Seiko has brought a welcome update to their Astron GPS Solar collection, bringing the watch visually inline with the design language we?ve seen established within their Presage and Prospex ranges. The newest Astron UTC features three new regular production references and a fourth limited edition, each getting GPS controlled time and time zone adjustment functionality via the Caliber 5X53 and slick titanium cases. If you?ve always liked the idea of the Astron but struggled with its size and aesthetic, this might be the one to shift the tide. The newest watch marks 10 years of the GPS Solar Astron, and the experience is starting to show. 

The Seiko Caliber 5X53 has been around for a number of years now, providing a host of awesome features to prior generation Astron watches. It is solar powered, and receives time updates via GPS signal multiple times a day, for multiple time zones. Even if it?s unable to receive a signal, it?ll still keep time to within +/- 15 seconds per month, all with the ability to track 39 time zones (yes, there are more than 24). The hour offsets from UTC are listed around the sapphire bezel insert, from -12:00 to +14:00.
The marked bezel makes a big difference visually, particularly alongside the new titanium case, which trims some of the visual heft of previous models. It’s a bit more angular, and measures 42mm in diameter and 12.2mm in thickness. The integrated bracelet keeps the lug about inline with the diameter of the case so thi...