Seiko’s cherry blossom-inspired Astron watches offer a cosmic twist

These two watches from Seiko will give you a stargazing experience

By Nathan S.R Published January 2, 2025

Seiko Astron GPS Solar — Seiko Astron GPS Solar Seiko / Seiko

Seiko’s Astron collection is made up of watches with high-quality movements, perfectly designed for precision and accurate timekeeping. Such pieces run on the latest technology, such as the GPS tech, which relies on solar energy to display time.

While the Astron collection has high-performing watches, it is also quite popular for its modern-like and contemporary allure. Seiko recently revamped watches from the previous generation. The latest Astron references have a modern, cherry-like theme highlighted by purple and black hues.

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Japanese cherry blossoms have always been admired due to their conspicuous pink color, a hue that’s radiant enough to breathe life into anything. Most designs are based on the daytime appearance of cherry blossoms, but Seiko went in a different direction.

The new design paints a clear picture of cherry blossoms at nighttime, using dark shades and purple color accents. The dial is characterized by a beautiful gradient color with dark purple hues to accentuate different elements. Think of the new view as a quick glance into the sky at night in a garden filled with cherry blossoms.

The top segment looks like a galaxy, thanks to the white glitter and purple hues. The nighttime look is unique and adds some character to these two watches—the SSJ029 and the SSH171. Equipped with four different complications, the SSH171 is more powerful than the SSJ029.

The cherry-inspired pieces will be rolled out into the market by the end of January. While the Seiko SSH171 retails at $2,700, the Seiko SSJ029—the smaller counterpart—is more affordable and retails at $2,600. Only 300 pieces will be launched.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nathan has devoted his life to collecting watches, studying horology, reviewing watches, and writing about timepieces. As a…

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Fashion & Style

From regatta to deep sea: The top maritime watches for serious collectors

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Fashion & Style

Casio brings back its impossibly small ring watch

Second chance: Casio's miniature ring watch returns to American market

Casio Ring Watch CRW001-1

Casio announced the US restock of its Ring Watch CRW001-1 on July 1st, bringing back the small timepiece that sold out quickly after it came out in America in late 2024. The restock follows successful lottery sales in the UK and Japan, showing that people around the world want this digital watch that goes on a finger.
The Ring Watch CRW001-1 shows Casio's bold way of looking at wearable technology—it shrinks standard digital watch functions into a ring that measures only 25.2mm across and weighs 16 grams. Even though it is small, the timepiece keeps necessary features, including support for two time zones, a stopwatch that measures 1/100th of a second, and hourly flash alerts.
Casio US confirmed the July 1st restock on Instagram, saying the watch would only be available through the brand's online store, not in physical shops. Compared to the lottery systems in other places, American customers will buy the watch in the order they arrive—this might cause a lot of competition among people who collect things and those who like technology.
The small digital screen has a backlight so you can see it in different light. The stainless steel build makes it sturdy, even though it is small. The ring fits size 22 fingers (US 10.5, EU U), and you can adjust it down to size 19 (19mm inner diameter) or size 16 (18mm inner diameter).
The engineering needed to put normal digital watch parts into a ring shape shows how well they made it. The 1/100th second stopwatch is as exact as bigger Casio watches. Travelers who want to check the time without others knowing will like the two-time zone feature.
Casio did not say the exact restock time but told interested customers to sign up for email notifications about when it would be ready. That way may help manage the internet traffic while making sure serious buyers learn about buying chances in time.
The Ring Watch's appeal shows more people are interested in other types of wearable devices, not just ones worn on the wrist. Casio's good result with this unusual approach shows that people want new watch designs that question common ideas about what a watch should look like.
The quick sellout after the US launch, along with international lottery systems, suggests that collectors are very interested and that the watch might sell for more later. Casio has not said anything about more restocks in other places after the July 1st US availability, keeping the watch special.
This restock gives American buyers a second chance to get one of the most noticeable wearable technology releases of the year, bringing together Casio's history with digital watches and its push to make things very small.

Fashion & Style

Grand Seiko’s claw-inspired watch costs $16,400

Angular evolution: Grand seiko's tokyo lion tentagraph features brilliant hard titanium construction

Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion

Grand Seiko added a watch to its Tokyo Lion collection— the Sport Collection Tokyo Lion Tentagraph. This watch comes with the brand's first mechanical chronograph movement and holds to the angular design that has set the series apart since 2019. The watch costs $16,400 and will be available in August 2025. This 43mm watch shows a clear step forward for the collection.
The lion sign stays important to Grand Seiko's identity—it stands for how easy a watch is to read, how long it lasts, how comfortable it feels, and how good it looks. This symbol has been part of the brand's history since 1960. The Tokyo Lion collection turns this symbol into a bold, angular shape that copies a lion's paw through its geometric form and surface finishes.
The newest Tentagraph watch shows more of the feline idea. Its surfaces have hairline finishes that look like claws, and this design brings out cat-like shapes across the case. The watch measures 43mm across and 15.6mm thick—these large sizes catch the eye right away. The watch feels good to wear because of how it is shaped to the body.
Grand Seiko uses Brilliant Hard Titanium in the Sports Collection for the first time. This metal is twice as hard as regular stainless steel. The alloy looks brighter than common titanium and also resists rust and scratches better, which is needed for sports watches.
The chronograph buttons have a new shape—this change makes them easier to use when someone is active. The three small dials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock look three-dimensional. A Lumibrite coating on them makes sure a person can read them in all light, from bright day to full dark.
A brown silicon rubber strap comes with the watch, it has a lion's paw design on the back that adds a subtle design touch. The strap bends easily, so it feels good to wear. The case back has a slight curve. These details make the watch comfortable to wear in many places, and the watch also holds out against water down to 200 meters.
The Tentagraph Caliber 9SC5 is the main technical feature. It has a chronograph part that works at 5Hz. This fast-moving part runs for 72 hours on one charge and also protects against magnetic fields up to 4,800 A/m—these are important features for a modern sports watch.
The chronograph functions add to the Tokyo Lion's sports appeal while keeping the collection's specific look. Grand Seiko's mechanical skill joins with its angular design idea, forming watches that go against how people usually think about sports watches.
People can get the watch in August 2025. It will be on Grand Seiko's website and at stores that sell its watches, this makes it easy for people around the world to buy good Japanese mechanical watches. The $16,400 price shows the better materials, the in-house movement, and the special design that set Grand Seiko's sports watches apart.
This Tentagraph shows Grand Seiko's continued step forward in expensive sports watches. It shows how old Japanese craftsmanship can take on modern design styles while keeping its technical lead and wearing comfort for demanding uses.