Seiko Kicks off their 145th Anniversary Year with Four Limited Editions

I think it’s fair to say that for any watch enthusiast out there that Seiko has played some role in discovering this hobby. As a brand that encompasses a variety of styles and price points, anyone can be introduced to the brand at any level of their growing interest. Because of this, the Japanese watchmaker’s 145th anniversary feels particularly special for anyone who, like me, spent hours scouring eBay for a Seiko, and feeling, in a small way, like you’re a legitimate collector now that you’ve graduated away from the generic watch you grabbed at Wal-Mart on a whim.

To celebrate this milestone, Seiko has released four limited-edition gold-accented models, across the King Seiko, Prospex, Presage, and Astron collections. While one may think that these four watches feel slightly disjointed when taken together, each showcases what Seiko does best: balancing form and function in equal measure without ever falling into the trap of ostentation.

Take, for example, the King Seiko. This anniversary edition, which joins the KS1969 series, is the first of the four and nods directly to Seiko’s founder himself, Kintaro Hattori. The dial pattern is inspired by one that Hattori-san had engraved on his personal watches and is rendered here in a grey gradient that darkens towards the edges. Keeping with Seiko’s innate ability to add decoration without excess, we see the King Seiko has added gold-colored hands, indexes, and text for a bit of personality against the grey. Most notably, perhaps, for those who like to keep their wrist clean, this particular reference clocks in at 39.4mm and is powered by a slim Caliber 6L35. The watch will be released in February 2026 with a price tag of $3,100 and is limited to 800 pieces.

Another nod to the brand’s history, the Prospex approaches the anniversary through its chronograph history. As a brand that has prided itself in its legacy in sports timing, Seiko uses this as the jumping-off point for their anniversary-edition Prospex. As the world’s first automatic chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch, released in 1969, Seiko has reimagined the Speedtimer with the more classic look of the Prospex. As a result, we have a watch that is able to capture the spirit of the 60s and 70s chronographs, but enhanced to meet the 145th anniversary. With a large white dial, gold accents, and a contoured bracelet, the Prospex is very much a marriage of vintage and modern for Seiko (and is priced at $2,500 with 700 made for this release).

Digging into the archives, the anniversary-edition Presage looks back even further, drawing directly from the Timekeeper pocket watch. The white enamel dial, Roman numerals, onion crown, and box-shaped crystal give it a distinctly traditional design language, while the 35mm case size and pull-through leather strap feel increasingly modern in a market still very much filled with big, bold, complicated timepieces. The watch is powered by an automatic Caliber 6R51, which promises nearly three full days of power and will retail for $1,900 with 1,450 in production.

With its black-coated titanium case clocking in at 44.1mm and gold accents throughout the bezel and bracelet, the last reference in the collection, the Astron, is definitely a watch with some presence – and a bit of innovation.The GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph uses Caliber 5X83 to automatically connect to GPS satellites up to twice a day, maintaining precise time anywhere in the world. It tracks a second time zone, has a chronograph function, and includes a perpetual calendar correct through 2100. The Astron will retail for $3,300, with 1,450 pieces produced.

With each watch in this collection, we see Seiko’s approach to updating each reference at once expand to meet modern needs, while still staying true to the design language that has defined the brand for 145 years. From the archival look of the Presage to the satellite-connected Astron, the four pieces of this collection bookend the legacy of Seiko – and only make us excited for what the next century-and-a-half brings for the brand.