New: The Tonneau-Shaped Seiko Presage SPB537

June 06, 2013

You would be forgiven for thinking this new Seiko SPB537 looks somewhat familiar. After all, Seiko made numerous Presage models in this tonneau form factor in the past. However, all of them were discontinued, and no new ones were introduced to the collection. Well, until today, that is!This is the new Seiko Presage SPB537 with a white enamel dial.?Powered by a 6R caliber and priced at?$1,650, it?sits in Seikos mid-tier segment. Lets have a closer look to see whats what.The new Seiko Presage SPB537 in tonneau shapeThis new SPB537 features the same case we know from the 2010s, when tonneau watches like the SPB049 were still in production. That means you get a fairly intricate case with a 35.9mm diameter, a 46mm lug-to-lug, and a 12.5mm thickness. Dont mistake this for any other 36mm watch, though, as the shape makes it wear substantially larger than that.A narrow bezel surrounds the dual-curved sapphire crystal. It sits atop a mid-case featuring short lyre lugs, providing a little extra flair. It gives the case a very classical appearance, echoed by the enamel dial with Roman numerals.The case flanks are quite bulbous and fairly thick. Lastly, you get the typical conical Seiko crown, making this unmistakably a Presage offering. All of this conspires to make the case elegant in style yet quite aggressive on the wrist. This isnt a hand-wound vintage Cartier Santos or anything like that. On the wrist, it feels thoroughly modern and assertive.SPB537 specificationsInside the case, which is rated pressure resistant to 5 bar, sits the Seiko caliber 6R5H. You probably know the 6R family of movements as robust and fairly spartan. A view through the display case back confirms this: even if the rotor is gold-plated, it looks all business.The automatic movement runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a 72-hour power reserve on a full wind. It also features a 24-hour indicator in a sub-dial at 6 oclock. Seiko specifies the expected accuracy as +25/-15 seconds per day. Although this doesnt sound overly impressive, it is standard for this tier of Seiko watches, and real-world performance tends to be better.The Seiko Presage SPB537 comes on a stainless steel five-row bracelet. The two rows flanking the central links are polished, while the other three rows are brushed. The subtle and small push-button deployant clasp offers no form of micro-adjustment, and there are no quick-release pins for the bracelet either.The enamel dialThe star of the show, however, is the dial. White enamel with stark black Roman numerals at the hours provides a classic appearance. The 24-hour register at 6 o clock, mimicking the look of small seconds, only adds to this aesthetic. The traditional minute track around the perimeter further cements this within a horological historical context. This layout takes inspiration from the Seiko Timekeeper, the houses first pocket watch, dating back to 1895.Below the XII numerals, you get no less than four lines of text. The dial reads Seiko, Presage, Automatic, and 3 Days. This is regular practice at Seiko, but to me, it looks a bit out of place on a formal watch like this. I would have preferred to see nothing more than the Seiko signature. Still, this is a minor gripe from an enthusiast with an overly sensitive eye to this sort of stuff.Closing thoughts on the Seiko Presage SPB537I am not too proud to admit that I missed the discontinuation of all tonneau-shaped watches from the Presage line. As a result, this new model feels very natural and familiar. I think this is a solid offering as a more formal watch from a major brand, at a relatively attainable price point. In an ideal world, I would remove some of the dial printing and reduce the case thickness by a few millimeters. Still, thats nitpicking.Interestingly, the landscape surrounding this watch has changed significantly in recent years. Today, this genre of shaped, formal watch has become the domain of many creative microbrands. Seiko re-enters the game with the major benefit of having an absolutely massive reach and retail network. As a result, I predict a bright future for the SPB537.What do you think of the new Seiko Presage SPB537? Let us know in the comments section below!Watch specifications Brand Seiko Model PresageReference SPB537Dial White enamel with black Roman numerals, 24-hour sub-dial with Arabic numerals, railroad minute and 24-hour tracksCase Material Stainless steelCase Dimensions 35.9mm (diameter) 46mm (lug-to-lug) 12.5mm (thickness)Crystal Double-curved sapphireCase Back Stainless steel and sapphire crystal, affixed with four screws Movement Seiko 6R5H: automatic with manual winding and hacking seconds, 21,600vph (3Hz) frequency, 72-hour power reserve, 24 jewelsWater Resistance 5 bar (50 meters)Strap Stainless steel five-row bracelet with brushed and polished finishes and push-button deployant claspFunctions Time only (central hours, minutes, and seconds, plus 24-hour sub-dial)Price $1,650