Quick specs Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 Arita Porcelain Dial
Price: $ 1,900 | € 2.000 | £ 1,720 | CHF 2’000
Size: 40.6 mm
Reference: SPB445J1
When Seiko teams up with a porcelain maker, you will get this Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 Arita Porcelain Dial. It’s not the first time the Japanese brand uses this delicate ceramic material to create a bright white dial, and it won’t be the last time either. As these models always sell out quickly, although this particular one is not a limited edition. Let’s look at the porcelain.
The porcelain is called Arita porcelain, and it comes from the small Japanese town Arita on the northwest of the island Kyushu. Already in the 1600s they found a special clay which forms the base of the porcelain. For a dial of porcelain, a lot of handwork and firing at a high temperature is needed, through at least three process stages.
Hakuji dial
The result of this molding, firing, glazing, and finishing is a very white color, sometimes uneven, with subtle blue tones. It’s not perfectly smooth as it has little dimples and tiny dots, so each dial is unique as well. The surface of the dial is curved, with a patterned circle inside the indexes. And the sub dial at 6 o’clock with a 24-hours hand is recessed.
Seiko also calls this type of dial “hakuji”, which is Japanese for porcelain (or pottery), especially plain white porcelain. The hands, including a small 24-hours hand, are executed in blue, the indexes in simple black bars.
The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 Arita Porcelain Dial has a power reserve of 72 hours
Behind the porcelain is the automatic Seiko caliber 6R5H, a movement with a power reserve of 72 hours thanks to its slower beating (21,600 vph) mechanism. The screwed stainless steel case back has a sapphire porthole to admire this movement.
The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 comes on a multi-link stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp. The center bars are polished. And if you like to see more peculiar materials on a watch take a look at this Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Special Edition Concrete Jungle. Indeed, partly made from concrete. Or what about a dial from Japanese washi paper, on this Citizen The ‘Citizen’ Limited Edition? Everything is possible…
| Technical data Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 Arita Porcelain Dial |
| Reference: SPB445J1 |
| Movement: Seiko caliber 6R5H | Automatic | Diameter: 31.6 mm | Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz) | Jewels: 24 | Stop-second device | Hours, minutes, seconds, 24-hours indicator | Power reserve: 72 hours |
| Case and dial: 40.6 mm | Stainless steel | Thickness: 12.5 mm | Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on inner surface | White Arita porcelain dial | Blue hands | Crescent moon balance on the second hand | Black indexes | Stainless steel screwed case back with sapphire | Water resistance: 10 ATM / 10 bar / 100 meters / 330 feet |
| Strap: Stainless steel bracelet | Three-fold closure with push button release |
| Price Seiko Presage Craftsmanship SPB445J1 Arita Porcelain Dial: $ 1,900 | € 2.000 | £ 1,720 | CHF 2’000 |
| Website: www.seikowatches.com |