Buffy Acacia
The 1960s were a crucial year for watchmaking, especially Seiko. The watch was fully normalized with pocket watches long ago, with its formal style being sporty and sometimes carried over to experimental tool watches. The Seiko Presage Style60s collection captures some of its energy and reinvents it with the latest dial, without losing the effortless cool of the original, even if the Crown loses its legendary chronograph capabilities. This latest batch of references plays especially in layout and depth, but its range of colours also draws attention.
Dial
Moving the date window at 6 o’clock was a great choice for Style60s. The 4:30 arrangement on previous models feels a bit troubling, and a great thing about its difference from the Style 60s, with a standard 3 o’clock date. The biggest change is how you build the dial. In previous iterations, we used alternating textures to create sector dial looks that emphasize time markers, but these watches have concave rings that encourage shadows and light to enhance dynamics. For pastel dial colors like the mint green of the SRPL71 and duck egg blue of the SRPL73, it’s something you won’t find easily anywhere else.
The SRPL75 is generally an outstanding reference to these three watches, exuding a classy wooden panel office style. The horizontal striped golden dial looks like a rather accurate presentation of oak. The walnut brown color of the aluminum bezel insert is just on top of the cake. Also, using Dauphin’s hands, these watches give a sharpness that appears to belong to the side of the racetrack.
case
Like the original batch of Style60S, the case diameter is 39.5mm and 39.5mm in diameter for a sporty feel without being overwhelmed. A 46.2mm lug-to-lug distance should be friendly to most average size wrists, and a thickness of 12mm is acceptable if it’s a bit less refined. The 50m water resistance is also a bit disappointing. The bracelet model is great on pool days, but at least you don’t need to be overly careful about splashes once in a while. The lug is rather clever with a slightly engraved edge, but the case is almost completely designed just to look at the dial. Even a 60-minute bezel with 10-minute increments is fixed and purely decorative, its thin profile acts like a frame to make the dial more space. The case is brushed, but with such a fine finish it looks like a smooth matte texture in the light.
strap
It usually doesn’t draw much focus, but I have to admit that I’m fascinated by the SRPL75’s two-tone leather strap. That’s what I saw with countless vintage watches and they didn’t have new straps on the new straps, except that they were usually crumbling right in front of your eyes. The oily leather strap with a brown center and black edge is completely out of modern fashion. That’s so cool. Both the SRPL71 and SRPL73 look very respectable on steel bracelets, even having a thin connection link on a real 60s bracelet. If you are receiving an idea for an aftermarket strap that complements the color of the dial, a 20mm lug width should make it easier for you.
Movement
The Calibre 4R35 has been a staple of Seiko’s affordable collections for many years, and has gained a great reputation for its reliability, often outperforming its (slowly) stated accuracy specifications. And when something might go wrong, it’s an affordable process of serving (or replacing) the exercise. You can see the “finishing” that is quite industrial on the Hardlex caseback. There, a golden winding rotor is given to symbolize the status of the presage collection. It has a power reserve of 41 hours and a vibration rate of 21,600 per hour.
verdict
The Style60S collection is somewhat controversial among Seiko’s current lineup of affordable precesses, due to its non-functional bezel, which is inspired by the 1964 Crown Chronograph. However, its sharp features and detail-oriented dial allow fans to stare at each checking the time. These new references provide further details with a new level of balance and harmony.
Seiko Presage Style60s SRPL71, SRPL73, and SRPL75 Pricing and availability
The new Seiko Presage Style60s SRPL71, SRPL73, and SRPL75 models are now available for pre-order.
Brand Seiko Model Presage Style60s Reference SRPL71 (Green)
SRPL73 (blue)
SRPL75 (brown) Case Dimensions 39.5mm (W) x 12mm (T) x 46.2mm (LTL) Case Material Stainless Steel Water Resistance 50m Crystal Hardlex Front and Back Dial Pastel Green, Pastel Blue, or Brown Strap Stainless Steel Bracelet, Folding Clasp (SRPL71, SRPL73)
Quick release, Pin Buckle (SRPL75) Movement 4R35, In-house, Automatic Power Reserve 41 Hours Function 41 Hours Function, Two-tone Oil Leather Strap with Date Availability Expected in May or June
