Here is a quick review of my new Seiko Presage, as some of you may know I have been selling off all my reps to replace them with Gen watches. Unfortunately, reps just don’t seem to be scratching that itch for me anymore, especially when pretty nice gens can be had for the same or less money.
Please excuse the dust it has been driving me nuts...
Let’s start with Creation Watches; I spotted this piece on there, and as a rule, I am not a big fan of gold watches but the blue and rose colored highlights is a nice looking watch, it was the last one they had and had been reduced by around 55%. I picked it up for £275 with DLH Priority Express included. The whole order process was flawless I ordered the watch on a Friday afternoon, paid with PayPal, and it rocked up on a Tuesday afternoon, four days from Singapore is not bad going, I have heard of some people getting watches to the UK in 2 days.
The watch is a Seiko Presage
Blue enameled dial (from what creation say)
42mm
4R57A Movement
Sapphire Crystal (No AR)
Power Reserve complication
Date complication
Limited to 3000 pieces
(Cheap Rep strap to see what it looks like)
The bracelet is a pretty standard affair, although I do not feel it matches the quality of the rest of the watch. It is well made with little or no play in it, each link is finely brushed with a 45 Degree lip that is polished, the edges of the bracelet are polished along with solid end links.
The part that lets the bracelet down is the cheap clasp when it is snapped shut to look at it you would have no idea its cheap, but unfortunately, the clasp is a tri-fold pressed metal one. Also for a watch of this RRP, I would have expected to see maybe links that are held in by a screw rather than pins that you just push out. Having got my gripes out of the way what I will say is it is super comfortable.
The dial on this watch is what won it over for me, an electric blue enameled dial with rose gold batons and chrome power reserve and date complication. The dial turns from a dark blue to bright electric depending on the light it’s almost has a sunburst effect to it.
The batons are finished impeccably, each one has a 45-degree chamfer to it with a high polish and matte finish to the top, it gives it a nice contrast as the light flicks over them. The same goes for the hands, the finish is fantastic, the hands are angled from the middle (sure there must be a technical term). One side has a high polish to it, and the other has the same matte as the batons, this makes them super legible and creates fantastic plays with the light as it casts over them.
The power reserve indicator has a silver finish to it that if looked at closely has a rainbow effect when angled into the light, this is repeated on the date ring, the inner of this dial has a perfect rings pattern catching more light and reflections.
All in all, they have done a fantastic job with the dial it sits pretty deep in the watch case with a chapter ring around it. I guess it's so deep because of the central power reserve complication, this gives it a nice three-dimensional feel.
The crystal is nothing special really, it’s nice to see a Sapphire in a Seiko but the lack of AR is a real shortfall, they have done such a stellar job on the dial why on earth would you not give it AR, Prof take center stage, please.
The case is well finished I have not had a whole lot of experience with Seiko but from what I have seen build quality is not to be sniffed at and this is no exception, its 42mm without the crown. Fairly thick at 14mm though. I was expecting this to give it a top-heavy feel, but that is not the case.
The bezel has a high polish to it with a brushed edge, there is no overlap between the polish and brushing just clean cut lines. The mid-case is similar with polished shoulder along one plane and then brushing along the sides and face of the lugs, again well-cut lines, no Zaratsu polish but I didn’t expect it at this price.
The case back has a display window that has a Seiko's proprietary hardlex crystal in it, no AR although it seems less reflective the Sapphire front.
The crown is well finished rose gold colored steel with a nice deep cut “S†insignia. (yes my picture is upside down)
When I bought the watch, I had hoped for a 6R movement at 28800 bph. However, this 4R57 is super smooth unless you take some time to examine it closely it really doesn’t look like a lower beat movement, big Kudos here.
I checked it against a Software based timegrapher, and it is running at -2.5 secs a day (face up), beat error or 0.9ms and an amplitude of 174. Not that shoddy considering it hasn’t even run in yet and I am not sure hoe much if regulation it got at the factory, if any.
The finish is not anything special, not bad though by any means unless you are buying a GS then they never are as pretty as the Swiss counterparts.
All in all, I am quite happy with the watch, it will be getting a Prof crystal to show off the beautiful dial. Also, I think I may replace the clasp with a solid butterfly type, Strapcode have a couple that will fit it and a nice curved end leather strap.
Was it worth £275, yes definitely.
Please excuse the dust it has been driving me nuts...
Let’s start with Creation Watches; I spotted this piece on there, and as a rule, I am not a big fan of gold watches but the blue and rose colored highlights is a nice looking watch, it was the last one they had and had been reduced by around 55%. I picked it up for £275 with DLH Priority Express included. The whole order process was flawless I ordered the watch on a Friday afternoon, paid with PayPal, and it rocked up on a Tuesday afternoon, four days from Singapore is not bad going, I have heard of some people getting watches to the UK in 2 days.
The watch is a Seiko Presage
Blue enameled dial (from what creation say)
42mm
4R57A Movement
Sapphire Crystal (No AR)
Power Reserve complication
Date complication
Limited to 3000 pieces
(Cheap Rep strap to see what it looks like)
The bracelet is a pretty standard affair, although I do not feel it matches the quality of the rest of the watch. It is well made with little or no play in it, each link is finely brushed with a 45 Degree lip that is polished, the edges of the bracelet are polished along with solid end links.
The part that lets the bracelet down is the cheap clasp when it is snapped shut to look at it you would have no idea its cheap, but unfortunately, the clasp is a tri-fold pressed metal one. Also for a watch of this RRP, I would have expected to see maybe links that are held in by a screw rather than pins that you just push out. Having got my gripes out of the way what I will say is it is super comfortable.
The dial on this watch is what won it over for me, an electric blue enameled dial with rose gold batons and chrome power reserve and date complication. The dial turns from a dark blue to bright electric depending on the light it’s almost has a sunburst effect to it.
The batons are finished impeccably, each one has a 45-degree chamfer to it with a high polish and matte finish to the top, it gives it a nice contrast as the light flicks over them. The same goes for the hands, the finish is fantastic, the hands are angled from the middle (sure there must be a technical term). One side has a high polish to it, and the other has the same matte as the batons, this makes them super legible and creates fantastic plays with the light as it casts over them.
The power reserve indicator has a silver finish to it that if looked at closely has a rainbow effect when angled into the light, this is repeated on the date ring, the inner of this dial has a perfect rings pattern catching more light and reflections.
All in all, they have done a fantastic job with the dial it sits pretty deep in the watch case with a chapter ring around it. I guess it's so deep because of the central power reserve complication, this gives it a nice three-dimensional feel.
The crystal is nothing special really, it’s nice to see a Sapphire in a Seiko but the lack of AR is a real shortfall, they have done such a stellar job on the dial why on earth would you not give it AR, Prof take center stage, please.
The case is well finished I have not had a whole lot of experience with Seiko but from what I have seen build quality is not to be sniffed at and this is no exception, its 42mm without the crown. Fairly thick at 14mm though. I was expecting this to give it a top-heavy feel, but that is not the case.
The bezel has a high polish to it with a brushed edge, there is no overlap between the polish and brushing just clean cut lines. The mid-case is similar with polished shoulder along one plane and then brushing along the sides and face of the lugs, again well-cut lines, no Zaratsu polish but I didn’t expect it at this price.
The case back has a display window that has a Seiko's proprietary hardlex crystal in it, no AR although it seems less reflective the Sapphire front.
The crown is well finished rose gold colored steel with a nice deep cut “S†insignia. (yes my picture is upside down)
When I bought the watch, I had hoped for a 6R movement at 28800 bph. However, this 4R57 is super smooth unless you take some time to examine it closely it really doesn’t look like a lower beat movement, big Kudos here.
I checked it against a Software based timegrapher, and it is running at -2.5 secs a day (face up), beat error or 0.9ms and an amplitude of 174. Not that shoddy considering it hasn’t even run in yet and I am not sure hoe much if regulation it got at the factory, if any.
The finish is not anything special, not bad though by any means unless you are buying a GS then they never are as pretty as the Swiss counterparts.
All in all, I am quite happy with the watch, it will be getting a Prof crystal to show off the beautiful dial. Also, I think I may replace the clasp with a solid butterfly type, Strapcode have a couple that will fit it and a nice curved end leather strap.
Was it worth £275, yes definitely.