If you’re looking for a classic watch with elegance, solid watchmaking credentials, a slight retro touch and a price that doesn’t break the bank, the Seiko Presage collection never falls short of offerings. While mostly known for its artistic dials, bringing Japanese crafts into the spotlight, the collection has grown dramatically to become the dressy/elegant side of Seiko. Last year, the brand introduced the Classic Series, a range of watches that perfectly encapsulates this spirit with classic textures and colours of the Land of the Rising Sun. The latest duo to join the ranks are the Presage Classic Series SPB525 and SPB527, with Ai-Iro dials, a dark indigo-dyed colour known as “Japan Blue”.
Presage watches, in general, are all about “embracing Japan’s timeless beauty”, to quote the brand. This was perfectly materialised with the Presage Craftsmanship series, focused around the Island’s most revered artistic techniques, such as Arita porcelain, Shippo enamel or Urushi lacquer. With the launch of the Presage Classic Series, Seiko aimed to introduce a more classic, daily-oriented timepiece that still pays homage to the brand’s country of origin.
Initially released in 40mm, with a time-and-date display or an open-heart layout, the collection has grown quickly to now include a smaller 36mm case and an array of colours, such as shiroiro (unbleached natural fabric), sensaicha (greenish-brown from the Edo period) or sumiiro (greyish black originally used in garments worn by monks). And now, we have a new tone named Ai-Iro, a dark indigo-dyed colour known as “Japan Blue”.
Deployed over the two larger versions, both share the same case measuring 40.2mm in diameter and 46mm in length. As is often the case with the brand, while the dimensions feel nice overall, the thickness remains on the high side, at 13mm. Still, both watches have an elegantly shaped case with soft, curved surfaces, and a dual-curved sapphire crystal that echoes the contours of the dome-shaped dial, adding further depth to the overall design. The caseback is fairly domed, absorbing a bit of the overall thickness. A see-through screwed caseback and 100m water-resistance complete these SPB525 and SPB527. Note that both have a scratchproof hard coating on the case.
Both editions are delivered with nice, supple stainless steel bracelets, with a 1970s-inspired 7-link construction. Alternating between brushed and polished surfaces, these are closed by a three-fold clasp with push-button release. The SPB525 is equipped with the calibre 6R55, while the SPB527 relies on the calibre 6R5J. Although they have different displays, the technical base remains the same, with a 3Hz frequency and a 72-hour power reserve.
What’s new here are the dials, in Ai-Iro Japan blue. The time-and-date Presage Classic Series SPB525 features a grained texture under the polished markers and hands, inspired by silk fabrics, while the semi-skeleton SPB527 version has a radial pattern recreating the texture of raw silk yarn. This version features a cutout at 9 o’clock, revealing the regulating organ and a 24-hour sub-dial at 6 o’clock.
Both released as part of the permanent collection and available from October 2025, the Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB525 will be priced at EUR 990 and the Open-Heart SPB527 at EUR 1,230. More information at www.seikowatches.com.
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