From time immemorial, Japan has been fascinated by the moon, and during the Heian period (794-1185), the nation’s reverence for the moon’s beauty found expression in the creation of a ceremony at which the Japanese nobility would gather in the open air when the moon was at its height and recite poetry, listen to music, eat and drink. It is a tradition that has lasted until today and is still widely observed throughout Japan.
The heritage of Seiko and the Japan’s love of the moon are both expressed in the design of the new Presage Blue Enamel Limited Edition watch. The shape of the hour markers is drawn from Seiko’s first pocket watch, the ‘Time Keeper’, made in 1895. The crescent shaped tip of the second hand is in a gold color powder, giving it a special texture that resembles the surface of the moon and the crescent shape is also to be seen on the sapphire case back, affixed by vapor deposition. The crocodile strap is in deep blue to match the dial and has a delicate sheen that subtly reflects the light, just like the dial.
At the heart of the stainless steel case, the blue enamel dial is the work of the enamel craftsman Mitsuru Yokozawa and his team, who also made the white enamel dials of other Presage creations. Because the surface of a watch dial is so small and as it is viewed at such close distances, the depth and evenness of the enamel has to be exact. Only by controlling every stage of the process and even adjusting the composition of the enamel in line with atmospheric conditions can a truly perfect dial be created. With the creation of this new blue dial, Yokozawa has achieved an even more impressive feat of craftsmanship. As the viscosity of blue enamel is much higher, the skill required to achieve prefect evenness is all the greater.
This timepiece houses the 6R15 caliber, which beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a 50-hour power reserve and a high level of torque that is a joy to experience when the specially sculpted crown is turned. The sapphire crystal is dual-curved so that the dial can be seen without distortion from any angle. The hour markers are painted ten times to lift them in relief from the dial and the tips of the hands are curved so that they follow the contours of the curved crystals.
The watch is offered as a limited edition of 1,500 and will be available in December at Seiko’s elite retail partners in selected markets and worldwide in early 2018.
Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: 1,150 Euro.
