Reviving the King Seiko "KSK": Revealing its Full Profile

Seiko has announced that it will release the "Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition King Seiko "KSK" Reissue Design," a reissue of the second-generation King Seiko "KSK" design, on January 22, 2021. 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the birth of King Seiko, marking a milestone year.

The design is based on the second generation King Seiko "KSK"

　The King Seiko, released in 1961, was Seiko's second-highest-end model after the Grand Seiko. It was manufactured by Daini Seikosha (now Seiko Watch). While it did not come with a rate certificate like the Grand Seiko, it did come with an inspection certificate guaranteeing its accuracy, and it was one of the first watches to feature a stainless steel case. It was equipped with a hand-wound movement that was an improved version of the Chronos. While its diameter was smaller than the Cal. 3180 used by Grand Seiko, it featured a large-diameter balance and an extremely advanced double-bearing balance cock.

　This model evolved to include a regulated second hand in December 1964. The following year, in 1965, a date display was added. Seiko will be reissuing the design of this second-generation King Seiko, or "KSK," in 2021. For this reissue, the movement has been changed from the manual-winding Cal. 44 series to the automatic-winding Cal. 6L35. The case size has also been increased from 36.7mm to 38.1mm.

A thoroughly retro design

　Seiko has had great success with its reissues in recent years. The "new" King Seiko is no exception, with its design being a near-faithful successor to the second-generation model. Not only is the case shape identical to the original, but the buckle, crown, and crest mark on the case back are also nearly identical.

　However, this model has been refined for modern times. The crystal has been changed from plastic to a box-shaped sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside. Seiko is a company that is very skilled at crafting box-shaped crystals, and the crystal on this model likely combines three-dimensionality with good visibility.

　The strap is made of alligator leather. The French-made strap, which has no stitching, is clearly an element that makes this reissue look luxurious. The photo shows a bamboo-patterned strap, but the production version will also feature a round-patterned strap.

　What's interesting is the lacquer sprayed onto the dial. Judging from the image, the clear lacquer covering the dial is clearly thick, as is typical of Seiko's current high-end models. As proof of this, the printed logo appears to float above the dial. However, the aim seems to be different from that of Grand Seiko. In recent years, Grand Seiko has been trying to tone down the shine of its dials, but the King Seiko dial seen in the photo is quite shiny. It seems that this model deliberately adopted the finish favored by Seiko in the 1960s.

　Although Seiko has not announced it, the top and slopes of the distinctive thick lugs have been polished with their signature Zaratsu polishing (confirmed by Seiko Watch).

Caliber 6L35 finally makes its appearance

　As mentioned above, the new KSK is equipped with the automatic Caliber 6L35, rather than a manual winding movement. While the name is similar to the Caliber 6R used in the Presage, it is a completely different movement. It was originally based on the Caliber 4L, which was developed as a compatible model for the ETA 2892A2. By using an ETA-style reverser instead of a ratchet-style magic lever for the automatic winding mechanism, this movement is less than 4mm thick.

　The Swiss ébauche maker Soprod released an automatic movement based on the Caliber 4L design, named Caliber A10 (Altanus 10). However, unusually for a movement made by the former Seiko Instruments, the Caliber 4L was not a well-crafted movement. Depending on the operating environment, the mainspring did not wind sufficiently. In fact, Soprod's Caliber A10, which was an exact copy of the Caliber 4L design, was later replaced by the Caliber A10-2 (later Caliber M100), which had a completely improved automatic winding mechanism.

　The 2018 Cal. 6L series is an improvement over the Cal. 4L series. While the basic specifications remain the same, reliability and winding efficiency have been significantly improved, and the power reserve has been slightly extended from approximately 42 hours to approximately 45 hours. The official static accuracy is +15 to -10 seconds per day, but from my experience, it is actually better. The new Cal. 6L series is a movement with specifications that are better than the ETA alternatives. However, personally, I would prefer a slightly longer power reserve.

　By adopting this thin automatic movement, the new "KSK" has a case thickness of just 11.4mm, despite having a box-shaped sapphire crystal and a thick screw-down case back. This is only 0.5mm thicker than the original with a manual winding movement. The thinness that makes it suitable for use as a business watch is a major attraction of this model.

One of the finest mechanical watches at an affordable price

　The new King Seiko features a sophisticated exterior typical of modern Seiko and a thin case suitable for everyday use. Considering the excellent finish, the price seems reasonable. Judging from the photos, this is one of the finest mechanical watches available at an affordable price. It's hard to say whether the limited edition of 3000 pieces worldwide is a lot or a little, but if you're interested, I highly recommend pre-ordering early.