This Watch Would've Perfected Ryan Gosling’s Look in Drive
His character wore a Patek, which feels like an odd choice for a stuntman
The Precursor
This week’s watches range from timelessly beautiful to downright bizarre, and I’m not sure where my allegiances lie. As my collection has grown, I’ve found myself drawn to increasingly unusual pieces. Yet, the first watch on today’s list is one I own personally, and it’s about as conventionally pretty as a watch can be.
Seiko SARC010 in a Cushion Case
Very little needs to be said about this modern classic. Predicting the future isn’t easy, but if there are a handful of Seiko watches destined for perpetual popularity, the SARC010 is undoubtedly one of them.
Released in 2006 as part of Seiko’s SARC collection, the SARC010 features a beautifully ivory-toned dial with sunken subdials, complemented by elegant Breguet-style hands and numerals - all housed within a cushion-shaped case. It’s powered by a 28,800bph movement, featuring circular day and date indicators alongside a power reserve complication.
The harmonious combination of these elements makes the SARC010 a standout piece from the collection.
The SARC010 is now available to buy on our website.
In very good condition. Serviced by Seiko Japan. Tarnish and marks can be seen on the sides of the case. On an aftermarket strap. No box or papers.
Seiko “Driver” 7A28-7050 Speedmaster
This is one of the lesser-known watches from Seiko’s legendary 7A28 collection. Released in 1983, the 7A28 series holds the distinction of being the world’s first quartz analogue chronographs. It boasts all the features you’d expect from this ground-breaking movement: a 1/10th-second counter, a 30-minute chronograph, split-time functionality, and a central seconds hand.
Much like the famous 7A28 Yacht Timer and 7A28 Ripley, the 7A28-7050 also brings something quirky to the table.
It rotates. But why?
The traditional answer points to the historic design of driving watches, which were often tilted at a 45-degree angle for better readability when gripping a steering wheel. I admit, we’re on the very edge of edge case watch design, which is why I suspect the real answer for the 7a28-7050’s unique ability is simply that Seiko’s engineers thought of something weird to build, and so immediately built it - as they were very prone to doing in the 1980s. The results are equal parts peculiar and interesting.
Is it practical? Not really. Does that matter? Absolutely not. With this on your wrist, you’re only ever one twist away from playing Nightcall by Kavinsky and pretending you’re Ryan Gosling in Drive.
The reckless splashes of orange against the black and silver, combined with the graph-paper dial, make this an unapologetically retro-futuristic product of the ’80s. Oversized chrono pushers dominate three of the case’s corners - designed to be easily operated while wearing racing gloves, obviously - while a small locking crown sits in the fourth, allowing you to secure the rotating watch head in place.
The 7A28-7050 is now available to buy on our website.
In very good condition overall. The bezel and case show signs of wear. The top left pusher has a small crack in it, but watchmaker’s glue has been applied to stop the split from worsening. The only thing to note of any real significance, is that while the bracelet and buckle are totally original, they will only accommodate a 6.6 inch wrist.
Seiko “SOTTSASS” SBBP011
A collaboration between Seiko and an Italian design icon, this watch sits at the intersection of horology and modernist art. Ettore Sottsass began his career as an architect but applied his avant-garde style to everything from ceramics and furniture to typewriters - and eventually, watches. In the early ’90s, Seiko commissioned him to design a small collection of chronographs, and the result is one of the rare cases where the crystal becomes the defining feature of a watch.
Sottsass wanted shadows to play a central role in the design. At first glance, that might not seem obvious, but the concept becomes strikingly clear as soon as you move the watch in the light.
The minute track, hour indices, and even the SEIKO logo are printed on the underside of the crystal. When light catches them, they cast shadows - not onto the dial beneath, but onto an invisible secondary crystal layer. Seiko has always been coy about the exact mechanics, but as you can see from the image above, the shadows appear to float between the dial and the crystal. The effect is dynamic, playful, and unmistakably modernist - a clever optical illusion that shifts with your perspective.
A 30-minute chronograph counter occupies the 12 o’clock sub-dial, while a circular date display sits at 3 o’clock. The alarm function, which also serves as a GMT indicator, is positioned at 6 o’clock, and the running seconds can be found on the 9 o’clock sub-dial. This arrangement leaves the smooth-sweeping chronograph seconds hand on the central post
In 2019, Wright Auctions managed to assemble a complete set of these rare timepieces - presumably the only time all the designs have been in the same room together in decades. Sadly, they were auctioned off individually, with final prices ranging from $1,875 to an impressive $5,938.
The SBBP011 SOTTSASS is now available to buy on our website.
In very good condition. Any marks are not noticeable or significant. Most importantly, as shown in the pictures, the crystal is in very good condition. The strap is not original.
Campanola “Tenmanboshi” BU0020-03A
Very few watches offer the same level of convenience and reliability as Citizen’s Eco-Drives. With a six-month power reserve that can be recharged from any light source, including indoor lighting, what’s not to love? Historically, there has always been one obvious downside - the dials must be translucent to allow light to reach the solar capacitor beneath. As a result, the design possibilities for Eco-Drives have always been somewhat limited - until Citizen began experimenting with translucent bezels.
As solar charging technology improved, the size of the capacitors shrank, allowing Citizen to only use part of the dial for the charging element. This innovation led to the creation of Campanola Eco-Drives, featuring translucent bezels. Interestingly, these bezels look completely normal - you wouldn’t even know they are “translucent” - but their presence means Eco-Drives can now boast much more intricate designs. The BU0020-3A is a wonderful example of this.
The name of the watch, Tenmanboshi (天満星), roughly translates to “The Heavens Brimming with Stars”, which explains the thick belt of gold leaf suspended in the black-as-night, urushi lacquer subdial. The contrast between the two is magical. Each arrangement is applied by hand, ensuring no two urushi sub-dials are alike.
The 12 o’clock subdial features a guilloché pattern that represents the “brilliance of the sun”, which is counterbalanced by the porthole moonphase indicator at 6 o’clock.
The BU0020-03A is available to buy on our website.
In very good condition. The bezel and case has a few hairlines, but nothing that detracts the overall look of the watch or that you’ll notice on the wrist.
Credor “Phoenix” GCBR995
The longer you look, the more you see. Far from being overcrowded, its design is filled with subtle yet interesting details. I recently explored the Credor Phoenix in detail - if you missed it, click here for the full write-up.
The GCBR995 is available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. No marks have been noticed. No box or papers.
Seiko “SSASS” Alpinist SBCJ023
The SSASS (Seven Summits Actions for Sustainable Society) is the rarest of the modern Alpinist watches. Limited to just 500 pieces, the SBCJ023 has become a true grail for Seiko collectors. I covered its fascinating history in detail a few weeks ago - if you missed that write-up, you can click here to read it in full.
Its unique backstory and exceptional design make it a standout in Seiko’s storied line-up.
The SBCJ023 is now available to buy on our website.
In very good condition overall. The case has the normal swirl marks and hairlines you’d expect from titanium, but there is one noticeable scratch on the bezel between 11 and 12 o’clock. Polishing isn’t my thing, but I’m sure it could be buffed out easily as it isn’t deep. No box or papers.
Don’t forget to follow my Instagram to see all of the watches above in full cinematic glory later this week.