Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series Open Heart SPB415 & SPB417 (Live Pics & Price)
A new 3-day automatic movement and an updated design join the Sharp Edged Series.
Introduced in 2020, the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series presented an angular silhouette (with a bit of a Grand Seiko flair), distinctively patterned dial, and hands and indexes equally bold and sharp. Part of Seiko‘s Presage series, and sitting alongside the Style 60’s, the Craftsmanship Series and the Cocktail watches, it has since been launched with a variety of styles, including a GMT, a power reserve or an open-heart dial. Revealing a powerful expression of Japanese artistry, it now comes with a new three-day automatic movement and a new design, with the references SPB415 and SPB417.
When presented three years ago, the Presage Sharp Edged Series has been a rather pleasant surprise. Nicely designed and executed, it somehow brought the distinctiveness of a Grand Seiko watch, yet in a far more accessible price range – most watches are well below the 2K euros mark, if not below 1,000 euros. What gave the Sharp Edged series its name was the combination of an angular, sharp yet relatively modest and classic case, with textured dials expressing Japanese culture and hands and indexes that reflect light while enhancing legibility.
We’ve seen the design in multiple watches now and with various movements. Next to the classic time-and-date models, which represent the backbone of the collection, are a bolder, sportier GMT watch, a more complex date-and-power-reserve edition and a first attempt at an open-heart watch, a model that partially revealed the movement on the dial side. Available under the references SPB309 and SPB311, these were, at least to our taste, the least successful watches in the collection. But things are about to change.
The new Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series Open Heart that the brand is launching soon are revamping entirely the concept of the openworked dial revealing the regulator. Movement, design, case and dial… everything is new. And in fact, it goes even further, as these references SPB415 and SPB417 are actually introducing various updates to the overall Sharp Edges style.
Measuring 40.2mm in diameter, 13.5mm in thickness and about 47.5mm in length, the case remains crafted from stainless steel with the brand’s proprietary protective layer, a.k.a the Super-Hard coating. There are some changes on the case, however, with a dual-curved sapphire crystal making its first appearance in the Sharp Edged Series, giving the new watches a slender appearance on the wrist, with a slightly thinner bezel. Also, thanks to the new crystal, the dials appear closer and more vivid. Furthermore, an additional mirror-finished facet between the top and side surfaces of the case has been created, with the side now being brushed – and not polished like in the inaugural collection. Still angular and sharp, yet more detailed and more refined.
The dial of these new Presage Sharp Edged watches retains the collection’s classic features, but then again with updates. The dials of the two new creations bear the asanoha pattern, or “hemp-leaf” pattern, a millenary-old motif found on Japanese textiles. The dial is available in two colours; a bright and discreet dial on the SPB415, named shironeri and inspired by unbleached white silk; a more striking, gradient blue dial on the SPB417, named aitetsu or indigo iron. Both also feature a new window to expose the escapement at 9 o’clock, which now sits under a metallized, graphic asanoha motif.
Additionally, these new Presage Sharp Edged Series Open Heart SPB415 and SPB417 adopt an enhanced design for the hour markers and seconds hand. The markers are sharper and point toward the centre of the dial, while the seconds hand, which is gently curved down toward the markers, has a more pronounced and angular counterweight with a spiked tail. The 6 o’clock position reveals a practical 24-hour indicator.
Power in these new models comes from an unprecedented movement, the calibre 6R5J. This automatic engine boasts an increased power reserve of three days (72h) when fully wound. Beating at 3Hz, it is visible under a sapphire caseback, and equipped with a gold-coloured oscillating weight. Both new references are worn on a 3-link steel bracelet with Super-Hard coating, closed by a three-fold clasp with push-button release.
The new Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series Open Heart SPB415 and SPB417 will be part of the permanent collection and available from June 1st, 2023 at boutiques and retailers. Each will be priced at EUR 1,300. For more details, please visit www.seikowatches.com.
