Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time (38.5mm) Vs. Baltic HMS 002

Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, Seiko released three new models in its Presage Cocktail Time collection. With a 38.5mm diameter, they are smaller, feature a less in-your-face date window at 4:30, and come in three color options. All in all, it’s a nice new offering from Seiko at the sub-€500 price point. However, it’s also in a very busy corner of the watch market. As a challenger, we thought the Baltic HMS 002 would be a good pick. It’s similarly sized, and style-wise, it’s between dressy and casual, just like the Seiko.

Both watches are also priced very similarly. If you get the Baltic HMS 002 on a bracelet and with a display case back, like the Seiko, it costs €445. That is just €45 less than the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time, which costs €490 on either a leather strap or a stainless steel bracelet. Thomas wrote the intro article on the new Cocktail Time and will defend it in today’s showdown against Daan with the Baltic HMS 002. But first, let’s take a look at last week’s result.

Previously, on Sunday Morning Showdown…

Last week, Sunday Morning Showdown was all about the two 100th-anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual models. What we didn’t expect was that the majority of you weren’t particularly excited about the two celebratory editions. They might indeed be a bit gimmicky, especially for Rolex, but after asking you to pick one of the two, the yellow Rolesor model clearly won with 60% of the votes. It’s the more traditional option, featuring a more classic Rolex look. On the other hand, some did appreciate the more playful take on the colorful Jubilee motif. If you’re celebrating, you might as well go all out, right?

Now, with that one out of the way, let’s get into this week’s showdown.

Daan: Baltic HMS 002

Good morning, dear Fratelli and Thomas. Like many of you, I was happy to see that Seiko released three smaller 38.5mm versions of its Presage Cocktail Time. With their 45.5mm lug span and 11.5mm thickness, the watches seem very wearable for a wide range of wrist sizes. My favorite of the three is the blue HCB001, mainly because it doesn’t feature rose- or yellow-gold-colored indexes and hands, unlike the other two versions. But if I had to spend my hard-earned euros on either the Seiko or the Baltic, it would be the Baltic.

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time looks good, has the right proportions, and offers quite a lot for the money. However, at that price point, I want a watch to excite me. In that regard, apart from the textured and colored dials, the Seiko looks a bit plain to me. On the other hand, I think the Baltic HMS 002 offers similar specs for the money but a lot more character.

A stronger attitude

The Seiko Cocktail Time does indeed lean a bit more toward dress watches, while the Baltic HMS 002 leans more toward field watches. That might give the latter a little more wiggle room in terms of the design. Still, I think the HMS 002 wins here. First of all, it has a fully brushed classic field-watch-style case with drilled lugs and a stepped bezel with a polished top. The Cocktail Time, on the other hand, comes with a more boring, fully polished case.

Neither of today’s contenders has a sapphire crystal. The Seiko Cocktail Time uses Hardlex, while the Baltic HMS 002 uses Hesalite. As for the Seiko, I see it simply as a way to save on production costs. However, on the Baltic, it’s more of a design feature, as the many vintage watches that inspired this model featured similar crystals. It adds to the vintage-inspired character of the HMS 002, especially after it gets some wear and tear.

Then, there’s the obligatory date window on the Seiko. My Seiko SPB317 had a similar 4:30-style date window, and it’s definitely the worst compromise. I don’t mind a date window if it’s executed well. However, the tiny circular date window between the hour markers looks like it’s being swept under the rug. Either decide not to put a date window on a watch, or make it a proper one; this in-between “solution” is no solution, in my eyes. Many brands say they add a date window because a large share of the market wants one. However, I think more brands should dare to leave out the date window, as Longines did on the Legend Diver, for example.

Sector versus nature-inspired dial

The Baltic HMS 002 doesn’t have a date window on its classic sector dial with 12 Arabic numerals. You can choose from four colors, each with a combination of brushed and grained finishes. They reinforce the layout of the sector dial and playfully reflect the light that hits them. I’m more a fan of these functional dials than the nature-inspired dials by Seiko and Grand Seiko. I get bored with their textures very quickly, while I find that the more functional sector dial maintains its appeal better over time.

So, yes, the Baltic HMS 002 is closer to my style, but I also think it’s objectively the more exciting watch of the two. But let’s hear it from you, Thomas, because we’re all different, and that’s exactly why we write these Sunday Morning Showdowns.

Thomas: The new 38.5mm Seiko Presage Cocktail Time

Good morning, Daan, and good morning, Fratelli! This is a tough one… These two watches don’t seem to have anything in common, yet they are quite similar in many ways. While the HMS 002 is more of a field watch, the Presage Cocktail Time takes a more formal approach. Nevertheless, either can serve as a versatile daily wearer. While there is a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison here, they could still serve very similar roles. I think the gist of it is this: they don’t aim for the same customer, and we have to put ourselves in the shoes of the people who buy these.

You approach the comparison from your perspective, Daan, as a seasoned collector and enthusiast. From that angle, I agree that the Baltic probably has the greater appeal. Then again, does it really? I think it warrants a closer look. Crucially, I reckon the Cocktail Time models serve as gateway watches for newcomers. The HMS 002, meanwhile, is aimed at people who are already insiders. This goes some way to explaining some of the points you make. The date, for instance, might not be universally applauded in collectors’ circles, but it certainly is in your Main Street jeweler or department store.

I also have to call you out on those crystals, Daan. I see what you did there, lumping together Hesalite and Hardlex as if they’re the same thing. They aren’t! Unlike Hesalite, Hardlex isn’t an acrylic material. Rather, it’s a mineral glass with a Seiko-proprietary hardened coating. The difference is marked: Hesalite will scratch over time and requires polishing. Hardlex, while not nearly as hard as sapphire, should not scratch unless you have a real mishap. So, for an entry-level mechanical watch, Hardlex is certainly a defendable option.

Both cut corners, but Seiko does it more elegantly

It is no secret to Fratello readers that watch brands must cut some corners to stay at a sub-€500 price point. Nobody will be surprised to learn these aren’t Rolex-level watches in terms of build and finishing. The question is: which corners are cut, and are those the right ones? I reckon Seiko wins hands down in this respect.

You mention the Seiko’s fully polished case and call it boring. I would turn that around. The full polishing is exactly the right kind of cost-saving measure. While perhaps visually less exciting than intricate, alternating finishes, it looks neat and nicely executed. The Baltic, meanwhile, has seriously low-end brushing, resulting in hazy surfaces and even some unintended faceting. Don’t get me wrong: this is perfectly acceptable at the price, but the Seikos look infinitely neater because of it.

The same applies to the handset. Baltic, granted, is more ambitious with a combination of white-lacquered and blued hands. However, again, this cannot be executed to a serious standard at this price. Seiko, meanwhile, does a very sharp polish and plating and calls it a day. It is simpler, but the result is arguably better. I would always pick a simple but good watch over one that’s ambitious but compromised.

More reasons to pick the Cocktail Time over the Baltic HMS 002

The theme continues as we look more closely. You may bash my date window, Daan, but your Baltic HMS 002 features a date too! The only problem is that it doesn’t show. The Miyota 8315 inside is a date caliber, and you get a ghost position on the crown. That, again, strikes me as unrefined.

The same applies to the fit. While these watches share a virtually identical diameter, the Seiko is 1.2mm thinner and 1.6mm shorter than the Baltic HMS 002. While subtle, those measurements help it sit better on the wrist. Granted, I am nitpicking, and I happily admit this is the weakest of my arguments, but I might as well get all available punches in.

I have spoken a lot about cost-cutting measures, but the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time isn’t solely about that. While spartan in most respects, it has one major party piece: its dial. It may not be to your taste, Daan, but it is executed extremely well. The texture is rich and sharp. The colors appear to be the result of layer upon layer of transparent lacquer. This dial looks expensive, for lack of a better word. You get a lovely taste of Grand Seiko in the quintessential Seiko style. Taste aside, that’s just great!

Cast your vote!

There you have it — two radically different watches in how they feel yet direct competitors in feature set and price. Which is your favorite? Cast your vote below, and don’t forget to share your motivations in the comments section!