“Wake up, babe, there’s a new King Seiko series!”
After the reboot of the King Seiko name a couple of years ago, Seiko has decided to keep things fresh with the release of a new case shape inspired by the King Seiko ’45KCM’ design from 1969.
The OG ’45KCM’ from ’69.
This new series, like the original, features a tonneau-shaped case but while the OG came on a black leather strap, the reissue comes paired with a multi-row bracelet featuring mirror-polishing and brushed finishing, secured by a tri-fold clasp.
More importantly, the shorter links and low center of gravity should, in theory, make the new 45KCMs more comfortable on the wrist. Though, with that said, our quick encounter with the original reissue series showed that those never had any problems with wearability in the first place.
If anything, they might wear different.
“Looks unique enough. What’s different under the hood?”
Alright, let’s get the tech specs out of the way first. The collection has four variants, three series production and one limited edition with all being powered by the slim 6L35 calibre. The 4Hz, 26-jeweled automatic movement has a power reserve of 45 hours and 50 meters of water resistance. Claimed accuracy is rated at -10/+15 seconds per day.
The case measures 39.4 mm in diameter (although from the cushion-case shape, it should wear smaller) while thickness comes in at a very reasonable 9.9 mm.
“I see many, many colours…”
You’ll have your pick of three stunning dial colors: silver (SJE109), purple (SJE111), and green (SJE113). The silver dial has a textured look that’s inspired by Tokyo’s modern cityscape, where the King Seiko collection first kicked off in 1961. The purple dial rocks a shade known as “Edo purple,” a nod to traditional Japanese culture. And the “Gradient Green” dial? It has a gorgeous, well, gradient that captures the lush greenery seen around Tokyo over the years.
On the dial, we get the typical great Seiko finishing with polished and faceted hour markers and hands along with a framed date window. The highlight, though, is that trademark double marker at the 12 o’clock mark, which “evokes the feather fletching of an arrow.”
Cool.
Flip it around and the caseback is a solid, screw-down unit with the KS emblem while a box sapphire crystal sits atop with AR coating on the inner surface.
These three variants will be available starting July 2024.
“But wait, there’s more!”
As mentioned, a limited-to-700-units variant will join the other three. This commemorative piece shares the same specs as the other models but stands out with a Tiffany light blue-green dial featuring a textured pattern inspired by the scales of a rising dragon. Why a dragon, you ask? It’s a symbol of Seiko’s progress and also the zodiac sign for 2024.
