King Seiko goes preppy with Ivy League inspiration and a new case size
Russell Sheldrake- Seiko introduces the smallest member of its revived King Seiko collection to date, with a new 36.1mm size.
- The KSK-style case is accompanied by dials inspired by the Ivy style, a Japanese adaptation of preppy Ivy League fashion.
- With a three-day power reserve, sapphire crystal, and 100 metres of water resistance, the Ivy Style King Seiko is rearing to be the ideal daily.
For those who read through Borna’s extremely detailed guide to all of the Seiko brands, you’ll already know that King Seiko was originally established as a direct competitor to Grand Seiko in the 1960s. These new SPB457, SPB459, and SPB461 models pull from both the origins of King Seiko and a fashion movement that started at the same time. This highly prevalent fashion movement that still grips Japanese fashion today is the Ivy League style, and it had the young people in Ginza aping Ivy League college students in America. If you want to learn more about just how pervasive this trend was and still is, I highly recommend reading W. David Marx’s book Amentora: How Japan Saved American Style. But we’re not here to just talk about clothes, but rather these new watches that have been inspired by them. Given the proximity between the origins of King Seiko and the Miyuki Zoku (Miyuki tribe) who first established this “Ivy style” in the ’60s, it makes sense why Seiko would look to this influential culture for its newest line. There are three references here, all with the same base stats, but with major cosmetic differences.
Inside these three watches lies the calibre 6R51, which we have actually seen previously in the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series in collaboration with Studio Ghibli, which makes sense given that King Seiko is very much seen as a counterpart to Presage ever since its re-launch in 2021. The movement is a simple three hander, with a functional three day power reserve and based on the 6R55, which is essentially the same movement, but without the date window, and is used across the Seiko Presage Classic Series.
But we’re not here to talk too much about what’s inside this watch, but the striking aesthetics that mark them out. Let’s get into these three rich dial options. The SPB457 has a dial that Seiko calls saxe blue, and it feels very akin to a pale blue Oxford shirt with the white Lumibrite popping against the surface like buttons. It’s certainly not a Tiffany blue, which is nice to see, and feels more fresh than the standard blue dial we have been used to seeing on watch dials for decades now.
Next, the SPB459 has a deep, so-called ivy green shade. This one feels particularly preppy to me: I feel like I’ve seen this rich green in plenty of formalwear, whether it be ties, pocket squares, or socks peeping out from under trouser cuffs. The dial has a far more subtle contrast with a faux patina on the Lumibrite feeling far more appropriate. This detail is carried over to the ruby-red SPB461, which has possibly the richest dial out of them all. Seiko says its red tone is supposed to evoke the rugby shirts and swing tops of the Ivy look, but to me, this is more of a deep plum or port colour, perhaps matching what these young, upwardly mobile kids would be drinking of an evening.
If I had one criticism of these dials, it would be the mishmash of text. The applied Seiko logo, stamped “King Seiko” and “automatic 3 days” text all come in different sizes and typefaces, with the lower text appearing heavier than that at 12. But that is me nitpicking. The angled indices and sharp handset play well off the case and bracelet, which both have plenty of knife-like qualities to them. The bracelet also has a quick-release system, so it can be swapped for a more dressy strap (if bought separately). One aspect that I really appreciate in this watch is the case size, which at 36.1mm fits perfectly with the 1960s aesthetic that it’s drawing from.
Overall, these three watches offer a great package of dial colours that might not be seen often in these exact shades, yet they still feel extremely familiar thanks to the clear reference points Seiko has decided to use. If it was not for a little more consistency and consideration on the dial font, these watches would challenge some of the best smaller case diameter watches on the market today.
King Seiko Ivy Style SPB457, SPB459, SPB461 pricing & availability
The King Seiko Ivy Style collection is available now from Seiko boutiques and retailers. Price: A$3,000.
| Brand | Seiko |
| Model | King Seiko KSK Ivy Style |
| Reference | SPB457 SPB459 SPB461 |
| Case Dimensions | 36.1mm (D) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Burgundy, sage green, and light blue sunburst |
| Strap | Seven-link steel bracelet, folding clasp |
| Movement | Seiko 6R51, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | A$3,000 |