Welcome to another first impressions post, I think I'll being do these, and maybe second impression posts, not full reviews, they take too long and suck the fun out of a watch. Analysing the whys and the various elements of a watch is ok to a point, but I find it a little pointless reviewing my watches, while I get it might help someone out, I would rather give my impressions in shorter, less structured posts, a bit more free flowing fun and hope that they might still help someone out, and I might not get super bored whilst writing it. I have done a review of the Sugess and that's to follow once I take a few proper photos.
Anyyyway on to the matter at hand, I mean on wrist. The matter on wrist today is the Seiko World Time SPL057P1, and fittingly on a 'hashtag' world time Wednesday. The watch is a 30th Anniversary Limited Edition which is nice, though I feel like they could have stepped it up a level and made it a bit more of a statement piece to mark the occasion, it's simplicity keeps the price down, but it lacks the a prestige that a world timer in this design, those with the countries on the chapter ring are often quite fancy. I feel they missed a trick by keeping it in the lower bucket, you can pick these up between £175-£300, saying that I probably wouldn't have bought it if it was more expensive. There are other colours, the black and blue one looks good too but I liked this combo.
With that in mind it's a good looking world timer, in the natural hues of green, brown and gold. The green is quite subtle and not as poptastic as some of other Seiko pieces, which will please some and not others, I fall into the latter, it could have had a little more glow to it. Saying that, it is still mighty attractive, and is a nice size at 46mm lug to lug, the time zones are easily read as are the sub dials. The 12 o'clock sub dial is is a 24hr dial to show day and night variation, which is a nice touch. The pushers move the world time indicator around the dial to the various time zones which is reflected in the top dial, pusher at 2 to move clockwise, and 4 to go anti-clockwise which is fun and functional. I can imagine that some people won't like the hour marked punched holes around the bezel, but I do, they add a little more of a rugged look, chair leg lugs and another design dimension giving a unique look.
The crown is a bit basic and small, kind of a let down really especially with the lugs looking the way they do, a bigger crown in a complimentary design would have hit the mark. It does what it's supposed to though, as most Seiko's do. It's got an alarm that I haven't tried to set yet, on the bottom dial but it can be used as another time zone I think. The calf leather strap has crackled effect which looks nice, will look better with some proper wear I imagine.
Overall I really like the watch, it has great usability and features at the price point, you can't really grumble. It's a great size for skinny wrists but would work on larger ones too. I guess if you're after a World Timer from the likes of Frederique Constant or a JLC's Master Compressor Geographic, it might not hit the mark, but if you want a fun world timer with a unique look, this watch will do the job. Now I just need to be able to travel around the world again, by the look of things I'll have time to save up for one of the formerly mentioned big boy watches as the UK tightens its COVID restrictions for Lockdown part 2. At least I can pick up the world time and travel through time zones, keeping me connected to the world via my wrist, in reality though travel is sorely missed.
Alvin
Particulars...
MODEL NUMBER
SPL057P1
CASE DIAMETER / MATERIAL
40mm / Stainless Steel
LUG WIDTH / LUG TO LUG
20mm / 46mm
THICKNESS
10mm
MOVEMENT
Seiko Quartz 5T82
WATER RESISTANCE
50m/165ft