BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Seiko just dropped some fresh watches from their dressier Presage Craftsmanship Series. There are four new models that pay homage to Seiko’s Japanese heritage with some beautiful craftsmanship, featuring enamel, Urushi lacquer, Arita porcelain, and Shippo enamel. These watches are part of Seiko’s 110th-anniversary celebrations and commemorate the first-ever Seiko wristwatch, the 1913 Laurel.
SPB397
The new watches feature a new case shape with straighter lugs and a slightly more angular profile than previous models. The proportions have been redesigned, and a dual-curved sapphire crystal now sits closer to the dial, highlighting the craftsmanship on display. The SPB393 and SPB395 models are housed in a 40.2mm x 12.8mm steel case with brushed and polished surfaces and a super-hard coating. They feature a sapphire crystal on top and a see-through caseback. The Arita SPB397 and SPB399 Shippo come in a 40.6mm x 14.1mm steel case with brushed and polished surfaces, a super-hard coating, and sapphire crystals on both sides. All four watches are water-resistant to 100m.
SPB399
The four new watches feature a newly designed dial with alternating Roman numerals and baton markers. The enamel SPB393 and Urushi SPB395 have a retrograde display for the date and weekday and a power reserve indicator. The enamel SPB393 has a classic, pure-white vitreous enamel base with a red 12 o’clock marker and blued hands, reminiscent of the original Laurel watch. The Urushi SPB395 boasts a dial made using the Urushi lacquer technique and is presented in a coppery-brown hue with gold-toned accents. The Arita SPB397’s dial is an ivory-colored porcelain one that recalls the Izumiyama Ceramic Stone Field in Arita, crafted by master craftsman Hiroyuki Hashiguchi and his team. The SPB399 Shippo enamel features a textured lower plate with a wave pattern and a polished translucent blue enamel surface on top.
SPB393
The enamel SPB393 and Urushi SPB395 models are powered by the automatic caliber 6R24, a 4Hz movement with 31 jewels and a 45-hour power reserve. The Arita SPB397 and Shippo SPB399 are powered by the in-house automatic caliber 6R27, a 4Hz movement with a 45-hour power reserve.
SPB395
As for the strap options, all straps have a three-fold clasp with push-button release while the Enamel SPB393 is paired with a black leather strap, Urushi SPB395 has a matching brown leather strap. They are both limited to 1,500 pieces and are priced respectively at EUR 1,650 and EUR 2,000. Arita SPB397 comes on a brown leather strap while SPB399 Shippo has a matching blue leather strap. These two are limited to 1,500 and 800 pieces and priced at EUR 2,000 and EUR 2,250 respectively. The four watches are expected to be available starting June 2023.
