Borna Bosniak
Collaborations between watch and fashion brands often involve the latter having a clear influence on the timekeeping device in question. Although this often attracts criticism as the majority of watch enthusiasts prefer less obvious branding, collaborations between watches and fashion brands can sometimes work. Seiko is no stranger to limited edition models in general, but they’ve also had some very successful collaborations with the likes of Rowing Blazers. For its latest limited edition, Seiko has teamed up with Porter Classic, a name that is immediately associated with quality in the hearts of Japanese fashion lovers. Not to be confused with Yoshida Kaban’s Porter line of bags. Porter Classic was founded in 2007 by the second generation of the original Yoshida family and their son. Indigo-dyed rags, sashiko fabrics, etc. The result of this collaboration is the Seiko Presage SPB449 Craftsmanship Series. This series features a black enamel dial and small case, inspired by the early 20th century Seiko Laurel.
dial
The most appealing feature of Seiko’s Presage Craftsmanship Series models is the dial. Unlike the SPB445 Arita Porcelain model from earlier this year, the SPB449 Porter Classic has a deep black enamel number. When combined with the sapphire crystal box dome, the convex dial has a beautiful distortion that resembles a real vintage watch. The high-contrast white-on-black printing makes everything very legible, but if you compare it to the original three-hand laurel, you’ll notice there’s an extra hand. Rather than housing a small seconds, the subdial at position 6 is a 24-hour display. This is actually an evolution of the last Laurel-inspired release, the SPB359, which also featured a power reserve indicator to the left of the center pinion. This is a step in the right direction for tidying up the dial, but I wish it had also been applied to the text at 12 o’clock.
case
Speaking of SPB359, it was a fairly large watch (considering its inspiration) at 37.5mm. The Presage Porter Classic has been slimmed down to just 35mm, making it a nod to the era in which watches began to be worn on the wrist. I think 35mm is the lower limit for most people, but for vintage fans like me, this is a bit of a sweet spot. The bulbous onion crown and articulated wire lugs are just a bonus, but the latter limits the strap styles that can be used with the watch.
The lug-to-lug length is 37mm, so you don’t have to worry about any protruding parts. However, please note that the included Cordovan strap is very stiff out of the box and will take some time to adjust to your wrist (more on this soon). The most important thing about SPB449 is its thickness, which is 12.3 mm. Considering the other dimensions are quite small, it’s very noticeable when worn on the wrist, and a little too proud for my liking. The modern construction allows it to be quite tall, but it also guarantees 50 meters of water resistance. This is not guaranteed with the original Laurel.
strap
As I mentioned before, the strap is pretty stiff right out of the box, but that concludes my list of complaints with the strap. Made from high-quality cordovan, it has a quirky and fun style like a pseudo-band strap. It comes with both brown and black straps and is attached to a smooth-shaped steel pin buckle.
movement
Hidden beneath a fairly basic engraved screw-down caseback is the Seiko 6R5H movement introduced in last year’s SPB441/SART001 Kintaro Hattori limited edition model. It is based on Seiko’s long-standing 6R line and is one of the 3Hz versions with automatic winding and a 3-day power reserve. The base 6R model is a proven and solid performer, so there’s little to complain about performance-wise, but there’s something to be said about the inclusion of a central seconds and 24-hour display. In fact, the brand doesn’t have a small seconds model in its current arsenal, which makes sense considering the 6R5H is one of only two Seiko calibers with subdials worthy of this price point .
judgment
SPB449 largely achieves its intended purpose. The black enamel dial is stunning, especially the way it flows around the pinion. A small, finely crafted timepiece reminiscent of the details of the brand’s first wristwatch, it’s a subtle collaboration with a niche but beloved Japanese brand. I would have liked to see Seiko finally do away with the extra dial and extra 24-hour display that often mars Laurel reissues. And a slimmer case would be nice too.
Seiko says the collaboration was born out of Katsuyuki Yoshida’s (co-founder of Porter Classic) love of pocket watches and early 20th century Seiko design. I tend to believe this, as SPB449 has essentially no features that would suggest that it is a collaborative piece with the Japanese Sartorial brand, other than the obvious engraving on the case back. And truth be told, this is a good thing. Because it allows all the best elements of this Laurel-inspired design to shine without feeling burdened by the need to justify the collaboration. That said, I welcome the inky indigo blue enamel dial with open arms.
Seiko Presage SPB449 Craftsmanship Series Porter Classic Collaboration Limited Edition price and availability
The Seiko x Porter Classic Presage SPB449 is a limited edition of 500 pieces and will be available in November 2024. Price: $2,300
Brand Seiko Model Presage Craftsmanship Series Porter Classic Collaboration Limited Model Reference SPB449 Case dimensions 35mm (D) x 12.3mm (T) x 37mm (LTL) Case material Stainless steel Water resistance 50 meters Crystal Box-domed sapphire front Dial Black enamel Bracelet Black and brown cordovan leather strap, steel pin buckle Movement 6R5H, manufactured in-house, automatic power reserve 72 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, 24-hour display 500 pieces in stock, November 2024 Price $2,300
