Traditional Japanese craftsmanship has been a central feature of Seiko’s Presage timepieces since it launched the collection in 2016, yet its latest releases reveal a more contemporary form of Japanese artistry.

Looking to the film Porco Rosso – released in 1992 and created by the famous Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli – the SNR047 and SRQ033 watches capture the passion for mechanical engineering and technology that underpin the film.

With its vivid animation, the film features an early 20th-century pilot who transforms himself into a seaplane-flying pig, Porco, and makes his living chasing sky bandits over Italy and the beautiful Adriatic Sea.

The white dial SNR047 model carries Seiko’s innovative Spring Drive movement, while the SRQ033 black dial version pays respect to Seiko’s traditional horology with an automatic chronograph. The white and black dials are both made of enamel, echoing the feel and texture of the materials used in an aircraft from the 1920s.

The SNR047 incorporates a Spring Drive Caliber 5R65, which has an accuracy of +/–1 second per day and a power reserve of 72 hours, and the SRQ033 automatic chronograph is powered by Seiko’s most advanced chronograph caliber, 8R48, which measures elapsed time up to 12 hours and has a power reserve of 45 hours.

The Spring Drive movement of the SNR047 is clearly visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, as is the Porco Rosso symbol. The caseback itself is engraved with a famous Italian quote from the film that translates to: ‘A pig that does not fly is just a pig.’ The crown is also specially engraved with the emblem of Porco Rosso, and his the name of his plane – Savoia S-21 – is inscribed on the side of the case.

Both watches are available in the Presage collection from June 2020 with 500 limited editions of the Spring Drive version, and 600 for the automatic chronograph. The watches come in a special presentation box, each with an alternative strap and a leather cloth that is marked with the symbol of Porco.

Presage Porco Rosso Limited Edition Spring Drive £5,000 (red), and Presage ‘Porco Rosso’ Limited Edition Chronograph £3,550 (black); seikoboutique.co.uk