Unboxing the Seiko Flightmaster Pilot SND255P1

The Seiko Flightmaster is a popular, feature-rich pilot watch.

Sporting ample lume, a 60-minute chronograph (accurate to 1/20 a second), date display, and a rotating slide-rule, the Flightmaster SND255P1 is loaded with functionality.

It certainly looks the part, and sized at 41mm, it’s perfectly suited for nearly any man. This version, as loaded as it is, is actually missing some features compared to other versions of the Flightmaster. Most notably, the SND255P1 lacks an alarm.

This version of the Flightmaster is found for around $175 on Amazon, which is a competitive price for a watch of this type from a major brand. Pilots, engineers, and other people looking for a watch that offers genuine functionality and the ability to perform calculations will find the Flightmaster to be an interesting and capable companion.

If you’re looking for a watch with real capability and great quality of build, the Flightmaster may be for you.

The Flightmaster isn’t a watch that most people would look at when shopping for a daily wearer. It looks good for the type of watch it is (more on that in a second), but most people are going to find it busy and hard to navigate. Without question, the Flightmaster has a lot going on. But, for the right kind of person, the Flightmaster is the perfect combination between utility and practicality, offering its wearer more than just timekeeping.

The rotating bezel, which spins smoothly and with precision, is lugged and has a polished rim along the side. The bezel is marked with units of measurement for calculations, conversions, and navigation. It forms a major part of the slide-rule integrated into the Flightmaster, which is interesting and incredibly practical in its own right… for the right person. Seiko markets the Flightmaster to pilots (shocking), engineers, and other technical professionals that find value in a wrist-mounted calculator (that isn’t an actual calculator watch).

Mike at 60clicks has a great overview of how the slide-rule works in his review of the Seiko Flightmaster SNA411, which is the bigger and more feature-rich brother of the SND255P1. Alternatively, you can read Seiko’s slide-rule handbook.

The Flightmasters: SND255P1 (left) and the SNA411 (right)

Despite its complexity, the Flightmaster is a photogenic watch. The blue dial and bezel plays with light, changing hue based on its angle in relation to the light source. Visibility is excellent, as the raised high-contrast hour markers and hands really stand-out against the dial.

At 41mm it’s large enough to be prominent on the wrist without being overbearing. It’s comfortable to wear, and its busy style is noticeable but not off-putting. Quite a few people have commented on how complex the dial looks; in reality, once you understand how the slide rule is laid out and how to use it, its complexity makes sense. It is quite legible regardless.

Speaking of legibility, the hands and eight of the hour markers are painted with a generous application of lume. Suffice to say that visibility in the dark is not a problem.

Some have complained about the small size of some of the text. True, it is small, but how else can you expect Seiko to shove a slide-rule into a 41mm case?

The 7T92 chronograph movement is well-known chronograph that is used on quite a few different watches. It is quite average in terms of accuracy, but excellent from a reliability and functionality perspective.

It features a date display at 3 o’clock, with a small-seconds subdial at 9 ‘oclock. The 1/20 chronograph sits at 12 o’clock, with the minute chronograph at 6 o’clock..,

Testing with toolwatch.io showed that this particular 7T92 accurate to +3 seconds over a 7 day period. This suggests it is +12 seconds per month, which is pretty good and within spec.

If you're a pilot or engineer, the flightmaster is perfect.

When a watch is both good looking and practical, it’s an easy recommendation. The Flightmaster is both of those things, along with also being well made and priced affordably.

I purchased this one off Amazon for $165, and at that price the Flightmaster SND255P1 is good value. Assuming proper care, you can expect years of trouble-free use from the Flightmaster. Its chronograph is accurate, and the integration of the slide rule really does set it apart from other quartz chronographs.

This is a solid watch all around. Recommended.

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