Happy 2026, everyone! New year, same me, but I do have one watch "resolution," and that's to try things that are outside of my comfort zone. I have a lane that I stay in, for the most part, when it comes to my taste in watches: stainless steel divers or very clean, minimal, and elegant dress watches. I've decided 2026 is the year to get weird and try some new things, and I was blessed with the opportunity to check out not only an unfamiliar brand but a watch that wasn't my style in color, shape, and dial design. It's all gold, it's tonneau-shaped, and the dial is reminiscent of a TV "testing" screen. The watch in question is the Sea-Gull "TV Dial" Tonneau 70th Anniversary Edition.

Since getting into watches, I've always loved stainless steel, either on leather or a bracelet.

However, I did have a dream or a side of myself that thought, "I could pull off gold," but I never took the time to actually try it. Maybe it was daunting to have that much shine? Maybe I felt it was ostentatious? I think the biggest reason is that I never found myself to be that "glitz and glam" type of person. But when I reached out to the team at Sea-Gull, that TV Dial called my name, and I stared at my screen for a solid 10 minutes before sending them the link asking to get it in for this review. Fast forward a couple of weeks later, I was standing in my kitchen, staring at this all-gold beauty, and that was the moment I fell in love.

Specifications

It's been interesting to see the evolution from larger to smaller watches, and now the trends

seem to be aiming even smaller, averaging around 36-38mm, which is fantastic for me; my

wrists are on the smaller side, and it's been awesome to see a plethora of options and

expansion in the smaller watch segment of the market. I've yet to experience a watch of this

size in both diameter and thickness. The closest thing I could think of, ironically, was another

TV-styled watch I had a few years ago: the Seiko "TV" ref. 7009–a watch from the 1970s. The Sea-Gull closely resembles the same specifications and overall sizing as that watch from a diameter perspective, but is even more compact and cozy in terms of lug-to-lug and thickness.

The overall sizing definitely brings a welcomed vintage feel to the wearing experience and

creates a seamless elegance that cascades across the wrist for the entire day; I never got tired of wearing this watch. I've been trying to think of better ways to describe it, but the only word I could muster is "uninterrupted." It's a compact watch that wears like silk; I don't think I can describe it better than that. Most of the time, I barely knew it was there. Sure, the heft of the watch was present, but it wasn't annoyingly reminding me of its existence, if that makes sense. I was aware of its presence, but it became a part of my wrist; that's better. I have an issue when a watch doesn’t fit perfectly under a shirt sleeve, but the Sea-Gull tucks in nicely.

Getting into the nitty-gritty, the watch is quite compact with a bit of weirdness. The case

measures 36mm in diameter with a case thickness of approximately 12mm, but it feels much thinner than that and has a decently compact lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. While the watch is a smaller 36mm, the other dimensions give it more wrist presence and make it feel more substantial, especially on my 6.5-inch wrist. The lug width is where things get weird and a tad complicated. This watch features an integrated bracelet with a similar end-link design to the Tissot PRX or other watches in the same category, but they often have the same problem: to make it look integrated, the end link has to be much smaller to fit between the lugs. Why is this a problem? You can't change the bracelet out for a regular strap. Due to the design, the lug width is technically only 11mm, meaning aftermarket straps are needed if you're looking to put this on leather or rubber. As someone who changes straps regularly, this is a hindrance to a certain extent, but the bracelet looks so beautiful and wears so well that I'm not too upset about it–just something to keep in mind if you're looking at this watch.

Design

I think I'm going to continue the one-word trend from my previous article, and the first word that comes to mind is "ostentatious." I don't mean that in a negative connotation by any means. The gold is so rich, so warm, and stands out among my collection. While ostentatious can come across as a negative thing, this watch in particular brings the "wow" without being too loud. Gold was always intimidating to me due to its standout "look at me" attitude, but there's something about this tone of gold that feels inviting. It will grab attention, but not in a screaming-from-the-rooftops kind of way; softly ostentatious, you could say.

On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, the dial is definitely one that screams "look at me," and I love it more than I can put into words. I'm a fan of brands that take design to a new level and just do what they feel is cool, and this watch is the epitome of that. There have been other successful TV dials from brands such as Mido, but this one is the coolest, in my opinion. The gold case with this wild TV "testing" pattern makes this watch a wearable art piece; it's the weirdness I look for when examining watches, and paired with how well it wears on the wrist, we've got some comfortable weird watch mojo going on in the best way. Classic design, comfort, and a dial that tests the boundaries of design–get it? It's a "testing" channel, testing design. Moving on.

The aforementioned classic styling brings a level of luxury to the design. Yes, it's gold; yes, the dial is so cool, but the overall design of the case and bracelet is perfect to showcase the

intimate blend of fun with elegance and class. When I pulled this out of the box, I got a bit of an "old money" vibe from the watch: mahogany desk, that brass desk lamp with the green glass shade, big oak bookshelves behind the desk just stacked with books, photos, a cigar slowly burning in a Swarovski crystal ashtray, and a nice glass of whiskey–maybe a Glenlivet 12 to get specific. There's a cozy element to this watch that makes the wearing experience even more Enjoyable.

Conclusion

The Sea-Gull "TV Dial" Tonneau 70th Anniversary Edition is a watch I've enjoyed immensely for both its aesthetic appeal and wearing experience. It adds so much flair and a pop of something new in both color and design to my collection while maintaining a high level of elegance. On the wrist, it's comfortable, compact, and seamless, and it makes me feel like a million bucks every time I put it on with dress clothes or a suit; it ties the whole package together, especially considering I mainly wear black. While the lug width isn't ideal for those who like to switch between straps, the bracelet is fantastic and diminishes the desire to switch to leather or rubber. You can order custom straps to fit this watch, but trust me, the bracelet is awesome. I chose this watch because of its design and how unique it looks, and it's now a timepiece I've thoroughly enjoyed and had the pleasure of experiencing. It’s a lot of watch for $489 USD.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my thoughts on the Sea-Gull “TV Dial” Tonneau 70th Anniversary Edition, and until next time, have a fantastic day!