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There are a handful of constants in the watch world that are truly worth celebrating: the annual crush of people on Geneva each spring for Watches & Wonders, the annual debate over whether a “summer watch” is a thing, and that first comment on any IG post that begs a watch to be a millimeter or two smaller. Like clockwork (pardon the pun) you can count on these things, year in and year out, and there’s comfort in that. Another reliable watch industry trope comes to us on a regular basis from Seiko in the form of the Cocktail Time limited edition, a tradition that began with a watch that is a true enthusiast icon, and now stands as a running series of just plain good dress watches that Seiko is somehow able to keep at a remarkably affordable price point.
The legend of the Cocktail Time really begins in earnest with the SARB065, a Japanese domestic market release that caught on with collectors in an earlier era of watch enthusiasm (the early 2010s) when message boards ruled the day. This particular watch is one that I can remember owning years ago and also being among the chorus of internet commenters recommending it to new enthusiasts when the inevitable question of “what dress watch under $XXX should I buy?” would come up.
The new Cocktail Time watches, references SRPK93 and SRE015, are said to be inspired by the city of Tokyo at night, and the “Night-time Tokyo” cocktail created by STAR BAR owner Hisashi Kishi. Kishi is a celebrated creator of craft cocktails and the first Japanese bartender to receive the coveted “Contemporary Master Craftsman” award.
The dials have a gray tone and a prominent texture, as well as a degrade effect that leaves the center a lighter color while the outer portion of the dial is darker, nearly black. Hands and hour markers are gold tone, which is meant to evoke city lights against a dark sky. The smaller SRE015 reference features a box shaped crystal with a complex series of inner facets that Seiko says is inspired by Tokyo’s skyscrapers. In images provided by Seiko, you could easily mistake this outer ring of facets for a diamond bezel at a glance, but the faceted crystal is honestly far more interesting and a welcome twist on a familiar design language.
That smaller reference measures a hair over 30mm in diameter and about 37mm from lug to lug, and runs on Seiko’s 2R05 caliber with 40 hours of power reserve. The SRPK93 comes in at 40.5mm in diameter and 47.5mm from lug to lug, which is a nice size for a modern dress watch or a piece meant for everyday wear. This one runs on the familiar caliber 4R35 with a 41 hour power reserve. Both watches are mounted to five-link bracelets.
The new Cocktail Time pieces are limited editions, with the SRE015 reference being made in 6,000 examples and the SRPK93 in 9,000. At those numbers you will probably not have to camp outside your authorized dealer’s door to snag one, but give them a call just in case if they’re of interest. The larger watch retails for $550, while the smaller SRE015 will sell for $650. Both are expected in October. Seiko
