THE HOME OF WATCH CULTURE

Seiko taps Japan-born, Australia-based artist Kentaro Yoshida for a trio of vibey 5 Sports LEs

Seiko taps Japan-born, Australia-based artist Kentaro Yoshida for a trio of vibey 5 Sports LEs

Jamie Weiss
  • Seiko collaborates with in-demand Japanese artist Kentaro Yoshida – who now calls Sydney home – on a series of vibey 5 Sports models.
  • The collection draws inspiration from Yoshida’s artistic journey and surf-centered lifestyle in Australia.
  • All three watches have nature-inspired designs with dials featuring Yoshida’s trademark skeleton characters.

Japan and Australia are two countries that have long admired one another, and Kentaro Yoshida’s story is one that many Aussies and Japanese can probably relate to. Born and raised in a rural fishing village in Toyama, Kentaro decided to move Down Under at the age of 18 “in pursuit of the English language, sunny beaches and a more balanced lifestyle”, as well as to develop his artistic praxis. Almost two decades later, “Kenny”, as he’s now known, has made Sydney’s Northern Beaches his home, and is one of the most in-demand artists in the city, having collaborated with brands like Apple, BMW, Canon, Levi’s and Vans just to name a few. Now, we can add Seiko to that list.

Kentaro Yoshida
Kentaro Yoshida in his Sydney studio.

Seiko’s collaboration with Yoshida spans three Australasian limited edition watches, as well as an original artwork titled Time Goes by Forever. “[This] theme embodies the concept of time as an endless cycle, reflecting the continuous motion of life,” Seiko explains, with Yoshida’s trademark pastel tones, skeleton character, and Australian iconography such as native flowers, rolling surf, and the iconic red-and-yellow surf lifesaving flag that’s a fixture of beaches across the country, all appearing in this mural-style piece. This artwork, in turn, has influenced the three watches, with each depicting different elements of nature featured in Time Goes by Forever.

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL25K
Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL25K “Clouds & Sky”

First up, we have the “Clouds & Sky” ref. SRPL25K, which sports a murdered-out monochromatic aesthetic with a bezel insert evoking cloudy skies and a grainy black dial depicting a skeleton running with a surfboard, eager to hit the waves. Yoshida is a keen surfer, and his art draws much from Australian surfing and skating culture. It comes paired with a black rubber strap to match its black PVD case.

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL26K
Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL26K “Sun, Moon & Beach”, set against Yoshida’s artwork “Time Goes by Forever”.

Similarly minimal but a bit more luxe, the “Sun, Moon & Beach” ref. SRPL26K, designed to capture the warmth of a day at the beach, has a gold PVD case and bracelet plus a sunburst dial with a gold-on-gold skeleton character throwing up a peace sign. Like the other models in the collection, the dial only has indices at 12 and 6 o’clock, filled with Lumibrite.

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL27K
Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL27K “Wild Plants & Flowers”

Finally, the “Wild Plants & Flowers” ref. SRPL27K, which represents growth and renewal, pairs a black PVD case with a green bezel insert, NATO strap and dial, the latter of which is subtly brushed. A contemplative skeleton offers up an orange flower on the dial to the wearer, with that hit of orange continuing onto the chapter ring. It’s nice how all three models are differentiated by strap options as well as by colour and design cues – they’re definite strap monsters too, though.

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL27K caseback

Mechanically, all three watches are based on the Seiko 5 Sports SRPD platform, meaning they’re water-resistant to 100 metres with a non-screw-down crown. They’re powered by the Seiko automatic calibre 4R36, which has a 41-hour power reserve and a day/date window. Both the front and back crystals are made from Hardlex, Seiko’s hardened mineral glass, with the exhibition casebacks for these models in colour scheme-matching tints, and emblazoned with Kentaro Yoshida’s logo. All three also come packaged in metal tins featuring exclusive Yoshida graphics.

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition “Time Goes by Forever” pricing and availability

Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition SRPL26K box

As its name implies, the Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition collection consists of a limited run of 500 individually numbered pieces for each reference, exclusively available in Australia and New Zealand. Price: A$695

Brand Seiko
Model 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition
Reference Number SRPL25K (“Clouds & Sky”)
SRPL26K (“Sun, Moon & Beach”)
SRPL27K (“Wild Plants & Flowers”)
Case Dimensions 42.5mm (D) x 13.4mm (T) x 46mm (LTL)
Case Material PVD stainless steel
Water Resistance 100 metres
Crystal(s) Hardlex front and back
Dial Kentaro Yoshida artwork
Lug Width 22mm
Strap Black rubber strap (SRPL25K)
Gold PVD bracelet (SRPL26K)
Green NATO strap (SRPL27K)
Movement Calibre 4R36, in-house, automatic
Power Reserve 41 hours
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, unidirectional diving bezel
Availability Australasian limited editions of 500 pieces per reference, individually numbered
Price A$695