One of the few timepieces that can be seen as defining King Seiko’s character even to this date is the 1965 King Seiko KSK. This wasn’t the first King Seiko that was produced, however, it was iconic for its sharp design, angular case and it’s high functionality. The 1965 KSK had decent water resistance and was also equipped with hacking seconds hand. The hugely practical watch earned the admiration of a lot of fans.
Since last year, Seiko has been driving the classic style of the King Seiko KSK models, by keeping the core design intact while adding 21st-century enhancements that Seiko is vastly experienced in. Now, Seiko is bringing two new watches to the table, both inspired by the classic KSK. Each timepiece will be powered by the brand’s slimline Calibre 6L35 movement, which incidentally also marks the movement’s appearance for the first time in the King Seiko collection.
The case of these new recreations has a refined design, which starts with the lugs. The lugs and cases are faceted with large flat planes and sharp angles. The case surfaces are polished so that a distortion-free and mirror finish can be achieved, which also allows the cases to reflect light in a visually aesthetic manner. The refinement of the original 1965 KSK is shown through the combination of the angular case and flat dial with its faceted hands.
The case measures in at 38.6mm, while also being 0.2mm thinner than the original King Seiko KSK watch. The watch is also slimmer than the previous heritage recreation limited edition model, made possible thanks to the new case construction and boxed-shaped crystal. The case is then combined with the slim and beautiful bracelet, which when worn on the wrist gives an elegant look. The “bricks” on the bracelet have brushed surfaces while the outside links have angled sides, adding further to Seiko’s attention to detail. Matching the case, the bracelet also adds a level of shine that leaves a lasting impression.
Both of the timepieces come with an elegant dial design as well, fit to wear the King Seiko Signature. The two watches are presented with a new sunray finishing technique on the dial that gives the watch a more understated look, in either a silver-colored dial or a new shade of black that was created specifically to suit the new case design. Out of the two dials, the silver dial gets the more subtle yet elegant look, while the black dial gets the more contrasting and bold look.
The two timepieces come with hour and minute hands which are faceted, showcasing Seiko’s high-quality manufacturing that is used to create watches worthy of honoring King Seiko’s legacy, all the while advancing its collection into the modern era. Seiko has gone a step further for the hands on the black dial, giving them fine hairline finishes which heighten the contrast level against the black dial.
Seiko’s 6L35 movement is an automatic manual winding system that brings about an accuracy of (+15 to -10) seconds per day. The movement sits at just 3.69mm tall and operates at a frequency of 4Hz (28, 800 VpH). It also gives out a power reserve of approximately 45 hours. The two main features of this movement are the hacking seconds and also the quick date correction system.
The continuation of the reinterpretation of the 1965 King Seiko models sees two new timepieces added to the collection. The classic colours of black and silver have been given somewhat of a more complex finish with the subtle sunray and refined faceted hands. Overall the design of these two timepieces brings about an elegant, simple, and classic look, all the while having a sophisticated and modern movement underneath, capturing the essence of the original 1965 KSK.
Reference: SJE089, SJE091
Specification
- Case: 38.6mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel case
- Dial: Silver-coloured or black with a sunray finishing technique
- Crystal: Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 50m (5 bar)
- Movement: Calibre 6L35
- Power reserve: 45 h
- Strap: Stainless Steel bracelet
