Seiko 11-4000

Introduction

The Seiko 11-4000 is a watch reference that I only came across recently. It is a reference that I am surprised to see so little coverage on. As soon as I saw this reference, I knew it was a fun piece to have in my collection.  A little bit about the watch before I dive into the review - it is a manual wind from (I believe) the 1970s and it has a palladium plated upper case.

Three things I like

1. Crystal: The crystal reminds me of a thick piece of clear jelly and I love that. 

2. Case: I am normally not a fan of plated cases but I made an exception for this watch because: (a) the palladium plating is in very good condition and appears to be quite durable, with no substrate showing through; (b) the watch is quite affordable; and (c) the plating gives the case a very nice warm shine that is visibly different from the shine of stainless steel and silver cases.

3. Dial colour: I really like the deep black glossy dial, as it adds a lot of depth to an otherwise fairly simple dial.

Three things I dislike, or wish were different

1. Dial print: The silver printed roman numerals on the dial do not speak to me as the font looks disproportionately slim/small and, in any case, I consider that the watch would look more balanced with no indices.

2. Case proportions: Although this watch is fairly well-sized at around 28mm across (excluding the crown), 32mm from lug to lug and 11mm thick, it would be even more delightful on the wrist if it was slightly (say 10%) larger.

3. Crown: It would have been a nice touch if the crown was signed.

As always, I hope you have enjoyed this review.