Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
We’re mystified with our 2015 Seiko Presage 4R36-04F0 and here’s why: In 1960, Seiko used the name “Presage” as a minor series that are available only in Japan. Fifty years later, sub-models of the Presage lineup, such as the original Cocktail Time, debuted in 2010 as Japan-exclusive models. Yet, our Seiko, which was produced in May 2015, only displays the word “Automatic” on its dial and not “Presage”.
With its 34 mm case, our Presage is often regarded as a “unisex automatic dress watch”, which is quite apt, considering that the early dress watches for men and later ladies’ wristwatches had svelte case diameters. Inside the 11.7 mm thick case is a 24-jewel Seiko 4R36 self-winding mechanical movement, which can also be hand-wound, that operates at 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) and has 41 hours of power reserve.
Our Presage has a “Hacking Seconds” feature where the second hand stops when you pull out the crown to set the time precisely. The satin white dial has an angled outer ring with Roman numeral markers that is swept by a gold-tone stick seconds hand while pencil-type hour and minute hands tell the time. A day-date window is located at the 3 o’clock position of the dial aligned with an intricately-designed crown on the right side of the wristwatch.
Despite being rated as water-resistant up to depths of 100 meters (10 bars), we are not inclined to subject our Presage to wet conditions, especially with its simple and elegant design. Furthermore, this wristwatch is easy on the eyes, easy to wear, and light on the wrist, weighing only 49 grams with the brown Cobra genuine leather strap. Our 11-year-old Seiko deserves to be treated with reverence as an eye-catching minimalist yet elegant dress watch.
When we found a similar Seiko Presage on eBay, pre-owned of course, that was being sold for US$555.75 (around P35,000 with today’s dollar-peso exchange rate), we realized that we have to maintain and keep our 2015 Seiko Presage 4R36-04F0 in mint condition. After all, what other investment, other than classic cars and motorcycles, can give you much pleasure simply by looking at it, while increasing in value every year?
Model: Seiko Presage
Reference No.: 4R36-04F0
Month/Year of Manufacture: May 2015
Type: Dress Watch
Movement: Self-winding/Automatic
Caliber: Seiko 4R36
No. of Jewels: 24
Diameter: 34 mm
Thickness: 11.5 mm
Lug-to-lug Length: 40 mm
Lug Width: 18 mm
Weight: 49 grams
