I'm here today to re-introduce the Seiko Presage SSA081J1 and SSA083J1. Never heard of them? Yes, they've been hiding...but as with all good treasure, it's worth overturning that rock. :)
Mind you, this is treasure that can be had at a very accessible pricepoint - around $300, putting it in a similar ballpark to a Seiko SARB. If you like the look of some of the SAR Seiko series, here are some of my reasons why you might like to consider an SSA instead:
No date. Nearly all (all?) of the various SAR feature a date, sometimes also day. I far prefer an automatic to be date-free as it makes it breezy easy peasy to set.
The finishing is niiiiice for what you're paying, with a gorgeous mix of brushed and polished surfaces. I understand the SAR series also measure up well in this regard, my point is simply I'd guesstimate they're about equal. This, therefore, still is a reason to choose an SSA if you add it onto an advantage in your equation.
The dial! It catches the light so well. The white version above is like an alt cocktail time, while the black is like cocktail noir. I'll see if I add more pics of the white tomorrow but here's a couple of the black:
My only caveat compared to SAR is the 4R38 movement used. If that's a dealbreaker for you...but overall I feel this shiny little Japan made star deserves a bit more attention.
Video to follow...