The new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT Watches (SSK037, SSK039 & SSK041)

One of the main topics of Seiko in recent years, besides renewing its classics and applying a downsizing strategy, has been to bring the GMT complication to its most affordable collections. It all started with the Seiko 5 Sports GMT, which made quite a solid impression on the team. The same concept has then been applied to other collections, with the Presage Style 60s GMT and the cool exploration-inspired Seiko 5 Sports Field GMT. It is now time for the brand’s original dress watches to get the traveller’s treatment, with the new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT Watches.

Known as Seiko’s original, colourful and slightly funky dress collection, the Presage Cocktail Time lineup is, as indicated by its name, inspired “by Japanese cocktail culture and specific drinks from the Star Bar in Tokyo’s sophisticated Ginza area.” Gradient dials, textures, unusual colours and a certain sense of decorum, there’s something rather appealing in this collection that you won’t find in the most serious Style 60s or Craftsmanship series. But what matters today is the fact that Seiko adds for the first time a GMT function to its Presage Cocktail series.

Three versions, all inspired by a specific cocktail, are presented. All are housed in a relatively simple case, made of polished steel, with a dressy appearance and measuring a modern 40.5mm in diameter. As often with entry-level models from the Japanese watchmaker, the dial is protected by a mineral Hardlex crystal – highly domed in the present case – and the profile (12.8mm) isn’t the slimmest. If you want slim and elegant with Seiko, better look at the new KS1969 King Seiko models. The caseback here offers a view of the movement and the water-resistance is rated at 50m.

Besides the addition of a GMT complication, we have 3 models with unprecedented and rather striking colour schemes. The SSK037 Skydiving comes in a fresh light blue colour with contrasting blue hand – the Skydiving cocktail is a mix of rum, lime juice and blue curaçao, giving it a pale blue hue. It is worn on a 5-link stainless steel bracelet. The SSK039 Rusty Nail is inspired by a blend of Scotch whisky and Drambuie with a garnish of lemon peel, giving this rich gradient brown dial with a yellow GMT hand. It is worn on a black leather strap with a folding clasp. Finally, the SSK041 Acacia has a gradient honey yellow dial inspired by a cocktail made from gin, Benedictine and a dash of Kirsch, finished with a garnish of lemon. It is paired with a brown leather strap.

In addition to these new colour schemes, the Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT models bring a nice embossed texture in the shape of sun rays. To accommodate the traveller’s functionality, there’s a central 24h hand in the shape of a cocktail glass’ stem, and a 24h scale on the periphery of the dial with odd numerals. Being an accessible take on the GMT complication, we’re talking about a so-called office or caller GMT display, with the central 24-hour hand independently adjustable by one-hour increments.

As with the Presage 60s GMT or the 5 Sports GMT, these new Presage Cocktail GMT watches rely on the automatic Calibre 4R34, based on the tried-and-tested 4R35. This movement runs at a 3Hz frequency, stores 41h of power reserve and features a stop seconds. The open back shows an industrially executed movement – maybe a closed back with a nice engraving would be more relevant.

Available as part of the permanent collection from July 2024, the new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT (reference SSK037, SSK039 & SSK041) will be priced at EUR 600. For more details, please visit www.seikowatches.com.