TGIF: The Pulsar Watch Brand Is Gone

In our universe, a Pulsar is a neutron star which is the remnant of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion. They remain spinning quickly out in the cosmos and appearing to pulse strong beams of electromagnetic radiation as they spin. In the universe of watches, the brand appears to be the same. A dead star that we remember in flashes of brilliance. Seiko quietly discontinued their Pulsar brand a few years ago (2023?) to focus on their global brand Alba.

"Since it's launch in 1972, Pulsar watches have stood for a real value, quality brand of the Seiko Watch Corporation. However, Pulsar watches are no longer manufactured and they have made way for the truly global 'ALBA WATCHES.'

Alba watches offer the same exceptional value, style and quality you would expect from SEIKO Watch Corporation.

We encourage you to click below to discover the Alba range of timepieces."

My Pulsar Dive-Style Watch in brilliant blue

This is probably old news to many watch enthusiasts. I just found it intriguing that I could no long find the brand on Amazon. It's a bit of a bummer since I have a few Pulsar watches in my collection and always found them to be a great value: high quality at an affordable price point. I like the dressy sophistication of my Pulsar Chronograph and the brilliant blue of my Pulsar diver-style watch.

Pulsar Chronograph Watch

If you'd like to read more on the rich history of the Pulsar brand, check out my 2015 post: Pulsar Watches - Past and Present. It can serve as a suitable requiem.

As of this writing, if you search for Pulsar watches, you can still find them listed in online auctions and a few sold via Walmart.com.

Wristwatch Review: Men's Pulsar Chronograph Dress Watch with Roman Numerals

Examining a Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch from Pulsar

Power, sophistication, and sensibility are the perfect combination for a man's dress watch. Does the Pulsar Chronograph Model PT3399 demonstrate all three? I received one for Christmas 2013 and will look for those qualities.

Pulsar Chronograph Model PT3399

[This is a re-print of a review that I published on the now defunct Yahoo Voices.  As of 2024, this watch is unavailable, but mine still looks like a million bucks.]

 Watch Style. Roman numerals on a dress watch always up your game. Instead of piloting an aircraft or driving a sports car, a dial with Roman numerals suggests that the wearer is likely to pilot a major corporation or drive an important court case. It's a different kind of power and the Pulsar PT3399 demonstrates it. Roman numerals circle a silver dial with XII exerting its authority with a larger font in blue. The hour, minute, and second hands are done in the same blue. The hour and minute hands have a luminous white insert for night visibility.

This Pulsar has chronograph subdials at three, six, and nine o'clock. The subdials are silver with small black arabic numerals on raised rings. The subdial at three o'clock provides the 24-hour time. Seconds are provided at six o'clock and minutes are provided at nine o'clock. The pushers work well to activate, stop, and reset the chronograph subdials. However, I wouldn't really use this watch to time anything athletic.

A date window is canted and sits between four and five o'clock just inboard of the numeral track. The date and all of the other numerals on the watch are readable even with my aging eyes.

The watch itself is all stainless steel with the bracelet and case elegantly alternating high shine and flat satin finishes. The bracelet has a fold over clasp with push button. It fit me well with a little room to spare, but smaller wrists may need to remove a link or two. I think this watch is very sophisticated looking.

Watch Size. The diameter of this watch is officially 43 millimeters but that's about 45 millimeters counting the crown or pusher buttons. It is 10 millimeters thick and has a wide bracelet that measures 21 millimeters at the lugs and 20 millimeters at the clasp.

Watch Construction. Despite the Roman numerals, this Pulsar is built with a respectable water resistance rating. The watch has a hardlex crystal. It also has a screw down caseback. These features help the PT3399 achieve 100 meters of water resistance. Since Pulsar is a Seiko brand, it has a reliable Japanese quartz movement.

Price. The suggested retail price for this watch is $175. However, with smart shopping at Kohl's, my wife was able to get a considerable discount for this watch on sale.

Overall. I like this Pulsar Chronograph very much. It has the classic, powerful, styling that is seen in many far more prestigious mechanical watches. This Pulsar has Roman numerals to up the sophistication game. Plus, it has a reliable, economical, Japanese quartz movement. The Pulsar PT3399 has everything I look for in a dress watch. This watch will be my go to dress watch for important meetings, job interviews, and other important business functions.

Sources:
www.kohls.com
www.pulsarwatchesusa.com