Since it was welcomed into the Japanese watchmaker’s line-up in 2016, the Seiko Presage has been one of my most recommended entry-level dress watches. They’re timeless and classic automatic timepieces with a variety of case and dial configurations to choose from. For Seiko’s latest release, the choice gets even bigger with the launch of the Seiko Presage Classic Series.
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The new Seiko Presage Classic collection introduces several new features into the brand’s dress category including a shorter seven-row link bracelet, a three-day power reserve and probably more noticeably, a selection of light reflecting curved dials. The richly textured displays are, according to Seiko, inspired by the soft and supple feel of natural textile used in Japan’s culture. They include three time-and-date models inspired by smooth silk and two open-heart references nodding to raw silk yarn through a radial pattern.
All the dials have a subtle curvature for a light reflecting finish and are set with slightly bent minute and seconds hand that follow the contours of the display and applied silvered hour markers. The dial colours also honour Japanese fabrics; the date model arrives in cream or ‘shiro-iro”, the colour of unbleached fabric, a greyish black or “sumi-iro” inspired by garments worn by monks and a subdued peach or “araigaki”.
- Regular price
- £68.00
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- £68.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £68.00
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- £68.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £68.00
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- £68.00
- Unit price
- per
The open heart model also arrives in the same hue of cream or in a gradient dark brown-ish green hue, otherwise known as “sensaicha”, a colour fashionable during the Edo Period. These versions replace the date window for a handy 24-hour dial at 6 o’clock and a mesmerising openwork aperture at 9 o’clock.
For the stainless steel cases, the same soft, curved surfaces of the Presage collection remain measuring to 40.2mm wide and 13mm thick with dual-curved sapphire crystal glass on top, a matching exhibition case back and a 100 metre water resistance. Added to the case is the newly developed seven-link bracelet design. It gives the new Seiko Presage Classic Series a real 1970’s vibe and will no doubt be extra comfortable due to the mass of tiny links.
Inside, the Seiko Presage Classic watches are powered by one of two recently introduced Seiko 6R movements. The time-and-date models elect the Calibre 6R55 automatic winding movement while the open heart editions deliver the Calibre 6R5J. Both movements boast a 72-hour power reserve, a frequency of 21,600vph and a total of 24 jewels.
The complete Seiko Presage Classic collection will be available for pre-order from 7th March, landing officially on wrists in June. The classic date models will retail from £900 while those with the open heart dials will are priced from £1,060.
Technical Specifications:
- Brand: Seiko
- Model: Presage Classic
- Price: £900 - £1,060
- Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Calibre 6R55 (time and date), Calibre 6R5J (open heart), automatic winding
- Complications: Hours, minutes, seconds and date OR hours, minutes, seconds and 24-hour counter
- Dial: Cream, grey-black, pink or gradient brown-green
- Size: 40.2mm wide, 13mm thick
- When the reviewer would personally wear it: These are another lovely addition to the Seiko Presage collection and will make easy-to-wear dress watches.
- A friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone still yet to dip their wrist into the Presage collection.
- Best characteristics of the watch: I really like the new bracelet design. It gives me serious 1970’s vibes.
- The worst characteristics of the watch: I think the time-and-date models would look even better without the date.
