The Presage Sharp Edged was added to the Seiko Luxe watch collection in 2020, and today the Japanese watchmaker follows up the original three-hand model with the unveiling of an all-new GMT version.
Building on the aesthetic of the original Sharp Edged — which is popular, according to our data — Seiko today announced they are extending the Sharp Edge series with five Sharp Edged GMT references that will be available for sale beginning June 2021.
Professional Watches previewed the new Sharp Edged GMT collection via a Japanese-based Zoom conference keynote — that featured both Seiko and Grand Seiko launches — and tellingly, the final watch shown was the new Presage GMT (they are clearly leaning into this collection for a reason). Rightfully so, as this new GMT is perhaps the hottest design they’ve achieved so far with the Luxe Presage collection.
To fit a GMT, Seiko had to up the size of the case from 39.3 mm by 11 mm to 42.2 mm x 13.7 mm, which is to be expected. Instead of automatic caliber 6R35 which beats at 4Hz and has a power reserve of 70-hours, Seiko is producing the new caliber 6R64 which is a 4Hz automatic with 29 jewels, and with a smaller 45-hour power reserve. Like the first Sharp Edged watches, the stainless steel used in this watch has a super-hard coating, designed to prevent scratches and dents in the case surface. This is certainly beneficial and is factored into the price. A premium sapphire crystal protects the dial side. The fixed bezel is made of stainless steel with a colored aluminum insert and is marked with a 24-hour GMT scale.
Each dial has the same stamped (Asanoha) hemp leaf pattern seen on the original Sharp Edged collection, “that has been used in Japanese fabrics and elsewhere ever since the Heian period over a thousand years ago,” according to Seiko. At launch, there’s a choice of four traditional Japanese colors Aitetsu (indigo iron), Tokiwa (evergreen trees), Sumi-iro (black Japanese ink), and Hihada-iro (reddish-brown color first derived from the bark of the Japanese cypress tree). Plus, there’s a white dial 140th-anniversary limited edition (pictured below).
In addition to the unique hemp leaf pattern, the dial features razor-sharp Dauphine-shaped hour and minute hands and multi-facetted indices — reminiscent of Grand Seiko. There’s a power reserve indicator at 9 and at 6 the date is displayed in a subdial by a hand, which looks good and makes the date easier to set compared to a traditional concealed wheel-based date. The contrasting colored GMT hand coupled with the date subdial give the watch a sporty aesthetic, unlike most past Presage models. The GMT hand is controlled independently of the main time hour hand and can be adjusted in one-hour increments, typically set to “local time,” and it sweeps the dial once every 24-hours. Whereas the primary “home time” hour hand runs on a 12-hour timeframe. On the flange, the graduations are split into 12-hour increments, delineated by two contrasting colors, allowing you to determine whether it’s day or night, at a glance.
L-R: SPB217, SPB225, SPB219, SPB221
The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged GMT is water-resistant to 100 meters, comes with a stainless steel bracelet and a three-fold clasp and will be available at the Seiko boutiques and selected retail stores worldwide in June 2021. Retail is $1,400.
