Watches with an astronomical bent are nothing new. They?re fairly common in fact, and present themselves in a myriad of ways. The Speedmaster, of course, is the obvious first round draft pick when it comes to space themed watches, but there?s a whole world of astronomical complications and watches that have been worn by astronauts out in the world to round out your hypothetical flight crew. Seiko?s latest entry in their premium Prospex LX line fits nicely into the genre, sporting a dial that forces you to think of our place in the solar system, surrounded by Seiko?s best tech and world class finishing. 

The SNR049 is a Spring Drive GMT with an attractive gradient dial that shifts from black to blue. It?s meant to evoke the earth as seen from space, and once this idea is in your head, it?s frankly hard to shake. We?ve seen similar dial arrangements in the past on dive watches, meant to recall a poetic resemblance to the experience of moving deeper into the ocean, but somehow this black to blue shift makes an even more convincing impression. I think this must have something to do with the fact that most of us have seen images of the earth from a low orbit in our popular culture for much of our lives (either from actual astronaut shot footage, or through the magic of a Hollywood movie) so it feels a bit more familiar than the experience of diving. That said, even if you?re taken in by the space story behind the SNR049, it?s an aesthetically pleasing dial, with a pro...