Seiko Introduces The King Seiko SJE095 With A Chrysanthemum Design On The Dial

In May of this year, Seiko introduced two new references within its King Seiko collection, the SJE089 and SJE091. The most important new features were the use of the slim-line 6L35 movement and the case dimensions. The cases measure 38.6mm in diameter, but most importantly, at 10.7mm, they’re thinner than any other modern King Seiko watch. And whenever Seiko introduces a new model, you can be sure that a limited edition will soon follow in its tracks. So let me introduce you to the King Seiko SJE095.

If you’ve been keeping up with limited-edition watches from the Japanese watchmaker, you know that seasons and flowers are often sources of inspiration. Well, this King Seiko SJE095 limited edition is no different in that sense. Its dial pattern is inspired by the chrysanthemum, a flower that represents autumn but also symbolizes longevity and rejuvenation. And Japan is indeed ranked among the top countries when it comes to life expectancy. On average, Japanese people are expected to reach the age of 80 before passing away. That’s about ten years longer than the global average. Now, who wouldn’t want to wear a watch that helps you live longer?

The King Seiko SJE095

All right, let’s put all possibly fantastical claims aside for a moment. What are we talking about with this release? The angular brushed and polished case and bracelet of the rejuvenated King Seiko collection are still here. As I said, this is the version with a 38.6mm case and a thickness of only 10.7mm. That’s thanks to the use of the slim-line 6L35 automatic movement. This caliber runs at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 45 hours. It’s also resistant to magnetic fields of up to 4,800 amperes per meter. You operate it with the push-pull crown, which has a slightly different profile than the previous King Seiko re-editions.

The screw-in case back reveals the famous King Seiko shield. It’s a bit of a shame that it isn’t gold like it used to be, but it’s still a nice detail. The case back also mentions that each watch is one of only 600 pieces in this limited run. You can also see that the stainless steel case is water resistant to 5 bar (50 meters) and that it bears a sapphire crystal on top. And that brings us to the front of the watch, where we can take a look at the interesting dial.

Flowers that look like they were cut from glass

Underneath the AR-coated box-style sapphire crystal is the chrysanthemum-inspired dial. And in addition to that, the Seiko designers have also tried to replicate the famous glass-cutting technique found in Edo Kiriko glassware. The intersecting lines of the kiku tsunagi mon pattern create the image of chrysanthemum flowers linked to each other. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the King Seiko SJE095 in person yet, but the faceted dial must be quite a sight to behold. I also like how the gold-colored applied logo seems to refer to the Golden Daisy nickname of the chrysanthemum flower.

The golden logo works very well against the white dial. The applied hour markers still have engraved ridges and polished bevels, while the 12 o’clock one has a hobnail (or Clous de Paris) pattern. You need to get close to be able to see these details, but they’re very nice, just like the sharp polishing and brushing on the hands that make them look as sharp as possible. At 3 o’clock, there’s a well-executed date window, just like on the non-limited versions of this King Seiko.

Final words

But even though the date window is executed well, it’s also my least favorite feature of the King Seiko SJE095. I feel that the beautifully faceted dial could have looked even better without it, but I guess many people appreciate having a date on their watch. As for the rest of this model, I still admire the angular King Seiko case, and I think the chrysanthemum-inspired dial complements it very well.

I haven’t been able to try the new dimensions of this higher-end King Seiko just yet, but I’m very curious. I thought Thomas’s 37mm King Seiko didn’t wear that badly on my wrist at all, but the thinner case of these latest King Seiko models could be a nice improvement. Now, I’m not sure if this watch will make you live any longer or if it will make you look any younger. But even if it doesn’t, I still think the SJE095 is a very good-looking King Seiko limited edition.

The 600 pieces of the King Seiko SJE095 will be available as of October 2023 for €3,500 each. That’s €100 more than the regular black and silver versions. But in addition, you’ll also get a gray leather strap that matches the dial pattern. For more information, please check out Seiko’s official website.

Let me know in the comments below what you think of this all-new King Seiko SJE095.