The Japanese concept of ‘Ukiyo-e’ is a form of Japanese artistry which began in the 17th century. The images are expressed in the form of woodblock prints or paintings of traditional cultural Japanese scenes – usually featuring Kabuki performers, Sumo wrestlers, historic scenes, folk tales, landscapes, or nature. The dial of this King Seiko timepiece is inspired by the nature found in Kameido, the where the King Seiko brand began, designed into the form of kiyo-e. The ‘Tenjin-Fuji Violet’ features a new wisteria flower pattern in a pale violet gradation. The unique lavender-coloured dial takes its inspiration from the Kameido Tenjin Shrine where wisteria were planted during the Edo period. These purple flowers hanging from the trellises in the Japanese garden are a visitor attraction during April and May. During the Fuji Festival, the wisteria are lit up at night, giving a purple glow to the area. Over hundreds of years these flowers have inspired artists from Hiroshige Utagawa’s “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” painted in 1856-1859 to “Le Bassin aux nymphéas, harmonie rose” painted by Claude Monet in 1899. Under a box sapphire crystal glass are a set of sharp Dauphine-style hands with multifaceted edges. It has a sharp, angular brushed finish case design and an intricate seven-piece bracelet. Powered by the in-house 6L35 automatic calibre – Seiko’s slimmest automatic movement which is accurate to +15/-10 seconds per day, this piece has a power reserve of 45 hours. Long live the new King Seiko: modernised elite watchmaking, yet its stately, dignified and majestically classic looks remain.
