IFL Watches Drops Their Next Custom Watch: The Voyager — An Artistic Seiko 5 GMT Mod
IFL Watches has quickly made a name for itself with eye-catching modified versions of popular watches. Not too long ago, I wrote about the latest CasiOak that the Sweden-based team modified in spectacular fashion. Most watch fans will probably also be familiar with the brilliant Tissot PRX series that IFLW spiced up with pointillism dials. This time, it’s all about the popular Seiko 5 Sports GMT, and in good IFL Watches tradition, reference SSK001 gets a remarkable makeover. For this new Seiko 5 GMT Voyager, IFLW fits the watch with a unique enameled dial depicting Earth as a tribute to world travelers.
The Seiko 5 Sports GMT series was among the most talked-about Seiko releases in recent years. The watch introduced the popular GMT complication to the brand’s most accessible line of sports watches. With a list price of just under €500, many have found them some of the most intriguing GMTs currently on the market. So it makes sense that the folks at IFL Watches picked one as their first Seiko model to modify. Like all of IFL Watches’ modifications, the dial has gotten a unique makeover.
The Seiko 5 GMT Voyager gets a unique dial
The base model for this new creation is the Seiko 5 Sports SSK001. IFL Watches has given it a hand-painted dial using UV-resistant enamel paint, displaying Earth on the lower half and a starry sky on the top. When it comes to showing a specific part of Earth, the focus is on Eastern Asia and the Pacific Ocean to pay homage to Seiko’s home country, Japan. The result is a dial that is a great reminder of the beauty of traveling the world. However, you could also argue that this painted scene is almost an homage to space travel, which is an even greater ambition in my book. Whichever way you look at it, it turns the dial into a storyteller that will always remind you of humans’ ability to explore our world and beyond.
The standard Seiko SSK001 comes with a black and gray GMT bezel and a black dial. Because of the dark aesthetic, it turns out to be the perfect canvas for adding vibrant colors to make an artsy dial come to life. The watch also features a 100m-water-resistant stainless steel case that is 42.5mm in diameter, 13.6mm thick, and 46mm from lug to lug. It has a 22mm lug spacing and comes on a very comfortable Jubilee-style bracelet with a folding clasp and a flip-lock for extra safety.
The basics remain
Seiko equips this watch with its in-house caliber 4R34. This automatic GMT movement has 24 jewels and a 41-hour power reserve. It is an office GMT, meaning you can independently set the bright red GMT hand in one-hour increments. Though perhaps better suited for tracking time across the world from home if you have family or business partners abroad, you can also use it when traveling. When crossing time zones, you can easily adjust the GMT hand to show the local time in a 24-hour format.
When interacting with the watch, you will always be reminded of the unique dial. Like all of IFLW’s dial modifications, the company’s talented team of artists hand paint the dials in-house. As we have seen on the different PRX models, they have mastered the art of spectacularly adding a starry landscape to the dial. For the depiction of Earth, the team managed to create a detailed image on the dial in multiple colors. If you look closely, you can see an intricate combination of colors and lines. This gives a fantastic sense of depth and detail to the overall image.
Impressions of the Seiko 5 GMT Voyager
IFL Watches will produce 150 pieces of the special Seiko 5 GMT Voyager. The retail price of this special model is €1,290, and it is available for purchase now. Considering that the original price of the SSK01 is €490, this is quite a steep price increase. Having said that, a lot of time and skill is involved in creating these unique dials. As mentioned, each dial is manually painted, and the watch comes in a tailored IFL Watches box. Additionally, each watch comes with a certificate of authenticity and a steadfast two-year warranty.
The Seiko 5 GMT Voyager transforms the serious SSK001 into a more playful homage to traveling the world. I can imagine this is not a release for everyone. I prefer the abstract paint jobs that IFL Watches has done for the Tissot PRX and the CasiOak models. That said, it’s a matter of personal taste, and I’m certain that all 150 pieces will sell out quickly. IFL Watches has quickly made a name for itself, and its special editions have become hot property. This first Seiko release will undoubtedly bolster that success.
For more information or to secure a Seiko 5 GMT Voyager of your own, visit the official IFL Watches website. Don’t forget to tell us in the comments how you feel about these colorful timepieces.
