Seiko Presage “Senbei” Rice Cracker Dial

Japan is a country of deeply entrenched traditions and culture. Seiko, Japan’s main watchmaker, has long capitalized on its origins to create watches that reflect this rich and complex aesthetic. The Presage collection, introduced to the world in 2016, has since been the expression of traditional Japanese arts, with dials made according to ancient techniques such as Urushi lacquer or enamel. Today, the brand is feeding us with a new model, again paying tribute to Japan’s tasteful culture, with the new Seiko Presage “Senbei”. 

Presage is a fascinating collection of watches, mixing elegant lines, mechanical movements and handcrafted dials reflecting Japan’s finest traditions. It has previously featured dials inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship such as porcelain enamel, “Shippo” enamel, and “Urushi” lacquer. Now, Presage is working with a traditional Japanese snack “senbei” or Japanese rice cracker, resulting in a rich, tasteful and warm colour contrasting with the metallic feel of the case and the hands.

Creating such a dial has been a challenge for the brand. Seiko engineers had to work hand-in-hand with a highly skilled “senbei” artisan. In order to obtain a perfectly stable yet savoury dial, an ideal balance between the rice and the soy sauce had to be found, to give the dial a mouthwatering and luxurious shine. The dial is “Grand Feu” cooked before being hand-lacquered with premium soy sauce. The main complexity on this Seiko Presage “Senbei” Dial had been to find the perfect grill temperature, so the dial could be stable enough yet with a cracking design.

Following the art of Japanese culinary traditions, the Roman numerals and the logo on the Seiko Presage “Senbei” Dial are expressed in finely cut “nori,” placed by the careful hands of an artisan. The seaweed, also used in sushi preparation, is grown in Japan, and perfectly matches the soy sauce flavoured “senbei.”

Three different limited yet tasteful editions will be available in stores: Soy Sauce, Sesame Seeds, and Crystal Sugar. Based on the same “Senbei” base Dial, these three variations will come with slightly different flavours. The rest of the watch is identical to other editions, such as the Presage Shippo SPB075, with a 40mm steel case and the automatic calibre 6R27 inside.

Due to their limited production and short expiration date, these models are bound to fly off the shelves, so if your appetite is whetted, act now. More details on seikowatches.com.

Happy April 1st! Seiko’s team has done it again (see here for last year’s post)