Your thoughts on the Seiko Coutura Radio Sync Solar Chronograph

I am considering purchasing the Seiko Coutura Radio Sync Chronograph watch (model SSG010). Does anyone have one and, if so, what are your impressions of the watch. Here is a picture of the watch -



I just took a look at one at my local Macy's store and liked the look of it. It will definitely come in handy when traveling overseas to sync times as I cross time zones. One question I had, which I hope is not too naive, is whether the watch would also automatically sync as I travel back and forth from Birmingham, AL (CST) and Atlanta, GA (EST)?

Tim

I do not have that watch but I do not think it automatically updates as you travel. That you use one of buttons to tell the watch which time zone you are in or rather which timezone you want it to display. It will then reset the hour hand accordingly. And radio sync the time each night.

I am no expert on all the watches available, but the Seiko Astron has GPS receivers to automatically update the time as you travel between time zones. Along with a setting that allows you to put the watch in airplane mode while in flying so that the time is not unexpectedly updated mid-flight. That said I don't think it is checking the GPS receiver in real time but maybe only once per day to save the battery. Though one can tell it to update right away, such as when exiting an airplane in a new city with no need to know the local time zone.

Unfortunately the Astron series is 3 to 5 times more expensive than the SSG010. Definitely outside my price range of $350 to $550.

Tim

Nice looking! I do not have one so cannot comment on performance.

"Seems like" chronys frequently have one little thing go wrong with them ... one hand or function.

That one's pretty, fo sho.


AA

tsellati said:

It will definitely come in handy when traveling overseas to sync times as I cross time zones. One question I had, which I hope is not too naive, is whether the watch would also automatically sync as I travel back and forth from Birmingham, AL (CST) and Atlanta, GA (EST)?

Tim

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Check out the "GMT" type of watch ... eg:



The hour & minute hands operate normally, and the "GMT hand" (in yellow in the photo above) rotates once every 24 hours. When you change the time, you pull the dial out "two clicks" and it adjusts all three hands together ... but if you pull out the dial "one click" it only adjusts the "regular" hour hand but instead of a smooth movement on that one, it clicks over hour by hour forwards or back ... making it really easy to change your "local" time as you cross a timezone, and keep the minute and second hand going normally without even stopping at all. You can set the GMT hand to your home base time, if you like so you always know what time it is back home so your don't call SWMBO at 2am ... or set it at the local time for somewhere else in the world you might often be calling or some such thing.

IIRC, these were originally designed for Airline pilots.

As I do more reading it looks as though the Seiko Astron (SSE087) 8X22 series World-Time GPS Solar watch is more what I am looking for in terms of convenience, accuracy, and flexibility of use within and outside the US -


It is more expensive than I was originally considering, but perhaps I will just have to save up to get what will most likely satisfy my requirements for an excellent timepiece for travel.

Tim

I like the cleaner looks of this Astron watch.

I agree. The first one looks too busy to me, but as we say here, YMMV.

Lmarkow said:

I like the cleaner looks of this Astron watch.

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I have an earlier version of Seiko's super automated wristwatches. Still battery powered, but battery life was projected to be 10 years. Unfortunately, the battery outlasted the watch. I thought it was a battery issue, but installing a new battery did not get it running again. Downside is that the watch has to be returned to Seiko with, as i recall, a check for $350 to get it repaired. I chose to get an Apple watch. Turns out for me, that was the correct decision as we already have Apple computers and iPhones.

Lmarkow said:

I like the cleaner looks of this Astron watch.

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Same here.

^^^What he said. IME with all the small subdials I find them to go from "neat" to annoying in a short period of time. A sub second hand is the exception.

Lmarkow said:

I like the cleaner looks of this Astron watch.

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BSAGuy said:

I agree. The first one looks too busy to me, but as we say here, YMMV.

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vanhooglesnort said:

^^^What he said. IME with all the small subdials I find them to go from "neat" to annoying in a short period of time. A sub second hand is the exception.

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I'm on board with these guys, and prefer the cleaner look of watches that don't have a lot "going on" with subdials and what-not.

... BUT ...

... BUT ...

Go with what YOU like. Buy a watch because you like the looks of it, not because we do. (But certainly think about the advice and suggestions you get from guys here.)

If a watch will be a big purchase that one expects to live on your wrist for 10+ years it is worth mulling it over a bit before buying. Since as to whether a particular watch is too big/small, too thick/thin, too plain/busy, too dressy/causal, etc. is not always obvious at first blush.

The Astron is a nice watch, though at that price starting to get into the price range of some high accuracy quartz watches where there is little need to have any radio time sync. For example the Certina Chronographe DS-8 has a somewhat similar look to the watches you have posted and is accurate to +/- 10 seconds per year. I am not sure if it has a quick set hour hand for you to manually adjust time zones as you travel, which would help make it suitable for frequent travel. For just a little more spend Grand Seiko quartz are worth considering. Not trying to influence your decision other than suggest that you also check out the HAQ category of watches.