Seiko Premier

As is customary for Seiko, the watches in the Seiko Premier collection exclusively feature movements made in-house. Its catalog includes quartz watches, watches with Seiko's Kinetic technology and a perpetual calendar, solar-powered quartz watches, and mechanical watches with automatic movements.

Conceived as dress watches, Seiko relies largely on designs with modest elegance. Even chronographs from the SNAF7XXX line outfitted with an alarm function feel neat and tidy despite their many complications. However, the Japanese manufacturer also offers more intricately designed timepieces in this collection, such as the Novak Djokovic Special Edition SNP146P1 or the SRX011P with a moon phase indicator.

Seiko has not only adjusted the size for women's models, but has also added additional accents like bicolor versions, diamonds, and models with rectangular cases.

The Seiko Premier SRX011P1 is the collection's flagship. In addition to hours, minutes, and seconds, this watch also features a moon phase indicator at 12 o'clock, a power reserve indicator at 9, and two subdials that display the date. The actual date is shown at 3 o'clock, while the day is found at 6. This subdial also functions as a 24-hour display.

The caliber 5D88 is at work inside the 42-mm stainless steel case that is also water resistant to 100 m. Thanks to Kinetic Direct Drive, the movement powers itself with any motion and can also be wound manually using the crown. A power reserve of one month and the standard Seiko quick-start function featured in its Kinetic watches top off this timepiece.

One of these watches with a stainless steel bracelet costs almost 750 euros new. You can get the SRX014P1 version with gold plating and a leather band for less than 600 euros.

The SNP14XXX models with a perpetual calendar are similar in their elaborate design. They also utilize Kinetic technology. The movement 7D55 is wound using the wearer's own motion and offers a power reserve of up to four years. Here, you will also once again find the quick-start function.

The main feature of the watch is the perpetual calendar, which will correctly display even the leap year up to February 28, 2100. The date is displayed via a numeral at 12 o'clock and a subsidiary dial for the month and leap year at 6 o'clock. There is also an additional 24-hour display at 4 o'clock. Plan on spending around 550 euros for a current model such as the SNP141P1 with sapphire glass and a stainless steel case and bracelet.

The models SNP145P1 and SNP146P1 are dedicated to tennis star Novak Djokovic. In contrast to the standard versions, these special editions have a 43-mm case with black titanium carbide or pink gold plating. The black SNP145P1 with a leather strap costs about 550 euros, while prices for the golden SNP146P1 start at 565 euros.

If you find the current models a bit too overwhelming with their large lugs and crown protectors, you should take a closer look at their predecessors such as the SNP093P2. They cost around 450 euros in mint condition. Their technology is identical and they have a somewhat slimmer case.

Seiko has been producing solar-powered watches since 1977. The current collection's models SNE453P1 and SNE455P1 use the power of light to provide the caliber V157 with the energy it requires. The source can be both the light of the sun or artificial light. With a power reserve of up to ten months, you can rest assured that your watch will function for a long time even without light.

These SNP14XXX watches with a three-hand design and date display feel much simpler than their sister models with perpetual calendars. The price for an SNE453P1 with a bright dial and stainless steel bracelet is around 390 euros. The model SNE455P1 is available starting at 270 euros. Women's watches with a 31-mm case cost almost 310 euros in stainless steel (SUT321P1), while bicolor versions with pink gold plating (SUT322P1) cost 350 euros.

The Seiko Premier Radio Wave Control World Time Solar SPP001J1 from 2006 may be of interest to collectors. This radio-controlled watch offers not only solar technology, but is also capable of receiving reference signals from cesium atomic clocks in the USA, Europe, and Asia. This allows the watch to get the correct time signal in widespread parts of the world, resulting in a deviation of only +/- 1 second in 100,000 years . The watch is rounded off by a perpetual calendar with leap year functionality that is accurate until the year 2100 and the display of various time zones. You can purchase an SPP001J1 in mint condition with a stainless steel case and bracelet starting at 450 euros.

Seiko counts on simple elegance in models with the reference number SKP39XXX. These stainless steel watches are waterproof to 30 m (3 bar), feature sapphire glass, and are especially flat with a diameter of 41 mm and a height of only 6 mm thanks to Seiko's quartz movement 7N39. The tidy dial with two hands and a date display at 6 o'clock underscore this effect. 

You should plan on spending around 260 euros for an SKP391P1 with a white dial and steel bracelet. A bicolor stainless steel bracelet with gold plating and gilded hands, indices, and crown make the model SKP400P1 into a showstopper. It has a price of about 330 euros. Set aside at least 295 euros for the titanium carbide-coated, entirely black SKP401P1 with a leather strap. You can also find 30-mm women's versions with gold plating and diamonds. Prices for an SXB434P1 with gold plating and 12 diamonds on the dial start at 350 euros. The bicolor variant SXB430P1 with pink gold plating costs around 300 euros.

Should you prefer a seconds display to a date display, perhaps the SRK03XX models will pique your interest. At 8 mm, they are slightly thicker and have a small seconds dial at 6 o'clock instead of the date, thanks to the Seiko quartz movement 6G28. The price for an SRK035P1 is around 250 euros.

The Seiko Premier collection's chronographs are equipped with a quartz movement (7T62) as well. They are also quite compact with a 41-mm diameter and a height of only 10 mm. In addition to the ability to measure up to 60 minutes with an accuracy of a fifth of a second, these watches also feature an alarm function. This is set via a subdial at 6 o'clock. Alternatively, this can be used to display a second time zone. A small seconds dial at 9 o'clock, date display at 4, and the 60-minute display at 12 complete these watches. An SNAF77P1 with a white dial and dark leather strap costs almost 320 euros. You will need around 350 euros for an SNAF75P1 with a stainless steel bracelet.

The Premier SWR029P1 and SWR030P1 are a bit out of the ordinary. Seiko chose a rectangular case for these women's watches, making them slightly reminiscent of the Cartier Tank. The stainless steel version SWR029P1 costs about 270 euros in mint condition, while the SWR030P1 with gold plating is approximately 300 euros.

Seiko has been known for their mechanical automatic movements made in-house for many years. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that the Japanese manufacturer also gave the Premier collection the automatic treatment. This is found in the 40-mm SRPA17XXX models with the caliber 4R35 and a power reserve of 41 hours. These classic three-handed watches with a date display at 3 o'clock are water resistant to 100 m (10 bar). Models in mint condition cost around 365 euros for the SRPA17P1 with a stainless steel bracelet and about 400 euros for the SRPA17J1 with a leather strap.

Quartz watches need energy to function. This is usually accomplished using a battery. The problem with that is that batteries have a limited lifespan and need to be exchanged once they run out. This not only requires you to make an effort, but it also hurts the environment. For this reason, Seiko introduced their Kinetic technology developed in-house in 1986. The principle couldn't be simpler: similar to automatic movements, a rotor is set into motion inside the watch. However, as opposed to an automatic movement, Kinetic power doesn't wind a spring, but rather generates electrical energy that is then stored in a rechargeable battery. As long as the watch is in motion, it will continue to charge, giving the quartz movement the energy it needs to work.

With Kinetic Direct Drive , Seiko goes one step further. Watches with this technology can also be charged manually in addition to the movement of a rotor. You can essentially "wind" these watches. The power reserve display serves to show the accumulated energy.

Modern Kinetic watches also include a so-called quick-start function. When these watches stop, they can be set in motion again with very little motion.