Nearly 60 years after its initial release, the 1964 Crown Chronograph remains an original version of Seiko. As the first wrist chronograph produced in Japan, the Crown Chronograph naturally made a significant impact on the brand's development, and its clean, slightly fashionable style of sports watches continues to resonate in Seiko's designs. For example, last year the brand announced the Seiko Presage 2020 Limited Edition, which fully recreated the look and general proportions of the Crown chronograph, but removed the original 60-second chronograph complication to focus on elegant three-hand simplicity, showcasing true sports watch design. As is often the case with Seiko, this limited edition influenced a new regular production series, and by 2021, the brand transforms these classic mid-century sports watches into a new clean series of everyday watches. The new Seiko Presage Style60 series (including Seiko Presage SRPG03, Seiko Presage SRPG05, Seiko Presage SRPG07, and Seiko Presage SRPG09) offers a smoother and more elemental take on the iconic Crown Chronograph look, eliminating some of the original model's distinctive features in favor of a streamlined everyday style.
The stainless steel case of the Seiko Presage Style60 line, measuring 40.8 mm, is a highlighted riff on the combination of 60s sportsmanship and sophistication of the Crown Chronograph. However, by smoothing and simplifying the design, the Style60 case ultimately presents a noticeably different profile from its predecessor. The overall shape is similar, with a thin midsection, a narrow 60-minute bezel, and a distinctive tapering bevel on the angular lugs, but the details make it stand out. Most notably among these changes is the bezel, which lacks the entirely black color, full 60-minute scale, and the interrupted knurled edge of the original. The new bezel, available in black, dark blue, or green with gold text, uses an insert instead of the previous solid iterations for a more refined look. Strangely, the new bezel is also fixed, whereas previous models used a rotating design, making the diver-style design seem a bit redundant. The water resistance of the Presage Style60 is also clearly not for divers: only 50 meters. As with many modern Seiko models, the brand uses sleek geometry to compactly fit the Presage Style60 case on the wrist. At first glance, the mid-case appears flat and cylindrical, but Seiko smoothly angles these sides inward towards the wrist, which should result in a reduced overall footprint when worn and a more comfortable fit.
While the case design of the Seiko Presage Style60 series offers a simplified, smooth take on the 60s Crown Chronograph replicas, the dials of this series offer a much more accurate portrayal. Similar to the originals and previous reissues, the signature elements of the Style60 are the intricate fluted indices and the mixed dial surface. The mid-century formula of luminous indices, dauphine hands, and a contrasting hour scale is reinterpreted here in a quartet of colors, each lending its own individuality to the final look. The white dial of the Presage SRPG03, most faithful to the original design, features a silver hour ring beautifully slicing through the creamy main dial surface.
However, here Seiko adds a luxurious touch to the vintage sports mix with gold hands and indices. The black dial of the Presage SRPG09 is more in a classic sports style, as the black contrasting ring blends with the overall appearance of the dial, but Seiko maintains the vintage vibe in images with a light khaki fill. The blue dial of the Presage SRPG05 has the same luminous feature and silver dial, but the rich royal blue dial gives this model a lighter and more summery appearance. Finally, the green dial gives the Presage SRPG07 perhaps the most modern look in this series: the luminous khaki color and green dial surface complement each other perfectly in images.
Seiko powers these Presage Style60 series models with its in-house automatic caliber 4R35. The 4R35 is a staple of the Seiko lineup, providing a solid 41-hour power reserve at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The Seiko Presage Style60 series is completed with a three-link oyster-style stainless steel bracelet for the SRPG03, SRPG05, and SRPG07, but the black dial SRPG09 is paired with a sporty black NATO strap. This fabric option stylishly adorns the Style60 design in initial images, providing a casual alternative to the more refined look of the bracelet.
While some nuances of the original inspiration are simplified here, the Seiko Presage Style60 series offers a sleek and versatile everyday design with a healthy dose of vintage charisma.
The Seiko Presage Style60 series will be available at authorized dealers in June 2021, starting at a price of $525 USD. For more information, visit the brand's website.