The Seiko Astron GPS Solar SSH158J1 Limited Edition watch hands-on

Introduction

Last April, amidst the launch of several 100-year celebrative Seiko watches, we released the Seiko Astron GPS Solar Kintaro Hattori Limited Edition SSH156J1‘s hands-on review.

When the Japanese brand names a timepiece after its founder’s name, expect no other than a top-tier product, and so was with the most ambitious and refined Astron GPS Solar option in a decade.

As we enter 2024’s last quarter, Seiko has not yet finished pulling the trigger on its limited edition models. It proves how Astron and the 5X83 movement represent a prolific platform to such an extent that it requires all our effort to list the entire lineup. However, we were told that the model reviewed here officially ends the 100th-anniversary model line.

The new limited edition Astron SSH158J1

We extensively covered the 5X83-powered models, based on the renovated three-counter layout housing the days-of-the-week counter at nine o’clock. To learn more, head to one of our listed Seiko articles.

After merging with a Prospex model, the Astron GPS Solar is an option for the collector’s Kintaro Hattori, with the reference SSH158J1.

Among the collection’s assets and the reason it undergoes a relentless product evolution is how quickly the product development is compared to any standard mechanical Seiko watch.

In brief, the Astron is a “fast-moving” product from a technological development perspective. In contrast, it is much more affected by obsolescence. However, the refinement is so high that the technological leap between one generation and the following is often negligible.

It is the same (yet different) as an SSH156J1.

We would have gone for an SSH158J1 to SSH156J1 head-to-head, but it was a difficult mission given both products’ unavailability.

It would help us and the readers compare them in detail. An Astron SSH158J1 shares the same architecture as an SSH156J1 and primarily adopts the same combination of materials and treatments with a slightly different gold one.

The case and bracelet are blackened with hardened titanium alloy for the case and outer links. In contrast, polished ceramic is used for the bezel and mid-links.

Rose gold appears on the crown, pushers, and the ring between the bezel and the case body.

However, we can spot some slight differences compared to a Kintaro Hattori: the case back is entirely black, and the bezel’s ceramic inlay is smooth compared to an SSH156J1, whose profile is wavy.

An SSH158J1 is softer overall since rose gold is more subtle than yellow gold. The high-contrast colours on the Kintaro Hattori embody the legendary black-and-yellow gold combination so popular since the early 1980s on many JDM diving watches and chronographs.

It is not small, but it is light.

At 43.4mm in diameter, 14.1mm in thickness, 49.5 mm lug-to-lug, the Seiko Astron SSH158J1 is a hefty watch by modern standards, in line with a self-winding mechanical chronograph. Yet, it is perceived size is not since it weighs 124 grams. Thus, it wins hands down in weight-to-size ratio and comfort once on your wrist.

The watch exudes luxury from any angle, setting it apart from an ordinary satellite watch. Kudos to Seiko’s designers for playfully highlighting the matte to polished finish.

The Seiko Astron SSH158J1 100^th Anniversary Seiko Brand Limited Edition combines state-of-the-art satellite technology with a premium feel, thus addressing a specific audience.

Final thoughts

The Seiko Astron GPS Solar SSH158 Seiko Brand 100^th Anniversary Limited Edition debuted as a 1200-piece limited edition model. It retails for 3,200 euros, making it a direct competitor to an SSH156J1.

If you desire a more elaborate touch, a commemorative box, or an additional rubber strap (a relevant option on a 100-meter waterproof satellite watch), head to a Kintaro Hattori. The reference SSH156J1 is geared towards a more European-based audience whose appreciation for rose gold outperforms anything else in the benchmark.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®)