Hands-On: The New Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series SPB403, SPB405, And SPB407 — Featuring Lacquer And Enamel
As of today, Seiko’s Presage collection has three new models to underline the art of dial-making. The brand has added two urushi (Japanese for “lacquer”) dials and one enamel dial to the Presage Craftsmanship Series. Unlike many other brands, Seiko likes to share the names of the artisans behind new creations. The enamel dial has been done by Seiko’s master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his team, while the the urushi dials have been produced by lacquer master Isshu Tamura and his team.
Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series SPB403, SPB405, and SPB407
We received all of these new Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series models for closer inspection. All three watches represent traditional Japanese crafts in dial-making, something that goes back to 1913 when Seiko introduced its Laurel watch using an enamel dial.
White, green, and black
The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Enamel has reference SPB403 and a clean white dial with dark gray metal baton-style indices. The blue hands give a nice contrast to the enamel dial of the SPB403. Interestingly, according to Seiko, the enamel version of these three new Presage Craftsmanship Series watches is slightly thicker than the ones with lacquered dials (12.1mm versus 11.6mm). However, upon measuring all three watches myself, I can’t say anything other than that they all have the same 12.1mm thickness. I suspect that this is an error in the official specifications.
Specifications of the Presage Craftsmanship Series
All other specifications are the same except for the bracelet and strap choices. The stainless steel case and bracelet are treated with a special hard coating called DiaShield to protect them from scratches as much as possible. These cases measure 40.2mm wide, 48mm long, and 20mm between the lugs. The green-dial version (reference SPB407) is the only one that comes on a leather strap with a folding clasp. The enamel version (SPB403) and the black lacquer-dial version (SPB405) come with a stainless steel bracelet.
Seiko caliber 6R55
The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series SPB403, SPB405, and SPB407 all use the same 6R55 movement. It has a 72-hour power reserve and ticks at a 21,600vph (3Hz) frequency. All three watches have a sapphire window on the case back so you can observe the watch’s mechanics. Furthermore, these new Presage models have a (proper) 100m water resistance rating, even with a push/pull crown.
On the wrist
Of all three new Presage Craftsmanship Series models, the one with the black urushi dial is my favorite. The light gray metal indices contrast nicely with the lacquered backdrop, and the white hour and minute hands with the gold seconds hand ensure fantastic legibility. We also find the date disc in black here, while it is in white on the green urushi reference SPB407.
The 40.2mm case sits nicely on my 18.5cm (~7.3”) wrist, and the 12.1mm thickness is very acceptable too. Make no mistake; the watch does appear large on the wrist, mainly due to its thin bezel and therefore large dial aperture. That said, don’t be deceived by the pictures of the watches on the wrist in this article, as my colleague Daan modeled them. His wrist measures 17cm (6.7”) and has seen quite a bit of sun lately.
Seiko’s five-row bracelet
Although the brown leather strap on the Presage with the green urushi dial seems shorter (and therefore better) than other leather straps I’ve tried from Seiko, I prefer the watch on a bracelet. Perhaps it is due to the incredibly hot summer days we’re having here, but the stainless steel five-row bracelet feels very comfortable and perfectly suits the watch. The clasp also allows for a very small adjustment in case you need a looser (or tighter) fit.
All three Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series references have different prices. The Seiko SPB403J1 (white enamel dial) on the bracelet has a retail price of €1,500, and the SPB405J1 (black urushi) on the bracelet has a retail price of €1,750. Finally, the SPB407J1 (green urushi) on the brown leather strap has a retail price of €1,800. All three will be available as of October 2023.
For more information, visit Seiko’s official website. Let us know what you think of these three new Presage Craftsmanship Series models in the comments!
