Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage: Japanese Bonsai Artistry Meets Classic Watchmaking

Celebrating Japanese Bonsai Tradition

Seiko has paired itself with Tradman's Bonsai, a Japanese creative collective whose mission is to celebrate and continue exploring the traditional art of Japanese Bonsai through both the creation of Bonsai spaces and the pursuit of collaborations with brands in the street culture, fashion, and art worlds. The result is the latest addition to Seiko's Presage line, the dressier alternative to other, more technical watch families like Prospex.

Bonsai-Inspired Design Elements

Inspired by the bark of aging pine trees, the new dial pattern gently spirals outward from the center of the dial and is paired with a deep green gradient treatment and a dual-curved sapphire crystal with an AR coating on the inside. A 38mm stainless steel case with a fluted bezel and yellow-gold-tone finish houses the dial and the watch's 6R51 movement, a time-only automatic from Seiko with a 72-hour power reserve and hand-winding capability.

The movement itself is visible through a transparent sapphire exhibition caseback, which is decorated with the Tradman's Bonsai logo and wordmark in gold. The Seiko Presage Classic Series Tradman's Bonsai comes fitted with a matching gold-tone multi-link stainless steel bracelet, but you'll also find a black calfskin leather strap in the box.

Technical Specifications

Green and Gold: A Timeless Combination

If, at a quick glance, this watch feels familiar, that's entirely fair. Elements like the watch's stainless steel case, fluted bezel, dial furniture, and multi-link bracelet are all parts that have been used in Presage-line watches in the past, but here, rendered in a gold-tone (yellow, not rose) and brought together for the first time, they do seem to create a watch that feels new without being radically out of step with what's come before.

Green and yellow gold are — and always have been — a very good combination. Keeping the green dark was also a good choice. A brighter green would have called more attention to itself, but the dark color here tempers the gold and will look far better with the black strap that comes in the box.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Tradman's Bonsai?
A: Tradman's Bonsai is a Japanese creative collective dedicated to celebrating and continuing the traditional art of Japanese Bonsai through collaborations with brands in street culture, fashion, and art.

Q: What strap options are included?
A: The watch comes with a gold-tone stainless steel multi-link bracelet and an additional black calfskin leather strap with a gold-tone deployant clasp, textured with a bark-like effect.

Q: What is the power reserve of the movement?
A: The Seiko 6R51 automatic movement provides approximately 72 hours (3 days) of power reserve with hand-winding capability.

According to Hodinkee, this watch is a worthy addition to Seiko's lineup, with the dark green dial and gold combination creating something that feels new without being radically different.

For more information on Seiko watches, visit our Seiko Presage collection guide or explore our Japanese watchmaking tradition tutorial.