Belk: Seiko Black Gray SSK001 or Blue Black SSK003 – $380 w/ BUNNYHOP ($475)
*drops needle on broken record/stock alert post which plays every month or so here on this website…*
They’re back. Even in the black dial. At Belk.
Belk is not the gray market (gray market = sketchy sellers, often 3rd party on Amazon, with merch acquired who knows how and never provide the manufacturer warranty). Belk is a southern based department store chain. Which means since they’re a regional retail company instead of a national power, sometimes stock sneaks in and doesn’t get snapped up right away.
They’re also 20% off with the code BUNNYHOP.
Authorized dealer + on sale = pretty tough to replicate with these Seiko 5 Sports GMTs.
Very much based on the Seiko 5 Sports dive-style platform, these things are robust, great looking, and often sold out since a GMT automatic/mechanical from a heritage brand like Seiko is unheard of at this sub $500 price.
The GMT hand is bright red on the blue & black as well as on the black & gray model. (On the seemingly rarer orange dial option the GMT hand is black.) The smooth rotating (not “clicky”) 24 hour ring is broken into two halves of color via a definitive but still smooth transition at 0600 and 1800 (sun-up and sun-down…ish).
Magnifier over the date window + two tone GMT ring.
Made specifically for time-zone hopping travelers, that GMT hand can be used in a few different ways.
That and it just looks cool.
The case is just 0.2 mm thicker than their non GMT brothers (13.6mm vs 13.4mm). 42.5mm case (which wears more like 41mm), 100m of water resistance, and an exhibition caseback are all carried over from the non-GMT. Movement still hacks and hand winds, and the crown does not screw down. Although it feels nice and secure in the seated, waterproof position.
Exhibition caseback so you can see that automatic GMT movement at work.
In stock for now. On sale through Sunday 4/2 with the code BUNNYHOP. Guessing they won’t last that long though.
Ships for free. Returns will set you back $9.95 via a pre-paid label.
Full review here if you’d like it.
That’s all.
Carry on.
