Looking back at Seiko’s limited-edition watches for the Philippines

With new models coming soon, here’s a recap of the past five

As far as watches go, Seiko’s got quite an enduring claim on the market. It’s been around since 1881, after all. Started as a small store in Tokyo and turned into a watchmaking empire. Now, it has as much history as most of the popular Swiss brands, and a fair bit more than others.

After more than a century in the industry, it’s earned a legion of fans. And they’ve got quite a few of them in the Philippines. On Facebook alone, the Seiko Watch Club of the Philippines has over 41,000 members. 

It’s unsurprising then that Seiko released its own series of limited-edition watches for the Philippines—all of them mechanical. To date, there have been five releases, each one themed after a place, animal, or phenomenon found only in the country.

And soon, Seiko is releasing three new models in the series. While we don’t know what these are just yet, the brand hints at watches that will “embrace a lifestyle that explores the possibilities while celebrating our heritage.” So, perhaps a trio of travel-themed timepieces? Maybe with GMT? They’re set to debut at the Glorietta Activity Center on 10AM, October 28th, so we don’t have long to wait.

But while anticipating the new releases, it’s time we took a look at what the past few years have had to offer.

SRPF33K1 Tubbataha Reef

This is the watch that started everything. The first Philippine limited-edition model exhibits the colors of the Tubbataha Reef. The contrast between the dial and the bezel is particularly distinctive—a rich shade of blue against a field of pale coral. 

The model is a version of the Seiko “Monster,” a watch that earned its nickname for its striking (if perhaps a little menacing) looks. The Monster is a dive watch and brings 200 meters of water resistance to the table—a comfortable number for exploring the Tubbataha Reef itself. Measuring 42.4 mm, it’s a bit on the large side, but still manageable. Though with a 1,000-piece run, it may be difficult now to get your hands on one.

SRPH38K1 Philippine Sunrise

The second limited-edition piece designed for the Philippines is a version of the Seiko “Turtle,” a popular dive watch that earned its nickname because the shape of its case looks similar to a turtle’s shell.

The watch sports bright yellow tones on the bezel and dial, capturing the way the sun hits popular destinations like Palawan and Boracay. With the indices, hands, and a date display window done up in white, the watch is highly legible, if a little bold.

Limited to 1,000 pieces, the Philippine Sunrise is also a highly functional diver, with a water resistance of 200 meters and a bezel you can use to keep track of elapsed time while beneath the sea.

SPB345J1 Philippine Eagle

Where the first two watches explored the themes of sea and sunlight, Seiko focused on an iconic animal for their third limited-edition piece. The watch’s colors reflect the ones found on the bird, especially the gradually shifting tones on the bezel. The dial, meanwhile, uses a linear, patterned texture that mimics the eagle’s plumes.

This piece is a variant of the “Sumo”—a diver that draws its nickname from its general size and, some say, because the 12 o’clock hour marker looks like a sumo wrestler’s hair. At 45mm, it’s a hefty watch, for sure. But if you can pull it off, the Philippine Eagle makes a nice addition to the rotation, and only 1,000 of this particular version exist.

SRPK59K1 Banaue Rice Terraces

The fourth model in the series takes its inspiration from the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Ifugao mountains. You’ll see this inspiration in the design of the dial, which uses tiered, curving lines that emulate the steps of the famous landmark.

This model is a variant of the “Samurai,” nicknamed for its hands that look like swords. At its heart, the Samurai is a robust diver and one of the most popular models in the Seiko line. Like the other dive watches in the series, this one has 200 meters of water resistance, giving it enough mettle to tackle the deeps. And like the previous three watches, Seiko only built 1,000 of these.

SPB491J1 Whiskered Pitta

The fifth limited-edition watch draws cues from another bird endemic to the country—the whiskered pitta. And if you haven’t heard of it before, you’re not alone. The whiskered pitta can only be found in the forests of Luzon, and is a rare sight for bird watchers, much less for people outside of that circle.

This Whiskered Pitta model is a variant of the Alpinist. And here’s what makes it different from the other four watches in the series: this is the first one that isn’t a dive watch. The Alpinist isn’t a nickname, either, but an actual collection that dates back to the 1960s. The original model was created for mountaineers, which suits this edition, since Mount Banahaw is one of the homes of the whiskered pitta.

It’s a very reasonable 39.5mm, so it would fit most wrists. And with only 1,288 pieces floating around, this may soon be a rare find.

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