When it comes to drawing inspiration from everyday surroundings and transforming it into something intriguing, Seiko and Grand Seiko are unmatched. Even in their entry-level collections, Seiko puts a lot of effort into creating unique and visually appealing dials. So, when we recently covered a pair of watches with dials reminiscent of the cobblestone streets of Tokyo's Ginza district, we wanted a closer look to understand just how good these dials are. That's why we decided to take a hands-on look at the Seiko Presage SSA445 140th Anniversary Limited Edition.
The story of Seiko begins in the Ginza district, located in the heart of Tokyo. It was here that Kintaro Hattori founded his company in 1881, 140 years ago. Initially, his business was focused on servicing, repairing, and selling clocks and watches, before he began creating his own timepieces under the world-renowned name Seiko.
To this day, Seiko conducts its operations from the Ginza district, although manufacturing, assembly, servicing, and distribution are spread across several locations in Japan. Given the fact that 120-year-old clocks still tell time in Ginza, that the largest flagship Seiko store is located in Ginza, as well as the Seiko Museum and other institutions, it's easy to understand the importance of this district in Seiko's legacy.
This year marks the 140th anniversary of Seiko's founding, and the company has been busy reminding us of this with a variety of watches, from entry-level to high horology. This unprecedented number of commemorative watches, each connected to different places important to Seiko, includes the stunning Grand Seiko Heritage 140th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH007 and a trio of green Seiko Prospex Divers 140th Anniversary Limited Edition. Today, it's the Presage collection's turn to take center stage, and while it's a world apart from the platinum-cased SLGH007, it remains a very interesting piece!
Externally, the Seiko Presage SSA445 has the same case as other Seiko Presage Style60 models we've seen before. This affordable series of watches is styled after the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph, an important watch in Seiko's history (but by no means a 1:1 recreation). The stainless steel case measures 40.8 mm in width, 12.8 mm in height, and is topped with a domed Hardlex crystal. As before, we have a fixed bezel with a white-on-black 60-minute scale.
The dial of the Seiko Presage SSA445, like the Seiko Prospex 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-Interpretation SPB259, is quite attractive. Despite costing less than 1,000 euros, the dial admirably showcases Seiko's ability to create unique and appealing textures and patterns. In this case, the inspiration came from the cobblestone streets of the Ginza district, executed in gray-blue tones. With a bit of imagination, one can picture strolling along Tokyo's historic streets, admiring the surroundings where history literally lies at your feet.
The dial consists of eight sections evenly distributed, radiating from the center. Each section has a repeating pattern of 'stones' outlined in a darker contour (grout, if you will). To further accentuate the dial, it's fully sunburst finished, giving it a lot of life as colors shift depending on the lighting. The final 'Ginza touch' is the blue Komparu second hand, a traditional Japanese color named after Komparu Street, once a bustling center of Ginza nightlife.
Like the non-limited models, the Seiko Presage SSA445 features applied, faceted, and polished indices paired with polished hands filled with luminescent material. In typical Style60 fashion, there's a cut-out section at the '9 o'clock' position, revealing the balance wheel of the automatic movement, and an overlapping 24-hour sub-dial at the '10 o'clock' position. While the open-heart dial exposing the balance wheel isn't a WatchTested favorite, it enlivens the dial with its back-and-forth motion.
The Seiko Presage SSA445 is equipped with the 4R39 caliber, visible through the case back. While this movement is certainly not the most impressive on display, it demonstrates Seiko's capabilities as a manufacturer, providing a reliable mechanical heart at a very affordable price. The movement features 26 jewels, operates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, and offers a 41-hour power reserve when fully wound.
The Seiko Presage SSA445 comes on a three-link stainless steel bracelet with a matte finish and a folding clasp. A pleasing vintage-style touch is the drilled lugs, allowing for quick (and more importantly, scratch-free!) bracelet changes. While it certainly suits the watch, we can easily imagine these watches on a cognac leather strap. The watch is a limited edition of 4,000 pieces and is available at a very accessible price of 590 euros.
Earlier in this review, I mentioned that Seiko demonstrates dedication to all levels of horology, whether it's the humble Seiko Presage or Grand Seiko Masterpiece Spring Drive SBGZ007. Of course, these two models are incomparable in terms of handcrafting and mechanical complexity, but given the accessibility of these Presage SSA445 watches and the level of detail in the dial, we are once again impressed. The watch is fun, looks good, aligns with Seiko's heritage, and sits well on the wrist. What more do you need?
For more information, please visit SeikoWatches.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - SEIKO PRESAGE SSA445 140TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION
Case: 40.8 mm diameter x 12.8 mm height - stainless steel case - domed Hardlex crystal - transparent case back - fixed bezel with black insert and 60-minute scale - water resistance 50 m
Dial: gray-blue textured dial inspired by Ginza's cobblestone streets - sunburst finish - applied faceted and polished hour indices - polished and faceted hands with luminescent material - 24-hour sub-dial indication - open-heart cutout revealing balance wheel
Movement: caliber 4R39 - proprietary movement - automatic winding - 24 jewels - frequency 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) - power reserve 41 hours - central hours, minutes, seconds, 24-hour indicator
Strap: three-link stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp
Availability: limited edition of 4,000 pieces
Price: 590 EURO