Deriving its name from the fact that is was designed around five key tenets — having an automatic movement, ample water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, a day-date window at 3 o’clock, and a case and bracelet built for durability — the Seiko 5 watch range first appeared in 1963 with the Sportmatic 5. Over the subsequent six decades, the Seiko 5 range has evolved and grown to include a myriad of references that, while more modern and advanced, stay true to the lineup’s five original design principles — most recently culminating in the release of the SSK025 and SSK023 from the Seiko 5 Sports Field Collection.
The SSK025 and SSK023 mark the latest additions to the Seiko 5 Sports Field Collection — the successor to the Japanese brand’s SNK field watch range. This pair of non-limited edition four-handers are extremely similar to their non-GMT counterparts in the collection — save for the addition of their fourth GMT hands. As such, both new watches feature hard-coated brushed stainless steel cases measuring 39.4mm in width. Compared to existing non-GMT models in the collection, the SSK025 and SSK023 are slightly thicker at 13.6mm — a 0.4mm increase — while their lug-to-lug measurement is slightly more compact at 47.9mm — some 0.17mm shorter to be exact.
Alongside gaining GMT hands, these watches are also distinguished from the collection’s three-hander references by their new Rolex Explorer II-style fixed 24-hour bezel. Water resistant down to 100 meters (330’), both watches also benefit from new bands, with the blacked-out SSK025 gaining a black calfskin leather strap while the SSK023 (seen here) sports a new staggered five-link bracelet design — both of which are mated to 20mm lugs. Regardless of which version, both models also boast the same high-legibility black-faced dial which sits beneath a curved Hardlex crystal. Keeping both watches ticking is Seiko’s own Caliber 4R34 movement —a 24-jewel automatic mechanism armed with a 41-hour power reserve.
Representing the horological outfit’s most affordable automatic GMT models, the Seiko 5 Sports Field Collection’s SSK025 and SSK023 GMT watches are both available for order now, with pricing set at $415 and $435, respectively.
