This Ultra-Rare Seiko Is Basically an Artisanal Pocketwatch
Seiko, Japanese timepiece giant, is actually one of the older watchmakers in the biz, with lots of history between now and 1881, the year it was founded. So, it's pretty cool that Porter Classic is doing exactly that.
The "Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Porter Classic Collaboration Limited Edition" watch — yes, catchy name — is transforms one of the OG Seiko watches into a contemporary piece of wrist candy.
Born of the Seiko Laurel, Seiko's first-ever wristwatch from 1913, the Porter Classic Seiko watch nevertheless has serious pocketwatch 'tude.
It's visible in the super-round face and the dynamics of the details, like the chunky dial on the watch's side, the stylized font of the Arabic numerals that've been reproduced identically from the original design, and even the black enamel dial made by "master enamel craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa," according to Seiko. No wonder this thing is so limited: 500 pieces!
This is all nice but I don't know nothing about watches, so it's merely pleasant window dressing.
Instead, what I really like is how this century-old inspiration aligns with the Porter Classic ethos.
Porter Classic was founded in 2007 by Katsuyuki Yoshida, an elder member of the family that operates YOSHIDA PORTER, and his son, Leo. PORTER, as it's sometimes called, is best known internationally for its bags, which are popular enough to have earned collaborations with prestigious partners as disparate as Studio Ghibli and fashion house Fendi.
However, Porter Classic is a clothing-first operation. It makes bags, too, but its specialty lies in flipping centuries-old workwear with artisanal craft. Think sashiko-stitched chore coats, wide shirts inspired by artist smocks, cropped pants ripped outta the jazz age, and similar. It's quirked-up workwear with lots of light touches, like Mickey Mouse button-ups, grounded by serious craft.
There's a lot of sumptuous indigo dye, for instance, giving much of Porter Classic's collections a blue caste, further elevated by hand-mended patchwork and stitching to boot. This is not a costume but real-world clothing made better by thoughtful make and exquisite materials meant to age exquisitely.
So, a pocketwatch-inspired Seiko makes so much sense within the world of Porter Classic. It's more than an homage to the early days of Seiko — it's a tangible manifestation of the codes at the core of both brands.
The only thing it's missing is some deep dye.
