Seiko unveils seven new wild concept watches including a cat-shaped time display and rotating bezel winding
Seiko has just opened its latest Power Design Project exhibition in Tokyo, where the Japanese watch giant is presenting a collection of experimental watch concepts under the theme "Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches." The showcase runs from March 14 to March 29 at the Light Box Studio in Aoyama and features seven prototype designs created by the brand’s in-house designers.
The first concept is designed by Naoya Sukeda, and it shows how machining marks shape metal surfaces. The watch features a circular multi-layered case where the bezel, dial and crown look to be stacked in stepped layers. Even the strap design is a neat reference to the belts used in manufacturing equipment.
Another model by design director Yu Ishihara shows spherical geometry. Its rounded case curves smoothly from front to back, and the surface itself uses a combination of polished and brushed finishes to accentuate the shape of the metal. A third watch designed by Takuya Matsumoto, who is known for his work on Seiko’s premium lines, is all about dial textures. The dial is divided into four quadrants inspired by seasonal imagery such as spring rivers, summer sun, autumn skies and winter snow.
Designer Kento Ito contributed a mechanical-themed concept that is built around the tactile act of winding a watch. In this design, rotating the bezel winds the movement while the offset hands create space for a larger power reserve display. Another prototype created by Miho Wada, design director of Credor, uses a dial made almost entirely of hour-marker elements. The composition uses 23 individual index components, which creates a reflective surface that shifts under light.
The sixth concept by Akihiro Hasegawa is more of an experiment with the day indicator. The dial shows the current day in both Japanese and English while also previewing tomorrow’s date. The design comes with Seiko’s traditional blue Saturday and red Sunday colorways.
The final piece is the most playful one, with a cat named Ten-chan, created by designer Yuki Omori. The watch uses the cat’s body as the time display, with the tail indicating hours, the feet marking minutes and the hands acting as the seconds indicator. The case lugs look like paws, with paw-pad detailing on the underside of the same.
Please note that all seven models are design studies rather than production watches. You can also check out the Seiko SSK001 on Amazon.
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