High Time: Seiko Unveils a New Collection Inspired by Hemp Leaves

Japanese watchmaking giant Seiko is introducing a new sub-family named Sharp Edge into its upmarket-focused Presage collection, set to hit retailers this September. The collection features four references, with unique dials made by skilled craftsman and artisans from four locations throughout Japan. It follows in the tradition of the brand's 2019 Presage Arita Porcelain Dial models, using a new type of Arita porcelain that is "more than four times harder," made by master craftsman Hiroyuki Hashiguchi.

The watch's dial inspiration, a traditional hemp leaf pattern called Asanoha, comes from Japan's Heian period (794-1185 AD); a symbol that represents "growth and prosperity," it's interpreted here by the pioneering modernist designer Riki Watanabe, whose designs have inspired past Seiko Presage models, most recently the Presage Cocktail Time editions. The dials' sharply angled surface textures, which create subtle color gradations and catch light at varying angles, are a product of traditional Japanese artistry and lend the Sharp Edge models their name.

All four references come in 39.3-mm-diameter cases with screw-down casebacks, water-resistant to 100 meters (10 bar), encased in either stainless steel or rose-gold-plated steel. The three steel models all feature Seiko's "Super-Hard" coating (which according to Seiko is an invisible coating that renders the surface relatively scratch-free as well as adding brilliance) and come in three dial colors — blue, green, or white — while the rose gold reference offers a brown-colored dial. The thin, stick-shaped hands and applied hour markers use Seiko's "LumiBrite" material for easy reading in the dark.

Each reference includes a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, as well as a sapphire exhibition caseback displaying the 24-jewel automatic movement, Caliber 6R35. Made in-house, it offers a manual winding function, a frequency of 21,600 vph, a date display at 3 o'clock, and an approximate power reserve of 70 hours.

The stainless steel models come attached to a matching stainless steel bracelet, and the rose gold reference comes on a brown-colored leather strap. All four of the Sharp Edge models retail for $1,000 and will be available online through Seiko's website in September.

For more information on Seiko's 2020 novelties, click here.