SEIKO Dolce "Two-Tone Silver Dial" 1999

A slim dress watch from Seiko's Dolce line, the range Seiko started in 1980 for thin, refined quartz watches, made in 1999. The silver dial is split into two zones: a fine sunray centre and an outer ring of concentric grooves, so the two parts catch the light differently as the wrist turns. Gold applied markers and gold hands sit over it, and the gold-tone crown is set with a dark cabochon. Inside is the quartz Cal.8J41, so the watch needs no winding and can be picked up and worn as it is. It comes on Seiko's original two-tone Dolce bracelet, and it sits as comfortably with a suit as with a plain knit at the weekend.

The case is two-tone plated with a stainless steel back. The back carries a Japanese engraving and a company emblem marking 30 years of service in 1999, so this watch began life as a long-service award, and the engraving also confirms its date. There are light marks from use, but no major damage. It measures 31mm across (excluding the crown), 38mm lug to lug, with a 10.5mm lug width. The case is very thin and slides under a shirt cuff without catching, and the bracelet fits wrists up to 19.5cm.

The dial is original. Gold baton markers, doubled at 12, and a track of small dots around the edge are laid out cleanly, with the DOLCE name below the centre. In good light the sunray centre brightens while the grooved outer ring stays a little darker, which gives a single-colour silver dial real depth.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -