Seiko Adds a new Enamel SPB495 to the Presage Craftsmanship Series
A classic among classics, with Roman numerals and an enamel dial paying tribute to the brand's first watch.

Prospex, King Seiko, 5 Sports and, of course, Presage… There are so many different sub-collections within Seiko’s portfolio but it’s rather easy to understand what the Presage collection stands for; elegance and classicism. This statement is even more meaningful when it comes to the Presage Craftsmanship Series, a collection of watches seen as the best of Japanese artistic crafts. This restrained collection is all about bringing to the forefront techniques such as Enamel, Urushi lacquer, Arita porcelain or Shippo enamel. The latest release, the Seiko Presage SPB495, pays tribute to Seiko’s first-ever watch, the 1895 Timekeeper, with its elegant Roman numerals over a white enamel dial.
While Kintaro Hattori created his own workshop back in 1881, selling and repairing watches and clocks in central Tokyo, Seiko (back then named Seikosha) was founded in 1892, first as a clock factory. It was only in 1895 that the first watch came out of the Seikosha factory, the so-called Timekeeper (which you can see above), a traditional pocket watch with a white enamel dial, elongated Roman numerals and an overall, clean, functional design typical of the era.
Seiko has been highly productive in the past recent years regarding the re-creation of its first wristwatch – the 1913 Laurel, with for example the 110-year limited edition SPB359 – but less with the 1895 Timekeeper, which celebrates this year its 130th anniversary. As a tribute to this important milestone in the brand’s history, Seiko releases now a new model in the Presage Craftsmanship Series, this SPB495 with a white enamel dial and Roman numerals inspired by the past.
This new Seiko Presage enamel relies on classic codes of the collection, with a reasonably-sized steel case measuring 40.2mm in diameter, 12.1mm in thickness and 48mm in length. The surfaces are coated with super-hard coating, ensuring more durability for the brushed and polished surfaces. The watch is protected by a sapphire crystal on top (with inner AR coating) and features a screwed see-through caseback. Despite the elegant vocation of this model, water-resistance is rated at a comfortable 100m.
The dial, or at least the style of the dial, is the main novelty to be found on this SPB495. The base uses a glossy white enamel technique with a slightly recessed central area giving depth. The dial is made by veteran craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his team, who began working with enamel in 1971 when he joined Fuji Porcelain Enamel Co. The dial is produced traditionally by firing the enamel glaze at a high temperature in a kiln. What sets this edition apart are the black, elongated Roman numerals as well as the classic railtrack design of the minute scale. Blued hands indicate the time centrally with the addition of a 24-hour sub-dial at 6 o’clock – even though we’d prefer it to be a small seconds counter.
Inside the case is the calibre 6R5H, an in-house movement found in multiple other Presage watches. It beats at a 3Hz frequency and offers a solid 72-hour power reserve. The watch is worn on a black leather strap, closed by a three-fold clasp with push button release.
Available as part of the permanent collection, the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Enamel SPB495 is priced at EUR 1,500. More details at SeikoWatches.com.
6 responses
The inclusion of a 24-hour subdial seems very strange.
@200F
Not too strange.. it functions like an AM/PM indicator.
Instead of the useless 24h subdial: a “real” small second will make the watch more classic, probably thinner and therefore definitely a winner, especially in this price segment.
24 hour indicator… in case you are locked in a basement you are not allowed to leave, with no windows and no visitors allowed, but you can still keep you watch?
I would rather see the subdial working as GMT function
Love the design, but “elegant” is bit of a stretch when this has roughly the dimensions of a Submariner…