Seiko Enlisted a Japanese Style Brand to Recreate Japan’s First Wristwatch

Today, Japan is one of the world’s powerhouses of watchmaking thanks to monster brands like Seiko, Citizen and Casio. But it was a very different story a century ago.

The first watch to bear Seiko’s name on the dial was released 100 years ago in 1924, and the first wristwatch produced in all of Japan came out just 11 years before that.

That groundbreaking watch from 1913 was also made by Seiko, though it was before the company went by that name. The watch was simply called the Laurel, and Seiko paid tribute to it last year with multiple 110th-anniversary editions.

Now, Seiko has unveiled yet another variation on the Laurel, but this one adds some new wrinkles courtesy of another Japanese brand.

Seiko

Seiko x Porter Classic SPB449

• $2,300 at Seiko

Japanese Craftsmanship on Full Display

Seiko’s new take on the Laurel was produced with Porter Classic, a Japan-based style brand known for its blending of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and forward-thinking fashions.

The new watch features the same basic round shape and vtinage dimensions — 35mm across and just 37mm lug to lug — as the original Laurel, which was understandably inspired by pocket watches, but it completely overhauls the dial.

Instead of being finished in white enamel with black Arabic numeral indices in black and red, the Porter Laurel features a black enameled dial with white indices, eschewing any red highlights for a totally monochrome look.

Seiko

The subdial at 6 o’clock is still present, but instead of displaying the running seconds like on the original Laurel, it displays 24-hour time. Seconds are now tracked via a white center-mounted seconds hand, while the white hour and minute hands retain the curvaceous shapes seen on the original Laurel.

The watch features moveable wire lugs inspired by pocket watches, and it comes with two special pass-through straps made from shell cordovan leather, one in brown and one in black. The straps feature additional leather to fit behind the case for additional comfort, similar to a bund strap, along with extra holes for increased sizing options.

The Porter logo depicting co-founder Katsuyuki Yoshida — whose interest in pocket watches and early Seiko designs spurred this collaboration — appears on the caseback, alongside the serial number from 1 – 500. Finally, the movement powering the watch is the Seiko Cal. 6R5H, an automatic with three days of power on tap — a feature called out on the dial.

Seiko

Pricing and Availability

As I implied above, the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series
Porter Classic Collaboration Limited Edition — AKA the Seiko SPB449 — is limited to just 500 examples. Each watch comes in a special black presentation box with separate tiers for the watch and the extra strap.

The SPB449 goes on sale this November and is priced at $2,300. The higher price reflects the hand-enameled dial by master enamel craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa, slotting the watch firmly in Seiko’s premium Presage Craftsmanship Series.

Seiko

Seiko x Porter Classic SPB449

Specs

Case Size	35mm
Movement	Seiko Cal. 6R5H automatic
Water Resistance	50m

• $2,300 at Seiko

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