Reach For the Stars With the New Seiko Astron “Morning Star” Solar GPS Limited Edition

Seiko’s boundless solar-powered technology has now been released in a “Morning Sky” GPS Limited Edition version of the Astron, clad in luxurious deep purple and golden tones to mimic the serenity of the early morning sky.

High-tech wristwatches with accurate perpetual calendars are a speciality for Seiko. The Japanese brand’s Astron collection is where you can find models with GPS and solar power, not to mention guaranteed accuracy no matter where you are in the world. Top models from the Seiko Astron collection include chronographs and dual time complications. If you haven’t already discovered them, it’s definitely a good time to. To fully appreciate the appeal of the latest Seiko Astron “Morning Star” watch, we need to take a closer look at the Seiko Astron collection and why it has become such a popular and collectable range.

The Seiko Astron – The First Watch with GPS and Solar

The first Seiko Astron GPS Solar watch arrived in 2012. It was the first to feature solar power and a GPS receiver in the world. It worked by receiving GPS from multiple satellites, setting itself to the current local time by a miniaturised antenna ring located underneath the bezel. Given the fact that this watch only deviates by one second in 100,000 years and takes another 39-40 time zones into account when fulfilling its role, the Seiko Astron is one of the most accurate mechanical watches of all time. The fact that the watch relies on solar power offers the wearer another advantage. You don’t even need to rely on regular battery replacements or worry about the risk of winding down the power in an automatic watch.

The GPS Solar Chronograph is another branch of the Astron Solar tree. It runs as accurately as an atomic clock. The model was added to the collection in 2014 and was the first to feature a GPS function and stopwatch complication all rolled into one. Suffice it to say, Seiko has several solar-powered accomplishments under its belt, which brings us to one of its latest additions to the collection – the “Morning Star” Solar GPS Limited Edition.

The New Seiko Astron “Morning Star” Solar GOS Limited Edition Watch

The new “Morning Star” watch follows similar forms that have already acquired a huge following. The Solar Astron range has always been respected for its high-quality finishings and its ease of use, despite being a relatively complicated wristwatch. For travel, these two versions of the watch are neat. Their dark cases and crisp, luxurious dial elements are reminiscent of the early morning sky when the light first begins to pierce the sky and illuminate its vastness. Purple gradient dials are met with indulgent golden details adding an entirely new dimension to the Seiko Astron range. Both of the new models are limited to 1200 pieces worldwide and have been crafted from titanium for a lightweight finish on the wrist.

One thing I love about these new Seiko Astron GPS “Morning Star” watches is their super hard coated surfaces. The process has been applied to not only the case but the titanium bracelet too. The treatment is a great advantage to the design and has been used throughout the brand’s collections over the years. In this design, the Seiko Astron “Morning Sky” watches have received a black finish, giving them a sleek and almost futuristic look. Both of the models also offer solar power charging and GPS signal reception for on-the-go accuracy. What I mean by this, is that if the watch fails to pick up the signal for some reason, the accuracy is still impressive with an average of +15 seconds per month. When either of the two models has been fully charged, they offer a charge that lasts up to 6 months. The watches can also hold and save all your settings for up to 2 years when not in use.

Now let’s take a look at how the two Seiko Astron “Morning Star” Solar GPS watches differ. The model reference SSH145 is a perpetual calendar that will deliver the time, day, date and month correctly until the year 2100. Not only are two time zones on display but a total of 39 time zones are available altogether, plus the watch enables you to switch from the main hands and the 6 o’clock sub-dial effortlessly. This function is particularly helpful when switching time zones during travel.

In addition to these features, the ref SSH145 also features a chronograph complication and a power reserve indicator function, as well as a day and night display. You can reference the days of the week at 3 o’clock and a leap year function on the opposite side. This iteration of the new Seiko Astron “Morning Sky” Limited Edition watch adopts the more angular style of the 5X line. Measuring a diameter of 42.7mm, it’s a reasonable size and feels substantial on the wrist with a depth of 12.2mm.

Now, onto the Seiko Astron “Morning Sky” Solar GPS Limited Edition watch reference SSJ021. This watch is powered by the Calibre 3X62, which is simpler in design compared to the Calibre 5X53 that powers the ref SSH145. In this design, the watch goes without the chronograph complication and instead features a perpetual calendar, a power reserve indicator, and a GPS signal. The date display takes up residence at 3 o’clock against a deep purple backdrop. I must say, the purple hue of the dial is, by far, one of the most attractive elements of this design. Combined with the golden elements, the purple shades make for an incredibly entrancing display to read the time and other functions. The case of this watch is highly faceted and matches the ref SSH145 in terms of its 100-meter water resistance. In addition to this, both models share the sporty integrated bracelet. This watch, however, measures a slightly smaller 41.2mm diameter. But for thickness, Seiko shaves off a mere 0.2mm in height.

Purple seems to be an increasingly popular colour across the horological landscape right now. Paired with their black cases and adorned with gold hardware, there’s not much to dislike about these new Seiko Astron “Morning Sky” watches at all. If you haven’t yet added a solar-powered watch to your collection, you might seriously consider a model like either of these two from the Seiko Astron range. They promise unparalleled accuracy, a sporty aesthetic and a nice use of innovative lightweight materials. The exterior of each watch looks incredibly high-end, while inside the cases is an equally sophisticated movement.

If you’d like to secure yourself a timepiece in either the chronograph or non-chronograph version of the new Seiko Astron “Morning Star” Solar GPS Limited Edition Watch, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453 or you can find out more by emailing us a question at help@jurawatches.co.uk