The latest King Seiko creation sees the brand turn to Japanese culture for inspiration. Using one of the national flowers of Japan as a reference, Seiko has weaved an intricate pattern onto the dial to showcase the flower’s beauty.
The King Seiko (SJE095) captures the spirit of Tokyom, where King Seiko was first born in the 1960s. This latest timepiece construction has been inspired by the 1965 King Seiko KSK, which features a sharp angular case along with high functionality. The case of the new King Seiko reflects this same design, with a touch of light polish, especially with the bezel so that it reflects light pleasantly.
The 38.6mm stainless steel case for this King Seiko SJE095 is also only 10.7mm thick, which means that on the wrist it should sit fairly comfortably, especially if you don’t like bulky timepieces. The many different angular lines and shapes on the case and bezel give this watch a lot of character which is further complimented by the beautiful dial.
Seiko has used a white dial which against the stainless steel case lets the pattern stand out nicely. The pattern on the dial is based on the chrysanthemum, which is seen as one of the national flowers of Japan. The chrysanthemum flower is seen as having great significance in Japanese culture, as the flower represents rejuvenation and longevity. The brand has displayed the flower pattern on the dial through the use of finely intersecting lines called kiku tsunagi-mon, which, in Japanese, signifies a chrysanthemum pattern that connects with itself.
This pattern is especially associated with edo-kiriko glassware, a form of traditional cut glass considered to be one of the most popular craftworks from Japan. Edo-kiriko, which translates to “faceted objects of Edo,” is renowned for its intricate beauty and its unique designs achieved through the skillful cutting of glass into multiple facets.
The beautiful patterned dial is finished off with faceted hour and minute hands, which further demonstrate the high quality of modern Seiko manufacturing. The hands and hour indices also match nicely with the finishing off the case and stands out well against the patterned background. The case back of the timepeice carries the “SEIKO” inscription along with the King Seiko name and the same shield design as the original 1965 model.
Seiko have given the SJE095 the slimline Caliber 6L35 movement, which as the name suggests measures in at only 3.69mm thick, even with a date window and automatic winding mechanism. This allows the overall watch to be thinner, hence why it’s only 10.7mm thick! The movement operates at a high-frequency of 28,800 VpH (4hz) and can power the timepiece for approximately 45 hours.
The King Seiko SJE095 is offered as standard in the beautiful 7-link bracelet. Previous versions of this model also came with this bracelet , and understanably so as well as the bracelet gives a nice luxurious presence on the wrist. The sharp design of the links also give it a more refined architectural look. A second strap is also on offer, with Seiko presenting an additional grey leather strap, with it’s colour and texture matched to the dial.
Seiko has released previous versions of this particular design already with the release of the SJE089 and SJE091 models, however, the dial designs were the standard black and white. Now, with the release of this latest SJE095 model, King Seiko gets a beautiful patterned dial with meaning to add to the collection. The timepiece will be released as a limited edition model, with only 600 pieces being made. It will be available worldwide from October 2023 from select retailers.
Reference: SJE095
Specification
- Case: 38.6mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Dial: Patterned white dial is based on the chrysanthemum flower
- Crystal: Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 50m (5 bar)
- Movement: Automatic Caliber 6L35
- Power reserve: Approx. 45 hours
- Strap: 7-link Stainless Steel bracelet or an additional grey leather strap whose color and texture complement the patterned dial.
