The Sycamore watch line represents our foray into contemporary watches, and we've designed and assembled the initial two main watch models - with several variants - in Los Angeles to replicate a design faithful to our Washington, D.C. roots.   The designs of these two watches represent the two sides of the foreign statecraft “coin” every state engages in on the world stage: diplomacy on one side, espionage and military on the other.
 
And what better way to represent our enthusiasm for vintage watches then a quasi-dress watch with clear vintage Grand Seiko stylings and a unique touch of Arabic? 
 
The result is the Sycamore “Hunter” (الصياد ) automatic watch - with its Grand Seiko case design cues - which represents the diplomacy side of foreign affairs statecraft. 
 
In designing the Hunter, we took inspiration from vintage watches – particularly the case design and size, with the Hunter weighing in at 39mm in case width (not including the crown) - to reflect several trends, namely smaller watches but also Arabic-dial watches. 
 
Despite the smaller size, in our eyes it wears quite comfortably.  It absolutely feels larger than it is.  But the watch is also light, to the point you may forget you are wearing it - absolutely perfect in our opinion.
 
And the Hunter is everything a dress watch should be - namely, a simple watch able to discreetly fit under a dress shirt without being overly obvious.  Various sport and tool watches receive the most attention from collectors and enthusiasts, but nothing looks better with a pair of jeans and a button-down than a thoughtfully designed and executed dress watch, with its matte black color providing a stylish edge.
 
The Hunter features a Seiko automatic movement and Arabic dial, and has a robust case that draws its influence - quite clearly - from the Grand Seiko "Grammar of Design" case style, like the iconic GS 4420-9000 (among others).
 
 In 1962, Tanaka noticed Swiss watches "sparkled brilliantly" and realized the design of high-end Seiko watches could be radically improved through the implementation of "flat and conical surfaces perfectly smooth and free of distortion."  
 
This "Grammar of Design" was implemented in Grand Seiko and King Seiko lines from 1967 and made these lines instantly recognizable as status symbols in the hierarchical Japanese business world of the 1960s and 1970s.
 
Tanaka’s rules would go on to fundamentally change Seiko’s design language.  All surfaces and angles of the case, dial, indices and hands had to be flat and geometrically perfect to best reflect light.  Following this aesthetic, the bezels were to be simple two-dimensional faceted curves.  And third, no visual distortion from any angle was allowed. 
 
But let’s back up and hear from Nick – “I lived in the Middle East for years learning Arabic before a career in intelligence and diplomacy (and more time in the region) – I wanted to create a watch to celebrate my time in the region, and the friends I made there over the years. The Wolf and Hunter designs are meant to be a reminder of that period in my life.”
 
The Hunter automatic comes with two premium nylon straps, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.