SEIKO Exceline Champagne Dial Two-Tone 1988

A slim rectangular dress watch from Seiko's Exceline line, the brand's compact quartz range for women in the 1980s, made in July 1988. The champagne dial is brushed outward from the centre, so it brightens to pale gold in direct light and turns a muted khaki in shade. Inside is the two-hand quartz Cal.1220, so there is nothing to wind and no seconds hand to break up the dial. We fitted it with a black leather strap, and it suits a working day as well as an evening out.

The case is stainless steel with gold-tone plated corner blocks and a steel back, so the gold appears only as small accents. It shows light marks from use but no significant damage. It measures 19mm across (excluding crown) and 26.5mm lug to lug, with a 14mm lug width. The corners of the bezel are cut at an angle and the case is very thin, so it lies flat on the wrist and slides easily under a cuff. A dark cabochon set in the gold crown makes the small case feel closer to a piece of jewellery.

The dial is original. A single ribbed gold baton marks 12, and the other hours are thin black printed lines that leave most of the champagne surface open. The only other details are the gold hands and the Exceline script. With so little on it, the colour of the dial does the work, changing each time the wrist turns.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -