Prior to the whole COVID situation, travelling used to be quite a frequent event for me, either for family holidays, or to attend work-related conferences. When COVID hit, all that changed, but I remain hopeful that hassle-free travel will return. Hence, I’m presenting my new Seiko 5 GMT SSK001! Hoping for it to accompany on a trip sometime in the near future.

When I first saw the announcement regarding this new release, saying I was excited would be a major understatement. What’s there not to love? An established, trusted and reliable brand from Japan that’s been in the business for decades, a design reminiscent of one of their beloved retired models (the SKX line), and all at a very competitive price point of under $650 SGD (or 470 Euros).

They come in 3 different colour schemes:

(1) Black and grey bezel with a black dial (SSK001)
(2) Black and blue bezel with blue dial (SSK003), and
(3) Black and grey bezel with an orange dial (SSK005)

While I was initially intending to get the SSK003 (I mean, everyone’s childhood dream was to be Batman, right?), I eventually went with the SSK001.

Specifications of the Seiko 5 GMT watches are otherwise similar, featuring a bi-directional bezel, a diameter of 42.5mm, and a height of 13.6mm, making it quite a hefty presence on the wrist. Compared with its predecessors, instead of a printed aluminium bezel, it features a Hardlex bezel insert, adding a watery texture and depth to it. The bracelet is in a Jubilee style and is very comfortable, and doesn’t really tug on the hairs – a big plus! The clasp is stamped rather than milled, but honestly at this price point I’ve no complaints.

I have several 4R movements in my collection, with the 4R35 (date), 4R 36 (day and date), as well as 4R37 (date and 24-hour subdial), and hence my collection is no stranger to the 21,600vph movement. However, it’s the first in my collection from the new line of Seiko 5’s since the line was revamped in 2019, and also my first with the 4R34 GMT movement, and perhaps the closest competitor in my collection would be ETA 2893-2 movement, the ETA equivalent for a GMT. Instead of an independent hour hand, it features instead a “caller-GMT” which operates with an independent 24-hour hand instead. Different strokes for different folks, but again, at this price point, I have absolutely no complaints! Especially when as a trade off, we get a quickset date function. No more tedious winding and setting of the date whenever the watch stops!

I think overall, the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 makes a wonderful no-frills piece for travelling when you want some peace of mind that you’re not carrying too much of a burden on your wrist. It’s fun, and has a strong wrist presence as well. I’d say it represents superb value for money, considering all that it has to offer.