Tyler Frederick
Dressed for success
Seiko is a brand loved by many, myself included, and it’s often recommended to those looking to get their first automatic or mechanical watch. While in some instances Seiko is viewed as a “starter brand,” they produce some beautiful pieces throughout various lines, with Presage and King Seiko being the most notable, without heading into the high luxury space of Grand Seiko. One category often explored to round out a collection is a dress watch. Technically, any watch can be a dress watch, but you know one when you see one. When I hear a friend who is getting into watches ask, “What should I buy for a dress watch?” I often lead them down the path of Seiko and the Presage line due to their variety. While they can be a bit on the pricier side of Seiko, you’ll get a fantastic, reliable watch, from my experience anyway. Today, I have on my wrist the Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SRPK15J1, so let’s get into it.
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Key Features of the Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SRPK15J1
Japan exclusive
The Seiko “Cocktail Time” has been around for over a decade, having been released in 2010, but it was a Japan exclusive for Seiko until its international release in 2017. These aren’t just beautiful watches; they’re watches inspired by the craft of mixology, leading to a beautiful and elegant piece of wearable art. Each series of “Cocktail Time” is linked to an iconic drink, and the SRPK15J1 in front of me, also referred to as the “Midnight Blue Moon,” features a stunning blue burst dial with the iconic deep ridges of the traditional “Cocktail Time.”
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Inspired by happy hour
While many variations are available, the light to dark blue gradient on the “Midnight Blue Moon” is one of my favorites. The colour is inspired by the Blue Moon Cocktail; basically, it’s the same recipe as “The Aviation Cocktail” without the Luxardo liqueur. For those who don’t feel like clicking that link, the Blue Moon cocktail is a combination of gin and Crème de Violette.
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Case dimensions
I’ve reviewed a couple of variations in the past, and each one is always a joy to experience and get some wrist time with. While they have basically the same specs across the board, with a 40.5mm case, a lug-to-lug of 47.5mm, and a thickness of 11.8mm, the dials change the whole vibe, along with the obvious change in case colour/material.
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I’ve mainly checked out rose gold-cased versions, but having the stainless steel variant with that blue dial is fantastic. The contrast of the detailed blue dial against the high-polished stainless steel gives the watch a luxurious and lavish appearance, and the calfskin leather strap really puts a stamp on it. It looks and feels much more expensive than it is.
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Dial
The obvious topic of interest is the dial. I’ve already talked about it extensively, but it’s the reason I love the Presage line so much. It’s Seiko’s way of flexing their dial finishing from a budget-friendly perspective, and it offers a lot of bang for your buck. The consistency of the light to dark blue, the texture, and the contrast of the polished stainless steel indices, and if you look just a bit closer, you’ll see that beautiful gold seconds hand, adding an additional pop of sophistication. It’s a gorgeous watch through and through, and I never get tired of it.
Quibbles
The toughest part of this is talking about what I don’t like. It’s not so much a “what I don’t like” as it is a “why isn’t this a thing?” I love the Cocktail Time, but very few come with a steel bracelet like a Milanese or a beads of rice. I always thought these would look so classy with a nice mesh, and some are available on certain models, but I wish there were the option to pick between metal or leather.
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Final Thoughts
It’s always such a treat to have a Cocktail Time on my wrist. It’s a beautiful watch and a great entry point into automatic dress watches. While I don’t personally own one, I can say that if you’re looking for something that looks great with a suit or dress clothes—however you fancy—then the Presage Cocktail Time is the right choice. Especially if you’re wearing blues, the “Midnight Blue Moon” SRPK15J1 is an excellent option. Comfortable, budget-friendly (to an extent; people’s views on budget-friendly vary), and beautiful—that’s a thumbs up from my end.
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Pricing & Availability
The Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” SRPK15J retails for $595 CAD. Thank you, once again, to our friends at Gem Bijou for allowing me to borrow this one, and until next time, thanks for reading!
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About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
Take Two articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of vintage and preowned watches and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise.
Please understand that using any links to products on this site might result in us making money.
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