SEIKO Dolce Champagne Gold Dial 1985

A rectangular dress watch from Seiko's Dolce line, the thin quartz dress range Seiko made for the Japanese market, made in January 1985. The champagne dial is brushed outward from the centre, so it turns pale gold in direct light and settles to a soft khaki in shade. Inside is the quartz Cal.7730, a two-hand movement with no seconds hand, so the face stays quiet and there is nothing to wind. We fitted it with a black crocodile-embossed leather strap, and it looks as right with a suit as it does with a knit.

The case combines stainless steel with gold-plated base metal, and the back is stainless steel. The gold appears only as a thin frame around the dial, which keeps the two-tone look restrained. There are light marks from use but no major damage. It measures 25mm across (excluding crown) and 34mm lug to lug, with a 19mm lug width. The corners are cut at an angle, giving an octagonal outline, and the crown carries a dark cabochon. The case is thin and compact, so it sits flat on the wrist and slips easily under a shirt cuff.

The dial is original, and the code printed at six (7730-5020) matches the reference on the case back. A single applied gold baton marks 12, the other hours are fine printed lines, and SEIKO QUARTZ sits above the centre with Dolce in script below. The hands are slim and gold-toned. With so little printed on it, the brushed champagne surface carries the whole face, and its colour shifts every time the wrist turns.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -