Not all Seiko Presages are cool, some are just weird...
But maybe weird is cool? At least that's what the SAWV003 tells itself everyday
The Precursor
I haven’t had the opportunity to make many watches recently, but over the last two weeks, I’ve been carefully assembling five of my previously sold-out “Titanium Waves”. They’re identical to the original design, although I’ve made a slight tweak to the case backs; making them thinner without compromising water resistance. These pieces will be officially listed later this week, so if you're interested, please reach out sooner rather than later—they sold out quickly last time. I’m happy to give a 5% discount to our Substack readers.
Seiko SAWV003 Moonphase Presage
As if the four subdials weren’t unique enough, Seiko added a door (hatch? window? port hole?) to the SAWV003. The results are magnificently weird, and I’m all for it. The door actually acts as a giant magnifier; essentially its purpose is to be an entire dial “cyclops” making it easier to read each subdial. In my opinion, its true function is to evoke Seiko’s unapologetic 1990s approach to design; a time when no design philosophy was too sacred to challenge. Although Seiko has become more reserved in recent years, pieces like this serve as a reminder of their quirky spirit.
And now with the door closed:
Circular day and date, a monthly moonphase and a “towards the sun” independently programmable hour hand make up the four subdials. The hour markers have been replaced with N, E, S, and W, aiding in navigation with the “towards the sun” dial.
Seiko SAGJ003 “Brightz” Chronograph
Focused on accuracy, the SAGJ series was part of Seiko's early 2000s high-end line, preceding the major launch of Spring Drive. Despite the emphasis on precision, the original marketing invited wearers to enjoy the “romance in errors.” The writer asks you to set your watch to 0:00:00 at the stroke of Midnight on New Year’s Eve, and then wait a year. At 0:00:00 the following year the watch will have lost or gained a maximum of 20 seconds. The writer ponders: what beauty lay within those 20 seconds over the course of a year?
The fully titanium bracelet and case, combined with the HAQ quartz movement, result in an exceptionally lightweight and thin watch. The cushion case sits effortlessly on the wrist, providing comfort and style.
Seiko SCXP181 “Mewtwo”
You won’t be surprised to learn that all 1000 of these sold out instantly in Japan. Much like the SCXP177 I featured last month, this model is filled with fun nods to the Pokémon series. The watch case is a rectangle Poké Ball, and Pokémon footprints can be found walking up the leather strap. The purple dial, with its concentric circles and wiggly texture, pays homage to Mewtwo’s psychic background.
Seiko SARX075 Presage “Sharp Edge”
Seiko released a small series of Asanoha, or hemp leaf, patterned watch dials in 2020. They were very in demand at the time and sold out quickly. The popularity could be linked to the Asanoha pattern, which has historically been used in Japanese textiles to symbolize strong growth and good health. As the pattern is not simply a print but is fully textured instead, the dial plays brilliantly in the light. Seiko describes the colour of this dial as “Shironeri” which references the pure silk white colour of Japanese wedding dresses, something they use in some of their Grand Seiko marketing, which brings me onto the case.
The tightly angled case feels like a Grand Seiko “lite”. It’s sharp, it’s clean and it shines brightly. The deployant, stainless steel bracelet is the most comfortable mid-priced bracelet I’ve worn from Seiko. If you aren’t bored of the Grand Seiko comparison yet, let me make one more - it has a monstrous 70-hour power reserve! Not bad for a $600 price point.
Custom Seiko “Titanium Waves”
The Titanium dial is based on the iconic “Great Wave off Kanagawa” woodblock print by the Japanese Artist Hokusai, as part of his “Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji” collection. While it might look painted, the colours are actually the result of using a fibre laser to anodise the titanium at different voltages, which results in subtle effects like each ray of the Sun capturing and reflecting the light in a slightly different colour.
The case is brushed stainless steel in the classic Italian Navy/Panerai style, complete with a Provenance Watches case back. The crystal is a flat sapphire with blue-tinted anti-reflective coating on the underside. The lever is fully functional, as you would expect, and fits snugly against the case, ensuring solid water resistance (measured up to 50m by me, but rated to 100m by the manufacturer).
Look out for the video on Instagram, because photos don’t do this titanium dial justice at all.
Don’t forget to follow my Instagram to see all of the watches above in full cinematic glory.