Leather & Grace: Seiko Kicks Off Its 145th Anniversary Year with the Stunning New Presage SPB538

Back in 1881, Seiko’s founder, Kintaro Hattori, established a watch store in Tokyo’s Ginza district, which makes 2026 the brand’s 145^th anniversary year. To mark this auspicious occasion, the Japanese watchmaker recently unveiled a quartet of timepieces representing the four corners of its kingdom: King Seiko, Prospex, Presage, and Astron.

Today, we’re going to look at the most atypical model in this assortment: the Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Enamel Dial SPB538.

From its coin-edged bezel to its old-school leather strap, at first glimpse, there’s nothing that screams Seiko about this watch, but maybe that’s the point. Let’s get into it.

As previously mentioned, in 1881, Hattori set up shop importing, selling, and repairing timepieces. However, sometimes, he would customize these objects by engraving the cases with intricate patterns, thereby elevating their value through traditional craftsmanship.

This signature proved popular, and by 1892, Hattori established a factory he called Seikosha to produce his own timepieces. Three years later, the company produced its first pocket watch, the Timekeeper.
 

The new Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Enamel Dial SPB538 is born from the spirit of Timekeeper, echoing the silhouette of the historical timepiece with its onion crown and coin-edged bezel. Additionally, like the Timekeeper, this new Presage model features a white enamel dial printed with slender Roman numerals, while its “glassbox” crystal provides another vintage-inspired touch.

The Timekeeper was the foundation upon which Seiko was built. Yet the core of Seiko lore is innovation. That is why the SPB538 looks and feels so unique.

Presage is Seiko’s dressier collection. At first look, the gold-finished stainless-steel case of this three-hander doesn’t look much different from other pieces in the collection; however, upon closer examination, the dimensions are smaller (35mm in diameter and 12.3mm thick). Moreover, this new timepiece also features movable lugs for extra comfort.
 

Lastly, rather than featuring a textured pattern like many Presage models, the SPB358’s dial is a glossy white enamel, punctuated only by its gold hands.

Although inspired by a pocket watch from 1897, the SPB538 is nonetheless made for the modern wrist and powered by a modern movement: the automatic Caliber 6R51, which operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) and offers a robust 72-hour power reserve.
 

Visually, the most distinctive (and least pocket-watchy) element is the pull-through brown leather strap. The look is a nod to the first Seiko Laurel watch, which was produced in 1913. Still, the mood of the SPB538 is very focused on the future: it is produced for Seiko by the Leather Working Group (LWG) – a non-profit organization dedicated to responsibly made, sustainable leather production.