Seiko Teams Up With Japanese Retailer TiCTAC for Two JDM Anniversary Editions (Refs. SZSB006 and SZSB007)

Ref. SZSB006 features a matte black dial with printed hour markers and Arabic numerals at the 12:00 and 6:00 spots. The bordered date window at 3:00 is black text against a white base, but its positioning isn’t disruptive to the overall design. There’s a set of cathedral hands here, which can be divisive, but I think they work well (just as they do on the beloved Seiko Alpinist). Vintage lume is featured on the markers and hands, and while I think it’s not worth getting into the vintage lume debate — at this point you either like it or you don’t, and my personal take is it’s really a case-by-case thing — I’ll just say that I think it works well here. One of my favorite little details on this particular watch is the familiar open “6.” It’s a fun little throwback for those in the know without feeling too derivative.

Ref. SZSB007 takes a slightly dressier approach, swapping out the printed markers with applied ones. Additionally the 6 is closed, which perhaps makes this one a touch less quirky. The dial is rendered in a dynamic gray sunburst, and the whole thing is set off with a lume color that is a bit more subtle overall, which works well with the more classic look of the piece.

Both watches are well sized at 40mm, with a lug-to-lug of 48mm and a thickness of 11mm. Inside the case is a familiar Seiko workhorse, the 4R35 caliber, which is visible through the case’s Hardlex back. Ref. SZSB006 comes on a matching steel bracelet, while Ref. SZSB007 is paired with a faux-gator leather strap. It’s a shame that both don’t come with a bracelet since it’s easy to get an aftermarket leather strap down the line.