Seiko’s Most Accurate Watch Just Got an Ultracool Makeover

You’ll never guess where Seiko got its design inspiration.

a closeup of a purple and black seiko watch

Published December 18, 2024

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Updated December 18, 2024

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Named after its original quartz watch from 1969, Seiko’s modern Astron line still represents the pinnacle of the brand’s neverending quest for greater accuracy in watchmaking.

Today’s Astron models are the most accurate watches the brand makes thanks to their implementation of GPS technology that enables the watches to remotely sync to an atomic clock and automatically set themselves to the exact time. They were also the world’s first solar GPS watches, which means they draw their energy from light and rarely require a battery change.

The timekeeping prowess of Seiko’s Astron watches is impressive, but most people today aren’t buying a watch solely based on accuracy. If they were, mechanical watches probably wouldn’t even exist. In order for a watch to be desirable, it also has to look good, and Seiko just released a new pair of Astron models that look downright amazing.

a purple and black seiko watch — Seiko’s new Astron watches are among its most attractive yet.

A Uniquely Japanese Inspiration

Japan’s cherry blossom trees are world-famous, but when we picture them, we typically think of their bright pink hues coming alive in the sunlight on a spring day. (Grand Seiko has previously used this for inspiration to great effect.)

But for its latest limited-edition watches, Seiko found a more unorthodox source of cherry-blossom inspiration.

The new watches — references SSJ029 and SSH171 — both sourced their gorgeous looks from the nighttime blossoming of cherry trees under a starry sky, a less commonly depicted sight that feels uniquely Japanese.

two purple and black seiko watches superimposed over a starry night sky and a cherry blossom tree — Nighttime cherry blossoms may seem like a random source of inspiration, but it makes for some great-looking watches.

To illustrate its vision, Seiko gave the titanium cases and bracelets of the watches a jet-black super-hard coating, while the dials received extra special attention.

Both watches utilize the same dial pattern: a gradient purple that’s darkest at the top and lightens to nearly cherry-blossom pink at the bottom. The entire dial is littered with tiny stars for an ethereal effect, while a grooved pattern on the outer portion of the dial mimics a long exposure of star trails.

Pricing and Availability

The combination of the blacked-out case and bracelet with the purple gradient starry dial really works, in my opinion. It comes across as both very cool and almost hauntingly beautiful, and while I struggle to see the cherry blossom inspiration — it reminds me more of the Milky Way — the result is stunning nonetheless.

Outside of the physical makeover, the watches are identical to Seiko’s recently released Astron models. The SSJ029 is the slightly more affordable of the two, with a 42mm case, a date and a power reserve indicator that also displays info related to the GPS system. It retails for $2,600.

For $100 more, the SSH171 offers quite a bit more functionality but doesn’t look as nice because of those extra complications taking space away from the star-patterned dial. It adds a chronograph, a world timer and a day display.

Each model is limited to 1,500 pieces, with both slated to go on sale starting next month.

Seiko Astron SSJ029

This limited-edition version of Seiko’s solar GPS-powered Astron has a uniquely Japanese source of inspiration: cherry blossom trees under a starry night sky. This inspiration is beautifully rendered via a blacked-out titanium case and bracelet and a gradient purple dial featuring a starry pattern.