Last week, Seiko and Grand Seiko released a quasi-co-branded watch, featuring both of their names on a dial for the first time in ages as the latter revived the iconic 45GS from the ‘60s. This was important because both brands (GS has been independent since 2017) operate in entirely different fields. Grand Seiko, originally launched to be a luxury offshoot of Seiko, competes with the likes of Rolex and Vacheron Constantin with its own dress watches. And while Seiko is one of the most revered watchmakers in the world, they rarely venture much past the $1,000 price point.
That changed last year with the release of a new King Seiko SJE095 Chrysanthemum watch from Seiko, which somewhat bridged the gap between them and Grand Seiko with a white floral-inspired pattern on the dial, a $3,400 price tag, and an all-around stunning display. Unfortunately, this watch was limited to just 600 pieces and has since sold out. Well, the textured dials are back as a seemingly permanent release in three new variants.
But What About King Seiko?
For those who know Seiko and its top-tier Grand Seiko line, you may or may not be familiar with the recently revived King Seiko range. Grand Seiko launched in 1960 as an attempt by Seiko to make the ultimate luxury watch. A year later, it lit a fire under Grand Seiko’s butt with the creation of King Seiko, which peaked with the 1965 creation of the KSK. Manipulation tactics aside, the challenge worked and GS is now a revered name in the industry.
King Seiko went away in 1975 but was revived in 2022 to be placed somewhere between Seiko and Grand Seiko in terms of price and luxury (although it utilizes the same movements as the much cheaper Seiko watches). Over the last couple of years, the Japanese watchmaker has made some new additions to the label, slowly but surely. Bulking up the case from 38.1mm to a still-modest 38.6mm while also losing 0.7mm in thickness (now 10.7mm), Seiko maintains the overall design ethos of the 1965 original KSK.
King Seiko KSK Kameido Dials Basics
For this latest release, King Seiko sticks to its regular case dimensions. Going along with a 38.6mm diameter is a 45.8mm lug-to-lug and 10.7mm thickness, all linked to a stainless steel bracelet. Offering a classic three-hand function with a date window, the stainless steel timepiece houses a Caliber 6L35 automatic movement typically featured in Seiko’s Presage dress watch range, which could be a point of contention for those wondering why they’re paying around 6 or 7 times more for the same movement in a different presentation.
Well, that would be (ostensibly) because of the three-dimensional dial patterns. Available in deep red, blue, and lavender purple, the new watches (ref. SJE103, SJE105, SJE107) are just as hypnotizing as the chrysanthemum version from last year. However, they look to different flora and fauna for inspiration — notably those that grew around King Seiko’s old Daini Seikosha factory in Kameido, Tokyo.
Pretty Inspirational
The red dial version looks to the plum orchards, especially the Garyu-bai which resembles a dragon lying on the ground. Seiko teaches us, “This tree inspired the Ukiyoe artist Utagawa Hiroshige to create one of his last masterpieces, Plum Garden in Kameido, which was later reproduced by Van Gogh in the famous Japonaiserie: Plum Blossom.”
As for the blue variant, it changes its pattern to what’s called Kameido-Kikko, designed to look like a collection of turtle shells. The Kameido connection comes in the way of the island’s turtle shape while the color takes after the Sumida River that runs through it.
Finally, we have the Tenjin-fuji purple dial, inspired by wisteria flowers that bloom at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, which was the birthplace of Seiko’s first king. The temple was also the subject of Hiroshige Utagawa’s In the Kameido Tenjin Shrine Compound, “which is said to have influenced the impressionist master Claude Monet.”
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 38.6mm
Lug-to-Lug: 45.8mm
Case Thickness: 10.7mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Movement: In-house caliber 6L35 automatic
Band: Stainless steel bracelet
Limited Edition?: No
Pricing & Availability
Currently, these three watches aren’t available in the U.S. market but you can take a look at Seiko’s European site to learn more. Not limited in edition size, these new King Seiko KSK models are priced at €3,300 and will probably be somewhere in the ballpark of the $3,400 price tag of the Chrysanthemum version.
Recap
King Seiko KSK Kameido Dials
Seiko’s King Seiko line comes with three new KSK dial versions inspired by flora and fauna from the location of the old factory in Kameido, Tokyo.
