Seiko is giving us three new cocktail-inspired watches, and I'm slightly worried that trying them all at once will lead to delirium. The new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT are available in assertive โflavorsโ: the refreshing light blue SSK037 Skydiving, the whiskey-inspired SSK039 Rusty Nail, and the fruity SSK041 Acacia. What is your favorite cocktail?
Three intoxicating watch cocktails
Although the colors of the three new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMTs are different, they all feature sunray textured dials. And those dials are a very prominent feature, as you would expect from a Presage Cocktail. All three are on the exuberant side. I bet after downing a few cocktails with the same name as your Japanese โbar watch,โ you could easily be mesmerized by their radiant, shiny qualities. But looking at these dials is better than staring at the bottom of your glass.
My pick of the three is the creation with the least flamboyant dial, the SSK039 Rusty Nail. The SSK037 Skydiving and SSK041 Acacia are a little too bright. These watches all have a strong โnight out on the townโ vibe, but they spend the night at different establishments. I imagine the SSK039 Rusty Nail lounging in a jazz cafรฉ. The Acacia SSK041 looks like a wine bar, and the Skydiving SSK037 seems to prefer to party until dawn. I choose jazz over the other two.
A functional cocktail glass
With GMT watches, there is a difference between the โflyingโ and โofficeโ (or โcallerโ) models. The three new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMTs are of the office variety. But since cocktails have no place in the office, I would like to call these specific timepieces โbar GMTโ watches.
This does not detract from their functionality. In my opinion, enjoying a well-made cocktail in the soothing ambiance of a hotel bar while traveling the world is one of life's great pleasures. With one of these three Seiko Presage Cocktail GMTs on your wrist, you'll know exactly when to call home without waking anyone โ I highly suggest doing it right after the first drink.
Either way, the central 24-hour hand shaped like the stem of an elegant cocktail glass tells the time on a 24-hour scale around the dial, with a mix of applied indexes and Arabic numerals printed. You can adjust the hand in one hour increments, independently of the others.
Glossy dial, shiny case
The three new Presage Cocktail watches are extroverted models. The 40.5 ร 12.8 mm steel case is fully polished, which adds a few tenths of a millimeter visually. But that doesn't change the way the watches, with their lug-to-lug length of 47.5mm, wear on the wrist. They're a little too big to be considered a traditional dress watch, but not sporty either. If I had to describe them, I would call these Presage models casual chic versatile watches. These are practical watches that will make your life easier. It starts when choosing which watch to take with you on your travels. One watch that can handle it all is the answer. And as you travel across time zones, it keeps track of two of them. Plus, since the watches are water resistant to 50 meters, a recreational/accidental swim in the hotel pool with one on his wrist won't cause him to lose track of time.
No surprises on the movement side
Seiko has placed the automatic caliber 4R34 inside the new Cocktail trio. This GMT movement is based on the workhorse caliber 4R35. It offers a 3 Hz frequency, a bi-directional winding rotor, Seiko's Magic Lever, a stop seconds function and a 41 hour power reserve โ nothing too spectacular. And this also applies to his appearance. The transparent back shows an industrial finished movement.
Although I would prefer a solid steel caseback with the engraved recipe of the cocktail that inspired the watch, I understand Seiko's choice to show the movement in action. Each of the three new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMTs costs โฌ600. These watches are aimed, for example, at newcomers to the world of mechanical watches. Having a transparent background showing the inner workings of the watch serves both an educational purpose and a source of inspiration. It may also bring comfort to mechanical watch enthusiasts who have fallen away due to the rapidly increasing prices of their objects of fascination.
In any case, for โฌ600, these new Seiko creations offer a lot of mechanical โbangโ for your money thanks to their slightly festive, dressy-casual look and mechanical GMT movement. I will share one final thought on this caliber. The announced accuracy is +40/-20 seconds per day, which is not fabulous. But once that starts to annoy you, you might be willing to spend a little more for a Seiko with a better movement.
To consume with moderation
Seiko will begin serving the SSK039 Rusty Nail, SSK037 Skydiving, and SSK041 Acacia in July 2024. And if those watches aren't to your taste, the Presage Cocktail Time โBlue Acapulcoโ and โGrasshopperโ are still on the menu.
In conclusion, the new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT are elegant, versatile and affordable watches, which will appeal to lovers of beautiful mechanical timepieces inspired by the world of cocktails. With their assertive look and their GMT features, they are perfect for enhancing your evenings and your travels. So, what is your โpoisonโ?
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