate time adjustments across 39 time zones. The GPS reception status and power indicator are displayed on the power indicator subdial at the 8 o’clock position.
The SSJ013J1 is a simple and complete display of why the Seiko Astron Philippines is a revolutionary line of watches. From its sporty aesthetic to its super-precise solar-powered movement, the SSJ013J1 is a versatile watch that you can bring anywhere in the world.
The Seiko Astron SSH159J1: Elevating the Sporty Dress Watch Aesthetic for the World
The Seiko Astron SSH159J1 combines a classic silhouette with an innovative series of watch complications. This GPS Solar Dual Time Chronograph also features a lightweight, super-hard-coated titanium case that is 42mm in diameter and 12.4mm thick. Like the SSJ013J1, it also has a sports watch aesthetic, with a geometric case shape and a semi-integrated bracelet.
The SSH159J1 features a clean silver dial with a vertical hairline finishing and sunburst-finished subdials for the chronograph functions. The hands and applied markers are filled with LumiBrite for better low-light legibility as well. The watch also has a fixed titanium bezel with a mirror finish instead of a faceted one to complement the chronograph layout of the dial.
The SSH159J1 has another layer of functionality beyond being a GPS solar watch. It runs on the Caliber 5X83 GPS Solar chronograph movement, offering an estimated time deviation of ±15 seconds per month, dual and world-time functionality, and, for the first time in Astron history, a chronograph that can measure stopped time of up to 12 hours in 1/20-second increments.
The watch also has a perpetual calendar accurate until February 2100, world time display, automatic GPS-based time adjustment, 100 meters of water resistance, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and a 6-month power reserve during operation that can expand to up to 2 years when fully charged and set to power save mode.
The Seiko Astron SSH159J1 is a solar-powered travel watch purpose-built for travelers and the world. It is sleek, precise, reliable, and full of innovative features, making it perfect for any situation.
The Seiko Astron SSH167J1: Sporty Sophistication Built on Heritage and History
The Seiko SSH167J1 GPS Solar Speedtimer is part of the first GPS solar chronograph collection from the Seiko Prospex line. But beyond the “X” logo of the Prospex on the dial of the watch, the SSH167J1 is much more than a solar-powered chronograph watch.
The overall aesthetic of the SSH167J1 is heavily influenced by the 1972 Seiko “Panda” Chronograph, from its silhouette down to its dial layout and proportions. The SSH167J1 features a 42mm stainless steel case that is 12.9mm thick. The double-curved sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating, while the pushers maintain that classic silhouette reminiscent of the 1972 chronograph.
The dial of the SSH167J1 is just as inspired as its source material. It has a textured charcoal black dial with yellow chronograph accents, a callback to Seiko’s timekeeping history in various sporting events. The watch has a fixed outer bezel with the UTC time zone markings for the stopwatch function. The inner bezel, which surrounds the dial, features the chronograph scale and contrasts well with the dark color of the main dial. The applied hands and indices also blend well with the dial, while the LumiBrite-filled hands and markers are for low-light legibility.
While technically categorized under Seiko’s Prospex line, the SSH167J1 is still a GPS Solar chronograph and runs on the same Caliber 5X83 GPS Solar chronograph movement. It has the same estimated time deviation of ±15 seconds per month, dual and world-time functions and display, a perpetual calendar accurate until February 2100, a 12-hour chronograph, and a date display around the 4:30 mark. All of these are secured by a screw-down caseback, giving the watch a 10-bar water resistance.
The SSH167J1 is a different take on the Seiko Astron by incorporating it into the Seiko Prospex lineup. It is just as suited for the world, this time being designed as an homage to Seiko’s sports and timekeeping history and legacy.
The Seiko Astron: A Perfect Balance of Sophistication and Horological Innovation
What underpins the power of the Seiko Astron is not just its groundbreaking GPS Solar engine, but how that engine is expressed through design. The collection proves that modern Seiko technology doesn’t have to look futuristic and outlandish. It can still be designed to be refined, stylish, timeless, and wearable. From the titanium or steel construction, sapphire crystal clarity, smart-adjusting bracelets, and intuitive satellite-synced timekeeping, the Seiko Astron collection continues to revolutionize how we view watches beyond automatic movements.
