Seiko Marks 145 Years With an Edo Purple Trio Across Alpinist, Presage and 5 Sports
Seiko Watch Corporation is using its 145th year to tie three mechanical lines to a single historical colour. According to Monochrome Watches, the August 2026 announcement covers limited Alpinist, Presage Cocktail Time GMT and 5 Sports SKX references, all carrying purple dials linked to Edo-period Tokyo, the city where Kintaro Hattori opened a clock shop in 1881.
The mechanical trio is part of a six-watch anniversary group. Retail is scheduled from October 2026 at Seiko boutiques and selected stores.
Why Edo Purple
Edo, the former name of Tokyo, is the geographic start of the Seiko story. The colour now called Edo purple was associated with the city’s identity during the Edo period (1603–1868) and remains in Japanese colour vocabulary. Seiko is applying that hue, with gold-tone logos and hands, across otherwise familiar case families rather than launching a new architecture.
- Prospex Alpinist HBC006: 7,000 pieces, EUR 980
- Presage Cocktail Time GMT HCB006: 6,000 pieces, EUR 620
- Seiko 5 Sports SKX HDB003: 9,999 pieces, EUR 450
Three platforms, one colour brief
The Alpinist HBC006 follows the SARB-era compass layout rather than the 1959 recreation. The 39.5 mm steel case is 12.7 mm thick, water-resistant to 200 m, and uses a screw-down crown plus an inner rotating 360-degree compass bezel operated from 4 o’clock. Calibre 6R55 is automatic, 3 Hz, with a 72-hour reserve. The sunray light-purple dial keeps wedge indices and Arabic numerals; the strap is black crocodile-pattern leather with purple stitching. Owners who compare this case with aftermarket compass builds can start from the Seiko Alpinist mod guide.
Presage Cocktail Time GMT HCB006 sits in a 40.5 × 12.8 mm steel case with a box Hardlex crystal and 50 m water resistance. The glossy, radially textured purple dial is named after an “Edo Murasaki” cocktail by Hisashi Kishi of Star Bar. Calibre 4R34 is a caller-style GMT with a 41-hour reserve. A five-link steel bracelet is standard. The GMT function was added to Cocktail Time in 2024; this limited run is the anniversary colourway of that layout.
The 5 Sports SKX HDB003 uses the 2025-redesigned SKX case: 42.5 × 13.9 mm, crown at 4 o’clock, black Hardlex 60-minute bezel, 100 m rating, and calibre 4R36. The sunray purple dial uses vertically striated indices and gold-tone accents on the current three-link bracelet. For SKX-platform parts and case geometry, see the Seiko Prospex mod guide.
| Reference | Family | Case / WR | Movement | Limit / EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HBC006 | Prospex Alpinist | 39.5 mm / 200 m | 6R55, 72 h | 7,000 / 980 |
| HCB006 | Presage Cocktail GMT | 40.5 mm / 50 m | 4R34 GMT, 41 h | 6,000 / 620 |
| HDB003 | 5 Sports SKX | 42.5 mm / 100 m | 4R36, 41 h | 9,999 / 450 |
Calendar and distribution
According to Monochrome Watches, all three mechanical pieces go on sale from October 2026. Limits are worldwide, not market-split in the published figures. Crystal type splits the group: sapphire with a date magnifier on the Alpinist, Hardlex on Cocktail Time and the SKX. Exhibition screw backs appear on all three.
FAQ
Is Edo Purple only on mechanical Seikos?
No. The colour brief covers six anniversary watches. The three mechanical models above are the ones specified with limits and euro prices in the August 2026 coverage.
Does HCB006 use a true traveller GMT?
No. Calibre 4R34 is an office-style (caller) GMT: the 24-hour hand is set independently; local time is not jumped in one-hour steps.
When do the watches reach stores?
Seiko has listed October 2026 for boutiques and selected retailers worldwide.
Source: According to Monochrome Watches (6 August 2026) and Seiko Watch Corporation anniversary materials.