Introducing: The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship SPB499 With An Urushi Dial
The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship pairs attainable Japanese watchmaking with impressive traditional crafts. We recently saw the introduction of a version with an enamel dial and another with an unglazed porcelain dial. Today, we see yet another version, this time with a dial featuring urushi lacquer. This is the SPB499.
The new Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship SPB499(J1) is a non-limited edition and available for pre-order now. Delivery is scheduled to commence in July of this year. The urushi-dial Presage costs €1,750 / US$1,650. Let’s have a closer look!
Urushi lacquer
Let’s start with the highlight of the show, the SPB499’s dial and its urushi (漆) lacquer. Urushi is a natural lacquer derived from the sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree, traditionally found in Japan, China, and Korea. Lacquering is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. When applied to a watch dial, urushi creates a rich, deep surface with unparalleled depth and subtle gloss.
The process begins with preparing the base dial, often made from brass. The surface must be perfectly smooth and clean to ensure proper adhesion of the lacquer. Multiple layers of raw urushi are then applied by hand using a fine brush. Each layer is extremely thin — often just microns thick — and must be allowed to cure in a controlled environment where the temperature and humidity are carefully maintained to facilitate polymerization through exposure to moisture.
After each layer cures, the surface is gently polished to achieve an even finish. This cycle of lacquering, curing, and polishing is repeated many times, sometimes up to a dozen or more layers, until the desired depth, color, and texture are achieved. The result is a dial with a remarkable visual depth and a soft, organic sheen that subtly changes with the light.
The Seiko Presage SPB499
The urushi process, in this case, leads to a beautiful black dial with gold-painted Roman numerals. This dial lives inside a 40.2mm stainless steel case with a 12.5mm profile, including the crystals. Speaking of those, you get a sapphire sandwich with a double-domed crystal on top. It features an antireflective coating on the inside. Seiko rates the case’s water resistance at an ample 100 meters.
The display case back offers a view of the 6R5H automatic caliber inside. This movement ticks at 21,600vph (3Hz) and offers a royal 72-hour power reserve. In this version, the caliber displays a 24-hour indicator in a sub-dial at 6 o’clock. In this way, SPB499 deviates from the recently released SPB497, which has just three hands. Otherwise, the calibers are identical.
The Seiko Presage SPB499 comes on a black leather strap with subtle gold stitching and a folding deployant clasp.
Initial impressions
I know the Seiko Presage series quite well, and I particularly love the craftsmanship-focused models. The SPB497, with its unglazed porcelain dial, was a winner, and I like this SPB499 even more. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to see the urushi dial in real life, so I have to reserve judgment.
Still, I can say that the deep, glossy black works great against the grainy, matte gold dial printing and hands. It shows that contrast doesn’t always have to come from the colors, but it can come from surface texture as well.
I applaud Seiko for making crafts like urushi lacquerwork available in this price segment. You don’t find many similar offerings from the Swiss, so I think this puts Seiko in a league of one. I, for one, cannot wait to see this watch in real life.
What do you think of the new Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship SPB499 with an urushi lacquer dial? Let us know in the comments section below!
