Seiko?s done a great job over the last couple of years making more of their catalog directly available to American consumers. That being said, some of Seiko?s hottest releases remain restricted to the Japanese domestic market (JDM). The SARX055 is one such watch. A relatively recent release, the SARX055 has already developed quite the following, even earning its own nickname. Dubbed the ?Baby GS Snowflake? by Seiko fans due to similarities shared with the Grand Seiko SBGA211 (a beloved watch commonly referred to as the Spring Drive ?Snowflake?), the SARX055 offers an incredibly high level of fit and finish, proving once again that Seiko is a brand  that emphasizes value.The SARX055 is part of the Presage line, so it sits within the mid-range of Seiko?s automatic offerings. In previous years, the Seiko SARB035 might have been the closest you could get to the Grand Seiko aesthetic for just a fraction of the price, albeit without quite the same level of finishing. The Baby Snowflake looks to be a big step closer, boasting a case and dial that are far more intricate than what we?ve seen from Seiko in the past at this price point.
The most obvious similarity and the reason for the name is the dial, particularly the pattern and color. Inspired by a gentle dusting of snow, the silvery-white dial has a texture that looks lustrous from a normal viewing distance and shows an impressive level of detail up close. It?s not an easy feat to achieve a dial that is both simple and...