KMII introduces the Seiko Recraft SRPC15, an unexpected acquisition that marks his first incoming for 2018. This post explores Seiko's strategy to expand its entry-level mechanical watch offerings with vintage-inspired designs, positioning the Recraft line as a new generation of accessible timepieces.
Seiko seems to have taken quite some in the watch world by surprise at Baselworld 2016, when they launched a renewed Presage line, spearheaded by the two limited edition chronographs with an enamel and Urushi dial respectively. MTF wrote an excellent review (here:
www.watchprosite.com
for the full report) of both the watches and Seikos global ambitions at the time.
The two watches have also found many a warm home with Purists - a roll call from a year ago yielded 18 (here:
www.watchprosite.com
for the break down), with possibly more added since.
And it seems like this pace has been kept up. There has been plenty of coverage on the relaunch of Grand Seiko as a separate brand and quite some Purists flocked to the brand for the first time.
Then there has been a further expansion of the Presage line (here:
www.watchprosite.com
for the beautiful blue dial enamel one), the Cocktail Time has expanded as a sub-line (here:
www.watchprosite.com
for some of the novelties), and all seem to be working out nicely, at least from the perspective of our members’ appreciation (and getting them).
It now seems that Seiko wants to apply the same approach to its entry level mechanical watches. Maybe not what we talk about most here but possibly the part of the business bringing the joys of mechanical movements to the most people.
Thanks to our Singaporean Vlads (this time I will blame / credit Robin:
www.watchprosite.com
and Beerstyles:
www.watchprosite.com
and their posts), I found myself at a Seiko AD the other day, looking at whether the watches they just got already made it to Austria. They have not, still I made a discovery - the Seiko Recraft SRPC15!
It appears that Seiko launched a new entry level line of vintage inspired watches for the US market - the Recraft line. Price wise these start just above the traditional Seiko 5 (which seems to have made a mysterious disappearance from the company websites) and are intended to represent a new generation of watches where, ‘
Iconic archival design meets advanced green technology that recrafts light into solar energy, your body’s motion into kinetic energy, and mechanical engineering into automatic power.’ (Seiko USA).
Still, the model I got was nowhere to be found and an online search yielded next to nothing. So here a quick write up of my first incoming of 2018.
I was definitely drawn to its Cafe Style Racer design. As the Recraft series appears to take design elements from the 60s / 70s, rather than produce direct tributes, I cannot name a direct inspiration for it though.
While the bezel and dial are round, the case seems to be slightly cushion shaped, and lugless. Not small at 44mm but definitely wearable on smaller wrists, due to the absence of lugs. The case is anthracite coloured steel, topped with a Hardlex crystal up front and a display case back.
This choice makes for a coherent ‘monochrome’ colour scheme that gives the watch a vintage feel. Then there is an interesting off-white bezel that adds some vibrancy to the watch.
Some further details seem to have been sweated, too - the minute ring has a movement frequency appropriate number of markers between seconds, which is often not the case on more expensive watches. The overall design also conspires to hide the difference between the movement and case sizes remarkably well. The day / date display does not appear overly central, for instance.
The hour and minute hands have a slight trapezoid shape and the seconds hand is triangular. The hour markers and hands are luminous, and while they will not give a dive watch a run for its money, they should allow the telling of time for most of the night (yet to test it).
Looking at the case from the side you see a slight curvature, and the unmarked crown at 4 o’clock. The crystal is also slightly raised over the bezel, which is noticeable when taking pictures - a slight distortion of the minute markers appears if you look at the watch at an angle.
Movement wise it’s standard, robust Seiko fare - the watch is powered by the 4R36 calibre. It’s a 21,600 vph, 24 jewel movement, providing a day / date complication as well as hacking and hand winding. Or put differently, all that is required at this level.
The whole is topped off by a vintage look calf leather strap (22/20), which while quite thick is remarkably supple right out of the box, and a pin buckle in the same anthracite colour as the case.
At the price of a decent dinner there was no discussion of it not coming home. But even beyond that I find it a great series - and if it is actually successful at attracting a younger audience to watch appreciation, then all the better.
It appears to me that Japanese as well as Swiss brands are quietly raising their game and providing more value at given price points lately. For us as consumers this can only be a good thing.
Thanks for viewing!
