- Seiko has unveiled three new releases in its signature Seiko 5 line, designed in tandem with Sydney-based Japanese artist Kentaro Yoshida.
- Every reference is made in a one-off run of 500 pieces priced at $695.
- The Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida range is now available at Seiko boutiques and via the brand’s online store.
First conceived in the 1960s as the ultimate affordable daily wearer, Seiko’s eponymous ‘5’ range of timepieces has been delivering consistently solid levels of performance, reliability, and value over the decades.
Now spun off into a range of different sub-collections (such as the ‘Supercars’ and ‘SKX’ diver range), the latest models to join the family come to us from the mind of Kentaro Yoshida: a multidisciplinary artist originally from Japan, who now calls Sydney’s Northern Beaches home.
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Having worked with a mix of enviably cool clients — think FujiFilm or Chaco Ramen — Yoshida was originally tapped by Japan’s most emblematic watchmaker for an original artwork entitled Time Goes By Forever.
Inspired by the concept of time as an “endless cycle” (or should that be… a flat circle), the work draws on various natural phenomena as they appear in Australia: like cloudy skies, sunlit beaches, and a tapestry of wildflowers in bloom.
Evidently, Seiko’s designers were really taken with Yoshida’s whimsical imagining of nature-as-metaphor; and now, the brand has translated individual elements of that work into a trio of new Seiko 5 watches.
The ‘Clouds & Sky’ (SRPL25K) evokes a stormy horizon shot through with cloud cover by way of a textured monochrome dial, and arrives on a silicone strap that will take wearers from Sydney’s CBD to the Northern Beaches in sleek style.
Meanwhile, the ‘Sun, Moon & Beach’ (SRPL26K) evokes the “warmth and brilliance” of sandy shores with a gold-tone case/bracelet construction. Finally, there’s the ‘Wild Plants & Flowers’ (SRPL27K) offering a literal depiction of orange florals in bloom, held aloft by Kentaro’s trademark cheeky skeleton.
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On the spec side, Seiko 5 fans already know what to expect: the popular 42.5mm x 13.4mm dimensions have once again been selected, for a “bold yet practical” design. This is complemented by the Calibre 4R36 — an unfussy and tough automatic movement, which outputs up to 41 hours of reserve power.
Explore the full range of Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida watches below.
