Key Takeaways
1. Seiko’s exhibition, “Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches,” showcases seven innovative watch prototypes in Tokyo from March 14 to 29.
2. Unique designs include a multi-layered case by Naoya Sukeda and a spherical shape watch by Yu Ishihara, highlighting creative approaches to metal surfaces and forms.
3. Mechanical inspiration is seen in Kento Ito’s design, where rotating the bezel winds the watch, and Miho Wada’s dial made of separate hour markers for a dynamic look.
4. Akihiro Hasegawa’s concept features a dual-language day indicator, using Seiko’s classic colors for weekends.
5. The whimsical design by Yuki Omori incorporates a playful cat character, with its body and tail used to display time, showcasing a fun take on watch design.
Seiko has launched its newest exhibition for the Power Design Project in Tokyo, showcasing a range of innovative watch ideas under the title “Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches.” This exhibition is open from March 14 to March 29 at the Light Box Studio in Aoyama, featuring seven prototype creations from the brand’s internal designers.
Unique Designs
One of the concepts comes from Naoya Sukeda, who illustrates how machining marks can influence the appearance of metal surfaces. This timepiece features a round, multi-layered case where the bezel, dial, and crown appear to be arranged in stepped layers. The strap design cleverly references the belts typically used in manufacturing machinery.
Another creation by design director Yu Ishihara showcases spherical shapes. Its rounded case smoothly arches from the front to the back, and the surface employs a mix of polished and brushed finishes to highlight the metal’s curves. Takuya Matsumoto, recognized for his contributions to Seiko’s high-end lines, has designed a third watch that focuses on dial textures. This dial is divided into four sections, each inspired by seasonal themes like spring rivers, summer sun, autumn skies, and winter snow.
Mechanical Inspiration
Designer Kento Ito presents a concept centered on the mechanical aspect of winding a watch. In this design, rotating the bezel winds the movement while the off-centered hands provide room for a larger display of the power reserve. Another prototype by Miho Wada, who is the design director at Credor, features a dial composed almost entirely of hour marker elements. This design consists of 23 separate index pieces, creating a shiny surface that changes with the light.
The sixth concept from Akihiro Hasegawa experiments with the day indicator. The dial displays the current day in both Japanese and English, along with a preview of the next day’s date. This design uses Seiko’s classic blue for Saturday and red for Sunday.
Whimsical Touch
The final watch is quite playful, featuring a cat named Ten-chan, designed by Yuki Omori. In this design, the cat’s body serves as the time display; the tail shows the hours, the feet indicate minutes, and the hands function as the seconds indicator. The case lugs resemble paws, complete with paw-pad details on the underside.
It’s important to mention that all seven designs are merely studies and not intended for production. You can also find the Seiko SSK001 available on Amazon.
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