Seiko has another limited-edition Presage on the way, and this one involves bonsai. More specifically, the new Presage Classic Series x TRADMAN’S BONSAI HCC009J1 pairs a deeply textured green dial with a gold-tone case and bracelet, with 2,000 pieces planned. And while Seiko has built an entire story around Japanese black pine trees and bonsai tradition, the simpler explanation for why this watch caught our attention is pretty obvious. Green and gold look really, really good together.
That’s somewhat surprising coming from me – someone who generally isn’t drawn to gold watches. Here, though, I think the combination works. The deep Matsuba-Iro green dial keeps the gold-tone treatment from becoming too loud, while the gold gives what could have been another green Presage considerably more personality.
There is, of course, a larger concept behind all of this. Seiko developed the watch with TRADMAN’S BONSAI, a Japanese group founded in 2015 that approaches traditional bonsai through contemporary art and culture. Seiko says the design takes inspiration from a black pine illuminated by moonlight and the crescent-shaped pots traditionally associated with bonsai. The embossed dial pattern is meant to recall the rough bark of an aged pine tree.
How much any of that matters will depend on the buyer. Personally, the collaboration isn’t really the draw for me. The watch makes a convincing visual argument without requiring much buy-in from the story surrounding it.
The underlying platform should be familiar to anyone following the newer Presage Classic Series. The stainless-steel case measures 38mm across, 43.8mm lug-to-lug, and 12.9mm thick. A dual-curved sapphire crystal sits over the dial, and water resistance is 100 meters. Seiko also includes an additional strap embossed with a three-pronged pine motif. The gold-tone bracelet remains the more interesting pairing to our eyes.
Inside is Seiko’s automatic 6R51, offering approximately 72 hours of power reserve and a stated accuracy range of +25/-15 seconds per day. Those numbers become relevant once we get to the price: roughly $1,600-$1,700 depending on exchange rates.
That’s a considerable amount of money for a 6R-powered Seiko. However, it also feels increasingly representative of where Seiko has positioned Presage. The current Classic Series already stretches from roughly $950 into considerably more expensive Craftsmanship models, including enamel, urushi lacquer, and Arita porcelain executions. Complaining about four-figure Seiko pricing has become its own enthusiast subgenre at this point. The pricing here is tough to swallow, though hardly surprising.
What stands out is how little the collaboration needs to explain the watch. Seiko can give us the pine trees, moonlight, symbolism, and traditional color references. Fine. Strip that story away and there’s still an unusual 38mm Presage with a richly textured dark green dial surrounded by a whole lot of gold. Sometimes the colors are enough.
Pre-orders are open now, with deliveries expected to begin in September 2026. Production is limited to 2,000 pieces.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.