Seiko releases a tranche of 5 new models in the Presage line, a new series to be known as the Classic Series. The Classic Series makes its debut with a diversity of colors, materials, and textures of traditional Japanese crafts, highlighting the soft and gentle side of Japanese design.
Press release with commentary in italics.
New: Seiko Presage Highlights from 2024
Commentary
Seiko’s Presage collection was initially mainly limited to the Japanese domestic market until its announcement in Baselworld 2016 where it launched the Presage line globally. The Presage collection hovers between the mid-range Seiko 5’s and the more coveted Grand Seiko watches, this collection boasts of having its timepieces made entirely in Japan. The main objective of the Presage collection was to showcase fine Japanese watchmaking standards to a bigger audience.
The new Classic Series consists of 5 watches; 2 open heart design, 3 date and time automatic watches. All 5 share the same case dimensions, measuring 40.2mm in diameter and 13mm in thickness. In particular the size of the movement makes the watch significantly thicker than it should be, although some of this height is mitigated by a tapered back case design. The watches use a familiar looking yet all new multi-link bracelet, reminiscent of the ‘jubilee’ bracelet, and is overall a simple and classic looking timepiece. The 3 days movement is a low-beat 21,600 bph automatic, which has a variance of -15 to +25 seconds per day in normal temperature conditions (between 5 – 35 degrees C). The watches are priced at €1,050 (SPB463/465/467), €1,230 (SPB469/471). At this price range, users may find some of Seiko’s competitors offering slimmer and more accurate movements and that’s one problem with the positioning of the Presage line – not being too good that it cannibalizes the entry level Grand Seiko models.
Press release
Since its introduction in 2016, the Presage collection has melded Japanese artistry with Seiko’s longstanding mastery of mechanical watchmaking. With the new Classic Series, Presage draws from the colors, materials, and textures of traditional Japanese crafts to express the soft and gentle side of Japanese design. The series makes its debut with five new creations, each conveying a traditional sense of Japanese beauty while bringing the mechanical watchmaking for which Seiko is renowned to the fore.
Curved dials with rich textures inspired by silk
At the heart of the new series are richly textured, curved dials that express the soft and supple feel of natural textiles whose use is interwoven into Japan’s culture. The series features two different dial configurations and sets of functions. The dials of the three-hand with date creations are inspired by lustrous silk fabric, while the two open-heart watches express the texture of raw silk yarn through a radial pattern. With their curvature and intricately textured patterns, the dials capture and reflect ambient light to create a heightened sense of depth and beauty. The tops of the indexes curve to conform with the dials’ rounded shape, and the minute and seconds hands bend gently toward the markers.
Each watch imparts a warm luster to the traditional Japanese color it expresses. These include shiro-iro, the color of unbleached natural fabric, which inspires two dials in the collection; sensaicha, a dark brownish-green that was fashionable during the Edo Period; araigaki, a washed and bleached persimmon color; and sumi-iro, a greyish black originally used in garments worn by monks.
A softly curved case and a bracelet crafted for comfort
The case is constructed with soft, curved surfaces, and the dual-curved sapphire crystal echoes the contours of the dome-shaped dial, adding further depth to the overall design. A newly developed multi-row bracelet with design inspiration from the 1970s provides a delicate and comfortable feeling on the wrist. The bracelet’s links have an ergonomic shape, with a curved top surface and a reduction of contact points around the wrist for a comfortable fit and enhanced aesthetics.
Two automatic movements with three days of power
Three of the watches have the classic three-hand configuration with central seconds and date, while the remaining two bear a 24-hour scale and a dial opening onto the movement’s escapement at 9 o’clock. Powering each new watch is one of two recently introduced Seiko 6R movements that run for 72 hours, ensuring that a watch removed Friday evening will be ready to wear on Monday morning without having to be reset. The three-hand watches with date use Caliber 6R55, while Caliber 6R5J powers the open-heart watches. Each movement’s gold-colored oscillating weight is visible through an exhibition case back.
All five watches will be available from June 2024 at the Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide.
