King Seiko 56KS 5625-7110

As vanilla as vanilla gets

That was how I described this watch, and I meant it with affection. The white dial, slender markers and calm steel outline bring the 56KS back to its essentials. There is very little to distract from the way the parts are proportioned and put together.

This June 1972 example arrived with its original strap, buckle and booklet. I called it a time capsule. With a design this restrained, condition matters enormously: seeing the edges and surfaces close to their factory state makes the whole idea easier to understand.