Over the past decade, Japan’s most famous watch corporation has made strides in teaching the world outside of Japan the difference between its Seiko and Grand Seiko brands. It, therefore, caused a slight stir when, in the early 2020s, the King Seiko sub-brand was reintroduced.
Seen as a stepping stone between the high-end Grand Seiko and the more accessible Seiko during its original production run between 1961 and 1975, King Seiko disappeared into the annals of history, before being revived in 2020 with a limited re-edition model.
And today, a new King Seiko has been announced. Due to hit stores in the autumn, the ultra-slim, limited-edition piece takes inspiration from the 1960s and pays homage to a time-honored symbol of Japanese custom.
The dial of the watch, features a display of white chrysanthemums, which are considered to be one of Japan’s national flowers. The blooms are considered to be an emblem of both rebirth and long life, while in the UK and US they also symbolise joy, luck and friendship.
The flowers are arranged in a Kiku tsunagi-mon pattern of precisely intersecting lines. The style is synonymous with Edo-kiriko glassware, a historically significant type of cut glass that is widely recognised as one of the most popular handicrafts produced in Japan.
Edo-kiriko, which translates as “faceted objects of Edo” are highly respected for their intricate beauty and one-of-a-kind designs made possible by the skilful cutting of glass into a number of facets.
The 38.6mm steel-cased watch is based on the King Seiko KSK from 1965, which helped establish the brand with its distinct appearance and emphasis on utility.
Beyond the intricately patterned dial, the angular casing and faceted hands, bring a new level of elegance to King Seiko. The exteriors are sharp with a multitude of flat surfaces and faceted angles that have been polished to make them more eye-catching. The contrast of the delicate grace of the dial and the angular form of the case serves to reveal the exceptional craftsmanship of modern Seiko.
As with the original 1960s model, the caseback is engraved with the words “King Seiko” and a shield logo.
The watch is equipped with a steel bracelet and comes with an additional textured, grey leather strap that is the perfect match for the chrysanthemum dial.
Despite having an automatic winding system and a date display, the new King Seiko KSK watch is slimmer than the previous model due to the use of Seiko’s slimline Calibre 6L35 – a movement that offers 45 hours of power reserve
The piece is water resistant to 50 metres and has a magnetic resistance rating of 4,800 A/m.
Only 600 examples of the watch will be made and they will be available at selected Seiko Boutiques and retailers from early October, priced at £3,000.
