Astron

Seiko’s Astron name links two very different chapters of electronic watchmaking: the 1969 quartz breakthrough and the solar-powered, satellite-synchronised watches introduced in 2012. What ties them together is the pursuit of accurate wristwatch timekeeping, though an Astron’s proportions, dial layout and method of setting the time depend heavily on its generation.

The original Quartz Astron was a gold-cased watch powered by the battery-driven 35SQ caliber, not a solar movement. The modern Astron GPS Solar began with the substantial 7X generation; later 8X models brought slimmer construction and a broader range of functions. The SBXB reference prefix belongs to this 8X era. Subsequent 5X dual-time and compact 3X designs took the family in different directions, so neither case size nor a busy dial defines the whole range.

There is another distinction beneath the Astron name: SBXY models use radio-controlled solar movements rather than GPS reception. That makes the synchronisation system a more useful dividing line than appearance alone. Within the GPS branches, chronograph counters, a second-time-zone display and simpler time-and-date layouts distinguish watches with quite different jobs on the wrist.