New: Seiko Presage Studio Ghibli Nausicaä

Seiko extends their Presage Craftsmanship series with a collaboration with Studio Ghibli with the new watch christened Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Collaboration Limited Edition Ref. SPB437.

Press Release information with commentary in italics.

New: Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Studio Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Collaboration Limited Edition

The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Studio Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Collaboration Limited Edition Ref. SPB437 is priced at EUR 1,750 inclusive of VAT in EU. Limited Edition of 1,500 pieces.

Commentary

While we are not familiar with the Japanese animated film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind which is the basis and inspiration of this novelty, we can certainly appreciate the classical Presage lines and the rather beautiful blue enamel dial. Some information of the movie is found in the release information below. See the first two paragraphs.

Seiko has always been able to produce interesting, inexpensive enamel dials. And this novelty, whose name is indeed a mouthful, is no exception. The blue enamel is quite beautiful, and only bears the Nausicaä blue outfit emblazoned it gives the hint of this special edition. The blue is also meticulously selected to match that of said blue outfit.

This same blue theme is carried over to the movement the depiction of a blue a non-toxic plan sprouting from the Sea of Decay. The blue print contrasts nicely with the gold coloured rotor and the gold coloured back bezel which also carries the engraving of a quote from the film.

Other cues from the film is abound elsewhere on the novelty package. From the special blue presentation box with an illustration of a scene from the film and a message card in Japanese from the film’s director, Hayako Miyazaki. Also a nice touch is the stamped imprint of the Ohm creature from the animated film.

Pitched at below the EUR 2k mark (recommended retail is EUR 1.7k), this is a nice, value for money package for the beginner watch collector. With it is an interesting to popular (Japanese) culture in the form of the animated film. And with this the well designed and made, very beautiful Seiko Pressage case and movement makes for a compelling argument at this price point. And the enamel dial becomes a bonus.

Release information

The artistry of traditional Japanese craftsmanship is a central feature of the Seiko Presage Collection, combining fine mechanical watchmaking with various forms of art. Studio Ghibli’s animated films have won the favor of fans worldwide for their imaginative settings, distinc- tive visuals, and masterful storytelling. Today, Seiko introduces into the Presage Craftsmanship Series a new enamel-dialed watch that captures the worldview of one of the most renowned Japanese animated films ever: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Released in 1984, the film takes place 1,000 years after the destruction of modern civilization in a war known as the Seven Days of Fire. In the polluted land, a forest of fungi called the Sea of Decay is gradually spreading and is inhabited by a species of giant mutant insects. Nausicaä, the Princess of the Valley of the Wind, becomes embroiled in a struggle between two kingdoms. She strives to unravel the mysteries of the Sea of Decay and find a way for the natural world and human beings to coexist.

The new watch illustrates the animated world of this story through the many details of its design. The overall design of the watch is round and curved, taking inspiration from the tools and machines used by Nausicaä in the film. The case has a textured, vintage-style finish, and is protected with a super-hard coating. It resembles the kind of well-worn tools that appear in the film. The uniquely shaped crown, newly designed for this watch, has a large size to ensure ease of use. A blue crystal glass adorns the crown to express the eye of the Ohms, a giant, shell-covered, trilobite-like species central to the film’s plot.

The pure blue enamel dial has been newly created to represent a blue outfit worn by the story’s heroine. The color was carefully examined and precisely adjusted during the manufac- turing process to create the perfect shade of blue, a process made possible through the skill of master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his team, who specialize in enamel production. The white hour and minute hands, as well as the indexes, stand out against the blue dial to enhance legibility, while the seconds hand provides a gold-toned accent. The hour and minute hands have a rounded, leaf-like shape while the white indexes have an elongated shape, allowing the time to be read at a glance. The emblem from one of Nausicaä’s blue outfits is printed at the six o’clock position.

A new version of Caliber 6R55 joins the 6R series

The watch is powered by Caliber 6R51, a new version of Seiko’s high-performance 6R55 movement. Like Caliber 6R55, this new version delivers a power reserve of 72 hours and has the same performance attributes, only without the date display to emphasize the beauty of the craft dial.

The wearer can view the movement’s gold-colored oscillating weight through a display case back, together with a depiction of the end scene, in which a non-toxic plant sprouts out from deep under the Sea of Decay, making one imagine that the earth has been cleansed.

The watch will be available as a limited edition of 1,500 at the Seiko Boutiques and select retail partners worldwide from March 2024.

Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Studio Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Collaboration Limited Edition Specifications

Caliber 6R51
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour (6 beats per second) Power reserve: 72 hours (3 days)
Number of jewels: 24

Specifications
Stainless steel case with super-hard coating
Enamel dial
Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating See-through screw case back with sapphire crystal

Diameter: 40.5mm, Thickness: 12.4mm
Water resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Leather strap with three-fold clasp with push button release (Leather material sourced from LWG-certified tanneries
Limited edition of 1,500