SpotlightSeiko’s New Presage And Prospex Commemorate 110 Years Of Watchmaking In Japan
Fine craftsmanship and finishing, technical finesse, durability in extreme conditions, watchmaking achievement, sustainability and more—Seiko’s new Presage and Prospex watches truly celebrate what fine watchmaking is all about
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If one were to think about what separates Seiko from the more prestigious Grand Seiko, you would probably consider the differences in the craftsmanship and finishing among the primary distinctions. However, it’s not unusual for mothership Seiko to feature fine detailing and crafts, especially in their dials. That is what the pioneering brand from Japan have showcased with their 110th-anniversary edition of their new Presage and Prospex watches. With enamel work and lacquering that are inspired by territories in their homeland, the new models also feature enhanced timekeeping performance, including the power reserve. While the Prospex dive timers have added a GMT function for the first time, there’s also editions with dials that have Seiko and Grand Seiko’s signature decoration.
Japan And The Regions That Inspire
A staple in the Presage collection are dials that have a beautiful sheen of lacquer, and this anniversary edition also includes one such piece. A tribute to Japan’s first wristwatch created in 1913, by Seiko founder Kintarō Hattori’s company in 1913—110 years ago today—the new Presage Craftstmanship line has four models, with different dial crafts. One is the aforementioned Urushi lacquer, another is Arita porcelain, and then there’s a regular enamel and a Shippo enamel. The plain white enamel dial is the one that most resembles the 1913 watch, which was called Laurel. With the same analogue date and day displays and power reserve indicator seen on this white edition, there is the Urushi lacquer version, in coppery brown. It is made from the craft of Urushi lacquer that is historically and intrinsically Japanese, used to decorate a wide range of objects from bowls to furniture. The brown hue us inspired by the city of Kanazawa, which translates to ‘marsh of gold’. These two models, limited to 1,500 pieces, run on a 45-hour movement.
Another 1,500-piece edition is the one with the Arita porcelain dial, which draws inspiration from the Izumiyama Ceramic Stone Field in the town of Arita. Master craftsperson Hiroyuki Hashiguchi is responsible for making these 1,500 dials, which take several steps to produce, guaranteeing depth and intensity of the white for years. This version only features the small seconds and its calibre’s 45-hour power reserve. The same display comes on an 800-piece blue edition, made from Shippo enamel, which is a craft that was developed ages ago—a spin on an objet d’art that came from the Netherlands at the time. Behind the several steps of glazing, firing and polishing—to produce an ocean-inspired wave-like pattern—are master craftsperson Wataru Totani and his team.
Japan And The People That Inspire
Crafts continue with a Prospex special edition, inspired by a 1970 Seiko dive watch that was worn by Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura. He is known for scaling Mount Everest, after having climbed several other peaks, the first of which was Europe’s Mont Blanc. Uemura, who wore the 1970 watch during a few of his extreme expeditions inspires this re-edition of sorts, which features an etched depiction of Mont Blanc—his first triumph. The pressing and etching techniques lend this creation depth in display, while the external silhouette borrows its wholesome structure from the 1970 piece, with a distinctive crown at four o’clock. The most striking part of this piece is, however, the blue seen on the crown and the bezel’s edge. This robust piece is water-resistant to 200m, and is equipped with a 50-hour movement that offers advanced anti-magnetism.
Oceans And Sustainability
High functionality is also the feature of the new Prospex GMT dive watches in black and green, which hark back to Seiko’s first dive watches from 1965. These 200m watches feature enhanced luminosity, owing to Seiko’s Lumibrite, and run on an enhanced three-day calibre.
A companion watch, limited to 4,000 pieces is the true standout though, among all these Seiko novelties. Also a GMT dive watch, this one has a distinctive ice blue dial, inspired by polar glaciers of regions where Seiko’s tool watches gained their reputation for reliability in the 60s and 70s. It comes with an additional strap that is made from recycled plastic waste retrieved from the ocean. This is a part of the Save the Ocean series, ‘which is made in support of the Seiko Prospex mission to contribute to a greater understanding of the world’s oceans and their preservation’, according to the brand. Even this strap has a bit of Japan’s craft heritage, as it is made by a braiding method known as Seichu—a very traditional Japanese technique.
An ode to Japan—Seiko’s homeland—these novelties really celebrate crafts and techniques that have inspired 110 years of watchmaking in the Land of the Rising Sun. Especially the dials and polishing of the steel in these models evoke the refinement that is generally associated with Grand Seiko. It’ll be interesting now to see what Grand Seiko will unveil to celebrate this landmark year of the mothership. And something tells us that they too will tell a story along the same lines with their 2023 novelties.
