WATCH of the WEEK: Designed for space, built for everyday life—the Rotocall family is growing
Last fall, Seiko brought a piece of Seiko’s history back to life.
A digital quartz watch developed in the 1980s that stood out for its exceptional functionality and striking design. Its official name: “Seiko A829.”
However, many watch enthusiasts found this name too plain, so they came up with nicknames. For example, “Rotocall”—a reference to the fact that it is operated via the rotating bezel rather than traditional pushers. Another unofficial name is “Astronaut Seiko,” because the model was worn by several famous astronauts during their missions.
These include, among others, Wubbo Ockels, the first Dutch person in orbit; Anna Fisher, the first mother in space; Paul Desmond Scully-Power, the first Australian in space; and Ulf Merbold, the first West German on a NASA mission.
Incidentally, the astronauts had chosen the “Seiko A829” themselves; it was not part of their official equipment.
Retro Design Meets Modern Functionality
Now two new models are being added to the lineup. Here, too—just like with the historic “A829” model—the bezel takes center stage, allowing users to access features such as the timer, alarm, and second time zone. The range of functions includes a stopwatch function with a duration of up to 100 hours in 1/100-second increments, split times, a countdown timer up to 100 minutes, a counter function up to 9,999 (single counter) or 99 (dual counter), an alarm function, a second time zone, an automatic calendar valid through December 31, 2074, and a low-battery warning.
With a diameter of 37 and a height of 10.5 millimeters, these digital alarm chronographs—water-resistant up to 10 bar and featuring silver- or gold-colored stainless steel cases—remain pleasantly compact. The flat lugs ensure additional comfort without compromising the distinctive design of the “Rotocall” interpretation. The new “Rotocall” duo is worn on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and safety pushers. (MSRP: €580 and €630, respectively) seikowatches.com
