Seiko Introduces The Classic Series With Five New Soft And Gentle References
What brand do you turn to when you’re looking for a watch with a classic design? Well, to be honest, there are many such brands out there. But one brand that certainly comes to my mind is Seiko. It looks like the people at Seiko think similarly about their watches because, today, the Japanese watchmaker is launching the Classic Series. For now, it’s a collection of five watches that all share the same stainless steel case and bracelet. Three of them are three-handers with a date, and the other two feature an additional 24-hour sub-dial and an open heart.
The inspiration for the new Classic Series comes from the soft and gentle side of Japanese design. When you compare these five new models to the brand’s Sharp Edged Series, you’ll quickly notice the more rounded shapes and softer tones on the dials. Let’s take a quick look at this new collection of watches that falls under Seiko’s Presage line.
The Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB463, SPB465, and SPB467
As the three-hand versions are my favorites, I’ll start with those. The watches have a 40.2mm case diameter and are 13mm thick. Apart from the tops of the lugs, which are brushed, the rest of the rounded case has been polished, including the stepped bezel. The elegant bracelet has a push-button butterfly clasp and consists of seven rows of links. Three of these rows have a high-polished finish, while the rest are brushed. From the side, the links almost look like little coffee beans because of their curved shape. Seiko made them this way to limit the amount of material touching your wrist and improve wearing comfort.
Each of the slightly curved three-hander dials takes inspiration from lustrous silk. That’s why they all have a sparkly texture. Seiko refers to the SPB463 as “Shiro-Iro,” which means “unbleached” or simply “white” in Japanese. The SPB465 is called “Araigaki” for the persimmon-like orange tone of its dial. Finally, Seiko has named the SPB467 “Sensaicha” after its dial’s brownish-green hue. Apparently, this was a popular color during Japan’s Edo period.
The classic dial layout is very simple but has some nice touches to it. As this series is all about a soft and gentle approach to design, the tips of both the hands and the indexes all curve toward the edge of the dial. The chapter ring with the minute track on it has a nice angle, just like the bevels on the date window. Above all of this, a double-domed sapphire crystal helps to enhance the soft character of these watches.
The Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB469 and SPB471
Underneath that same sapphire crystal, you’ll find a similar but different dial design on the models with an open heart. This time, the inspiration for the dial finishes comes from raw silk yarn, which results in a soft radial, almost-sunburst texture. The off-white color on the SPB469 is the same Shiro-Iro as on the aforementioned SPB463. The dark gray/black hue on the SPB471 is called Sumi-Iro, meaning “ink color,” which was the color of garments traditionally worn by Buddhist monks.
Just like on the three-handers, the dial has a slight curve, as do the hands and indexes. In addition, at 6 and 9 o’clock, there are two cutouts disrupting the soft pattern on the dial. The sub-dial at 6 o’clock has a 24-hour scale and functions as a day/night indicator. Through the other cutout, you get a look at the heart of the movement with Seiko’s proprietary Diashock shock absorber right in the middle of it.
Calibers 6R5J and 6R55
When it comes to the movements, the open-heart models house Seiko’s 6R5J caliber. That’s the same movement you’ll find in watches in the Sharp Edged Series. On the other hand, the three-handers have a 6R55 movement inside. The watches in the Craftsmanship Series, for example, also utilize this caliber. Both are self-winding movements with very similar characteristics overall. They run at a 21,600vph frequency, feature 24 jewels, and have a 72-hour power reserve. All five watches have an exhibition case back through which you get a look at the movements’ gold-colored rotor.
Final thoughts
Launching a collection called the Classic Series is pretty ambitious, I have to say. To me, it indicates that Seiko expects these watches to feel relevant for a very long time. But I do feel that the brand did a good job on these watches. The design is not groundbreaking, but it’s very well done. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of the open-heart versions. The three-handers, however, look very appealing with the rounded shapes and sparkling texture on the dials. The movements inside are also reliable and have a very comfortable 72-hour power reserve. Oh, and these watches are water resistant to 10 ATM, making them great for daily wear and even swimming (but not diving).
All five watches will become available in June 2024. The Seiko SPB463, SPB465, and SPB467 will then sell for €1,050, while the SPB469 and SPB471 will have a price of €1,230. To me, this seems fair for the package you’re getting. If you’d like to know more about these watches, check out the official Seiko website.
Let me know what you think of Seiko’s new Classic Series in the comments below.
