Where the King Seiko 145th Anniversary edition pays tribute to the partnership between Seiko’s founder Kintaro Hattori and the influential engineer Tsuruhiko Yoshikawa, the Seiko 145th Anniversary Presage Classic Series Enamel ‘Timekeeper’ pays homage to the Timekeeper. The Timekeeper was the first pocket watch produced by Seikosha (before it was renamed Seiko) in 1895. The original features a classical design with distinctive knurled case and a clean, legible display, which are elements that have been carried forward to the tribute wristwatch.
Starting with the case, its measures a petite 35mm giving it a vintage feel despite the fact that the original was a broad 54.9mm due to being a pocket watch. The wristwatch is made from steel with a gold coloured coating to give it a more luxurious appearance. As I briefly mentioned already, the original pocket watch has a distinctive, double knurled design with knurled edges along the perimeter of both the bezel and the case itself (I hesitate to call it coin-edge because the individual knobs are more rounded than a traditional coin-edge fluting). Due to the wristwatch’s slim dimensions they’ve opted for a single ring of knurling around the bezel while maintaining the original style.
Similarly, they’ve maintained the original style of the crown with an onion design, though it’s in the usual wristwatch position at 3 o’clock rather than up at 12 as with a pocket watch. Obviously with this change, the original 12 o’clock loop for attaching a pocket watch to a chain is unnecessary but Seiko have found a way to still incorporate the shape language of the loop into the watch’s design.
Instead of fixed lugs, the Seiko 145th Anniversary Presage Classic Series Enamel ‘Timekeeper’ Limited Edition has moveable loops with a pull-through leather strap, which means when the watch is not affixed to its strap, it does indeed have a loop at 12 (and 6) o’clock. The strap itself sits comfortably on the wrist with its cuff design. It’s not quite so thick as a bund strap, meaning it still feels comparatively elegant and dressy, but it definitely adds a whole lot of additional chunkiness to the design that helps the watch have a lot of presence despite its size. Making it a genuinely unisex prospect even at sub-36mm.
For the dial, it’s a pared back take on the original pocket watch. It still has dramatic Roman numeral hour markers and a stark black and white enamel display, but the small seconds subdial and additional 60-minute scale are gone. The central hands have also been redesigned with a cleaner style, they’re now spear/spade shaped rather than the elaborate, open-worked originals.
Powering the Seiko 145th Anniversary Presage Classic Series Enamel ‘Timekeeper’ Limited Edition is the 6R51 automatic with 72-hour power reserve. It’s the no date version of the more common 6R55, having made its debut in 2024’s Studio Ghibli edition. So while Seiko is celebrating its 145 year anniversary, the 6R51 has hit the landmark of two years.
It’s priced at £1,700, which is practically the same as the King Seiko 6R ‘Preppy’ collection at £1,720 that also uses the 6R51 movement. In terms of prestige, I think I would put a Seiko anniversary limited edition of 1,450 pieces featuring a unique case design on the same level as a King Seiko, so that makes sense. While I must admit that of the three anniversary models, this is the least likely I would add to my personal collection, it still feels like a strong expression of the brand’s heritage.
Price and Specs:
More details at Seiko.
