Seiko Presage Arita Porcelain

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Arita, a small town in Kyushu, the third-largest island in the southwest of Japan, came to prominence in the early 17th century when clay suitable for porcelain manufacture was discovered there and its porcelain products soon became highly prized in Japan for the high quality of their artistry: Seiko Presage Arita Porcelain Dial.

The Arita Porcelain dial reflects the care and craftsmanship for which Presage is renowned. The slender dial is approximately 1mm in height and curves downwards from the indexes to the dial centre to create a soft form with depth.

Under the supervision of Arita porcelain craftsman, Hiroyuki Hashiguchi, this slim yet dimensional dial was achieved by challenging the limits of traditional Arita porcelain casting moulding processes. The unique quality of the porcelain surface finished with glaze gives the dial a glossy lustre and soft shade.

The production of Seiko‘s Arita porcelain dial required extensive research and development to achieve the durability and strength required for a wristwatch.

A fusion of Japan‘s world-class traditions and technologies, the Arita porcelain dial is made of highly durable porcelain material that is more than four times harder than usual porcelain.

It also undergoes a casting process using ultra-high-precision molds, and is fired at a high temperature of 1,300 degrees. The dials are then glazed and fired multiple times to complete the highly challenging process.

The blue indexes and hands against the pure white porcelain enhances the beauty of the dial.

This model features a special dial that recreates the faint lapis lazuli colours created by a traditional dyeing technique called “ruri zome” applied to representative Arita porcelain works, such as the large tripod dishes from Kyushu decorated with heron designs.

The porcelain dials are made by an experienced manufacturer in Arita that has been making porcelain since 1830. Hiroyuki Hashiguchi is the master craftsman and he and his colleagues have been developing the dials with the Presage team.