Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SSA343j1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is especially known for making high-quality durable automatic watches that can last for a long time. Particularly, it is Seiko’s sports and dive watches that are popular amongst watch enthusiasts and collectors.
But Seiko has also proven that it is capable of manufacturing high-quality and elegant dress watches that can compete with many other brands within this field. Often, which Seiko is known for, even competes with watches that are higher priced too.
One of the most praised and appreciated collections from Seiko when it comes to elegant watches and dress watches is the Presage model line.
A sub-category within the Presage collection is the ”Cocktail Time” watches. But what does this mean? Originally, the Cocktail Time watches were made in collaboration with a famous bartender in Japan, and the watches would be inspired by his cocktail creations. Fast forward a few years, and Seiko presented new Cocktail Time watches and continued to build on this concept, which had been rather silent for some time.
Today, there are numerous Seiko Presage ”Cocktail Time” watches, but one of them is the reference SSA343j1.
Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SSA343j1 Review
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The Seiko Presage SSA343j1, or SSA343, (the ”J1” refers to made in Japan), but Seiko sometimes makes the same watch in different countries, and therefore it gets a different letter on its ending. But regardless if you buy an SSA343j1 or SSA343, it’s the same watch.
This watch is elegant, classy, and extremely refined. What tends to make these watches stand out is their dials, and it is the intricate details, finishing, and patterns, in particular, that have made these watches so immensely popular.
The Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SSA343j1 has a fine balance between elegant simplicity and at the same time immense attention to detail. It is definitely elegant and classy enough to be worn with a suit and for the most formal occasions, but its dial makes it somewhat sporty, which means it can also work for everyday wear. As mentioned, the Cocktail time has a number of different watches in its lineup, but the SSA343j1 is the more exclusive and refined alternative. It is less simple and clean and has more intricate details. It is also more complicated than the three-hand Seiko presage watches as it has an additional function.
As the name suggests, it is part of the ”Presage” collection. In Seiko’s own words:
”Presage combines a Japanese aesthetic sense with traditional craftsmanship and Seiko’s watchmaking skills in an original collection that offers Japanese beauty, quality, and long-lasting performance.”
To learn more about this timepiece and what makes it so great, we’re reviewing and looking closer at the SSA343j1.
Seiko Presage SSA343j1 case
The actual case design stays true to the standard Presage, but its size has increased slightly to house the additional complications.
The watch is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40.5 Millimeters which is quite classic for a dressy watch. It has a thickness of 14.5mm. AS a dressy watch should, the case is simple, clean, and elegant. To keep it classy, the case is completely polished and does not have any brushed parts. Its lug-to-lug of 47.5mm makes it medium-sized. Not too big to be perceived as bulky, but not too small to not work for everyday wear either.
Seiko’s concept of this watch is more to make it a classy and elegant everyday timepiece.
With that said, the watch slips under a cuff without any issues and it sits rather discreetly on the wrist. But at the same time, the watch isn’t the thinnest dress watch out there. In fact, for a dress watch, it is actually quite thick. Not to the point where it is too thick, but it does have some presence on the wrist.
The bezel of this watch is very thin and polished, which means that most of the room is given to the dial. As such, the watch has a rather large dial, and this is why it is great that Seiko has really worked to ensure it is the star of the show.
Seiko equips this watch with a Hardlex crystal. In addition, if you turn the watch around, you’ll notice the watch has a see-through case back, which is obviously nice for an elegant watch like this. At this price point, we can’t expect Patek Philippe finish when it comes to the movement, but it still works as a nice reminder of the mechanical piece of craftsmanship beating inside. But more on the movement further on.
The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters, which basically means it can handle water splashes and rain. With that said, it is advised not to go swimming with this watch. But at the same time, most people would even consider going swimming with a classy dress watch.
At 3 o’clock on the case, there is an oversized crown, which surprisingly works well with the watch despite its large size. At the very least, it makes time setting and winding super easy.
Photo: Worn & Wound
Seiko Presage SSA343j1 movement
The SSA343j1 is equipped with the automatic mechanical in-house Seiko caliber 4R57. This movement has 29 jewels and has both hacking seconds and manual winding functions. The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has a power reserve of 41 hours.
As mentioned, the watch has a see-through case back. This allows us to see the movement, and what we see is a somewhat industrial-looking movement, but with a gold rotor. It’s nice that Seiko added a more elegant touch to the movement in the form of a gold rotor, but other than that, it isn’t decorated or finished. At this price point, we cannot really expect much in regards to movement finish, although something would have been nice.
Still, the 4R57 has proven to be a durable workhorse movement, so it will be able to continue to tick and operate for years without needing much or any maintenance.
Photo: Fratello Watches
Seiko Presage SSA343j1 Dial
Moving on to the dial – the star of the show. It’s easy to see why this dial gets so much praise and appreciation. It is different, mesmerizing, and extremely eye-catching.
The dial has a silver color with a light blue tone. The dial has a rich sunburst texture and finish which, unlike regular sunburst dials, are not seen very often. The sunburst texture with deep lines shows that Seiko has really paid attention to the details to make it something unique and special. The result is that the dial reflects the light beautifully and becomes very vibrant and special.
In addition to this, the dial has large applied ”spear-tipped” hour markers applied to the dial. These markers are made of metal, are beveled, and reflect the light incredibly well, as a result.
What makes the SSA343j1 stand out from the other Presage Cocktail Time watches is its power reserve scale which starts from the 12 o’clock position and is indicated until the 4 o’clock position on the dial. What this does is indicate how much energy is left in the movement.
At the 6 o’clock position on the dial, we have a sub-dial. This is actually a date display, which looks rather good for this watch, instead of having used a traditional date window. For an everyday watch, a date function is definitely something that can come in handy too.
The minutes and hour hands are made in polished metal and are beveled. They are made in a leaf-hand style and go very well with the classic design of the watch.
To add a touch of color, the seconds hand is painted blue, and the arrow-tip of the power reserve indicator too.
Photo: Worn & Wound
Seiko Presage SSA343j1 strap
The Seiko Presage SSA343j1 is presented on a black leather strap with a push-button fold-over clasp. This makes it very easy to take the watch on and off.
The strap is ok and looks elegant with the watch, but many owners who have this watch choose to switch to a different strap just for comfort and a different look.
Specifications
- Diameter: 40.5mm
- Lug-to-lug: 47.5mm
- Thickness: 14.5mm
- Jewels: 29
- Movement: Seiko in-house caliber 4R57
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Frequency: 21600
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Water resistance: 50m
Conclusion
When looking closer at the Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SSA343j1, it’s very evident that this watch offers exceptional value for money. It has a durable and long-lasting automatic movement, it is extremely well-finished for the price, and of course has a dial like no other, with impressive attention to detail too.
The SSA343j1 will both feel and look qualitative and premium. The case has classic proportions but sits relatively tall on the wrist. It’s not too small like a classic dress watch, but at the same time, it is not too big that it doesn’t work on formal occasions.
All in all, it simply has a refined and clean design that is backed by high quality and finish. To have all of that presented in a watch in this price range is definitely rare.
The Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SSA343j1 is available to order on Amazon.
