SEIKO Lucent Two-Tone White Dial Lady 1996

A small two-tone dress watch from Lucent, Seiko's dress line of the 1990s, made in June 1996. The dial pairs a plain white centre with a frosted pale-blue ring carrying gold Roman numerals, so the numerals sit on a soft texture while the middle stays clean and easy to read. A gold bezel and crown against a silver case add warmth without making the watch look heavy. Inside is the quartz Cal.1F21, which needs little more than a battery change. We chose a dark green leather strap for it (not original to the watch), and it suits a weekday office as easily as an evening out.

The case is base metal with a stainless steel back, and the stepped bezel is gold-toned. There are light scratches on the case back and small marks from use, but no significant damage. It measures 22mm across without the crown and 27mm lug to lug, with an 11mm lug width. The straight lugs drop toward the wrist, so the small case sits flat and slips neatly under a cuff.

The dial is built in two layers: a smooth white centre and an outer ring with a fine frosted finish. The gold Roman numerals and slim gold hands are set over that ring, which reads silvery in bright light and turns a cool blue in shade. It is a dial that changes with the room, something photographs only partly show.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -