The Japanese artistry of Presage. The international convenience of GMT. A perfect combination
- Written by Adrian Falk
In 2020, the Presage collection welcomed a new design series that revealed a fresh and powerful expression of Japanese artistry. The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series captured the simplicity and refinement of traditional Japanese aesthetics in its delicately textured dial and gave it a modern edge with its sharp and angular case construction. Today, four new creations are added that offer the convenience of a GMT function. Once again, Presage showcases Seiko’s traditional watchmaking skills combined with the Japanese craftsmanship for which the collection is renowned.
The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series. The name tells the story.The profile is crisp. The lines are strong. The surfaces are angular. The bracelet has been re-designed to create a multi-dimensional sharp feel that matches the dynamism of the case, and the lugs end with an angled cut to emphasize the modernity of the design. The precisely engineered and polished surfaces and the crisp edges of the case’s silhouette contrast with the hairline finish to create a pleasingly multi-dimensional effect. The indexes are crafted to allow the light to play across the dial as they have two different finishes, textured on the top and polished on the sides. Even the GMT hand has a sharp and powerful design to match the angularity of the case. All four watches have a super-hard coating that protects both case and bracelet from scratches and endows it with a long-lasting brilliance.
The sharp angles of the hands and indexes enhance the legibility of the dial.
The new creations all feature dials with the delicate Asanoha, or hemp leaf, pattern that has been used in Japanese fabrics and elsewhere ever since the Heian period over a thousand years ago. The dials’ sharply edged geometric pattern and rich texture present an ever-changing aspect as the light plays across them at different angles. Each dial is in a different traditional Japanese colour; Aitetsu, or indigo iron, Tokiwa, the colour of evergreen trees, Sumi-iro, the tone of black Japanese ink, and Hihada-iro, a reddish-brown colour first derived from the bark of the Japanese cypress tree.Calibre 6R64. Perfect for the international traveler.
All four watches are powered by the eight beat-per-second GMT Calibre 6R64. The GMT hand on each is in a different colour to stand out clearly from each dial and, like the hands and indexes, has a generous layer of Lumibrite, to ensure legibility. The GMT hand can also be used as a dual time indicator, with the hour hand being adjustable even as the minute and seconds hands continue to mark time. The dial rings are in two colours to separate the night and day hours at a glance. The date is shown on a sub-dial at the six o’clock position and there is a power reserve indicator at nine o’clock.The glass is sapphire crystal and the exhibition case back, also in sapphire, reveals the beauty of the movement.All four watches will be available at the Seiko Boutiques and selected retail stores worldwide in May 2021.
Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series GMT
Calibre 6R64
Vibrations: 28,800 vibrations per hour (8 beats per second)Power reserve: 45 hours
Number of jewels: 29GMT function / Independent hour hand adjustment function
SpecificationsStainless steel case and bracelet with super-hard coating
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coatingSee-through screw case back
Diameter: 42.2mm, Thickness: 13.7mmWater resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic Resistance: 4,800 A/mStainless Steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release
Recommended retail prices in Australia: $2,150