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Seiko's Presage Classic Series Honors Tomioka Silk in a 2,000-Piece Limited Edition

Four watches, a 38.0mm case new to the line, and Caliber 6R51.

Image: Seiko (Seiko Watch Corporation), Presage collection

Seiko’s latest Presage Classic Series additions draw their dial patterns from Tomioka silk, which Seiko describes as “a premium Japanese silk produced in the region surrounding the Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma Prefecture.” The mill itself was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014, and Seiko points to the Tomioka Silk Promotion Organization, set up in 2021, as the body supporting the material and the people who make it.

One of the four is limited to 2,000 pieces. Seiko describes its dial as “finished with a pearl-like coating that shimmers gracefully in the light and imparts a sophisticated radiance,” and pairs it with a pink-gold-colored case and a dark brown leather strap that the release links to the mill’s brick facade. The other three are regular production, in three traditional Japanese colors: shironeri, a white; wakatake-iro, a green; and sakura-iro, a pink.

For a line known for lacquer and enamel, silk offers a distinct tactile reference.

All four use a 38.0mm case, which Seiko calls a new size for the Classic Series, and Caliber 6R51 with a power reserve of about 72 hours.

Seiko lists reference numbers (HCC008 for the limited edition; HCC001, HCC002, HCC003 for the others) and prices, but the release provides only partial case material details for the limited edition. Anyone deciding whether to chase the limited edition also has the reference number (HCC008), U.S. price ($1,150), movement, size and the number 2,000 to go on.

Source: seikowatches.com

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