The Studio Ghibli x Seiko Presage SPB437 Caught Me by Surprise, in a Good Way!

As someone working in the industry seeing hundreds if not thousands of watches each year, I often label a watch as a potential “yes” or “no” based on a press release or a couple of images. I’m sure, to some extent, that the same goes for collectors and enthusiasts. Sometimes, I’ll dismiss a watch for myself – not saying that it’s a bad watch whatsoever – but because I feel it doesn’t resonate with me enough to consider a purchase. But, I wholeheartedly admit that sometimes, I have to backtrack after I get to handle the watch in question and change my thoughts on it because it genuinely surprises me. That’s exactly what happened with one of Seiko’s latest releases, the Studio Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind SPB437 limited edition. 

It’s often said that collaborations are a dime-a-dozen these days and that they have lost most of their lustre in the process, and I fully agree. Collaborations have become so common in the industry that they often don’t feel special anymore. Luckily, there are still a few that can genuinely catch me off guard, which is what this specific Seiko did to me. When I wrote the initial story and learned about the connection to the 1984 anime fantasy film by Studio Ghibli, titled Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, I had to do some more digging to learn the ins and outs. This digging unearthed something that I knew little about, an element of life I always enjoy: discovering new things. So, I watched the movie and went hands-on with the watch.

When I received the watch, something clicked in a way I did not expect. Trying to break it down isn’t that hard. For me, it’s about how this one sets itself apart from the rest of the admittedly very diverse Presage collection, with its toned-down finish of the case, the striking blue enamel dial, and the oversized crown with a blue crystal insert. The dial is superbly legible thanks to the crisp blue tone, white markings, and hands. It also has that lovely subtle orange-peel effect of enamel dials. It might be a simple watch at heart, but it does what it needs to do brilliantly well. It ties into the movie perfectly, thanks to its subdued case design, the colours of Nausicaä’s outfit, the blue crystal in the crown mimicking an Ohm’s eye, the Ohm embossed into the inside of the strap end, and so on. To people who know and love the movie, there’s plenty to feel connected to and to honour the heroine, Nausicaä.

And yet, to people who might not be familiar with it, it’s subtle enough to avoid being tacky or gimmicky. As a watch, on its own, it’s still a very nice piece. Sure, the logo on the dial and the print on the crystal caseback are quite distinct, but they’re not at all intrusive. Seiko has pushed this limited edition in a direction I wouldn’t mind seeing more of in the future. The overall look and feel take the classy Presage down a more tool-ish path, and I already envision something fit for an urban exploring adventure. Does this make any sense? I don’t know; all I know is this watch has turned me around from not thinking too much of it, based on the press images, to quite liking it when I got my hands on it. And that’s not something we should forget, as experiencing a watch in person can differ from how we think a watch can look and feel based on images. It’s too easy to dismiss a watch before handling it yourself. So, if there’s at least one thing to take away from my chain of thought, let it be that.

The Studio Ghibli x Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind SPB437 limited edition comes in a run of 1,500 pieces. It is available now for a retail price of EUR 1,750.

For more information on the SPB437 and other models and collections, please visit SeikoWatches.com.