Resonant Design
New Watches and Key Visuals for Today.

The collection 1, the first watch to emerge from the Seiko power design project, is not really a wristwatch. It is a product designed to stimulate one’s innermost aesthetic sensibilities.
Together with special guest NAKAKI PANTZ, the illustrator responsible for the key visuals of Seiko power design project and collection 1, we interviewed Yuya Suganuma, the principal designer, to explore how collection 1 was created and discuss its unique appeal.

Suganuma: As well as watches, I was also interested in jewelry and accessories. Bracelet watches have gone out of fashion in recent years, but when I came across the Tisse in Seiko’s old watch collections, it looked fresh to me. I instinctively felt that adding a little something to it would create an interesting watch in tune with today’s tastes. Nonetheless, developing the design took a lot of trial and error.
In trying to give a contemporary update to a watch originally designed for women, my first thought was to create something that could be worn very individually, like an accessory, irrespective of gender, age, or other categories. If it looked simply like “a small, cute watch,” people might unconsciously interpret it as a ladies’ watch. I struggled for a way to prevent this, so that people would look at the watch with fresh eyes.

Adding a 2020s feel to a model from 1984

One person who could sympathize with Suganuma’s design challenge was illustrator NAKAKI PANTZ, who was tasked with creating the key visuals for the Seiko power design project and collection 1.

NAKAKI PANTZ: The reference model Tisse was distinctive, but also classic and elegant. Despite its simplicity, you can sense the sophisticated design behind it. The collection 1 version, created by the hand of Suganuma, definitely has an up-to-date, 2020s style about it.
To me, a watch is, above all, a fashion item that also happens to tell you the precise time. For a watch that’s not too casual, that you can also wear in formal settings, collection 1 is close to ideal.

Suganuma: Mysteriously, the Tisse looks like an accessory, with its string of small beads, and also very industrial-like. So, I pondered over how to retain this mystique in my design. That was the hardest part. I was very focused on the loose-fitting feel of the Tisse, but I wanted to skillfully combine some new, subtle nuances into the design. I really wanted it to have a 2020s feel.

NAKAKI PANTZ: How do you create a contemporary feel in practical terms?

Suganuma: The most obvious feature of the updated watch is that the size and shape of the bracelet links above and below the case are different. This is intended to dispel the preconception that small watches are for women. By assimilating the design of the case and upper bracelet, and boldly contrasting the shapes of the bracelet links at the case, we tried for a design that does not look like a wristwatch (in a positive sense). Our styling was also influenced by our impression that large bracelets are coming into fashion right now.

NAKAKI PANTZ: I see. That makes sense! I want to wear things that match my taste. I favor designs that I find intuitively appealing, not things that are designed for some specific need. That’s exactly what collection 1 is. It’s casual enough for daily use, and the fact that it’s only available in three colors—gold, silver, and black—is also cool.
I was also surprised that it was created by a young designer of my generation. How do you find inspiration for your designs?

Suganuma: When I see something that I like, I try to identify the precise elements that appeal to me. I don’t mean just three-dimensional objects, but also traditional crafts and paintings. This makes me feel like I’m collecting ideas from a variety of fields. I think, “I like this color,” or “This combination of shapes is interesting.” One by one, I absorb little design ideas.

NAKAKI PANTZ: Like me, you draw inspiration from many sources. In my case, I tend to browse Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media sites to find references for things like color schemes. You get ideas from what you physically see, touch, and feel directly, while I get ideas from two-dimensional sources. Maybe the creative work is the same, but this difference reflects the difference in the kinds of products we deliver. That’s quite interesting!

A watch that breaks stereotypes and appeals to personal sensibilities

Suganuma also directed the key visuals for the Seiko power design project and collection 1. He was the one who called on NAKAKI PANTZ to do the illustration work.

Suganuma: When I tried to think of visuals, I imagined the kind of characters that NAKAKI PANTZ typically draws. I related strongly to her aesthetic. I felt that her sensibility, which feels simultaneously nostalgic and new, would be a good match for this project. So, I reached out to her.

NAKAKI PANTZ: Thank you very much. I was a bit worried about whether I could handle work from such a traditional company, but I really wanted to live up to the expectations. Since the collection 1 watch will be worn by people from various age groups, I worked with a sense of mission, continually reflecting on the reasons that I was selected for this project.
One thing I’m sure of is that the people who choose this watch are looked up to by the people around them. In designing the three characters, I envisioned individuals who make people feel, “I want to be like them,” or “I want to wear the same watch that they wear.” In my personal work, I often draw characters who wear a variety of accessories. The visuals for collection 1 seem just right. The watches look very natural, yet distinctive. I feel happy about the visuals.

Suganuma: I was impressed at every stage of the visual production process. It was great fun to see the characters I imagined wearing the watch come to life so beautifully. Fundamentally, the heart of watch design is asking, “What watch would I want to wear?” I also provided you with a lot of fashion and portrait photos as reference materials, focused on these questions: “Who would we like to be” and “Who would we like to see wearing the watch?”

NAKAKI PANTZ: You conveyed a detailed vision to me, so I was glad that we were able to coordinate with each other so closely. When I create a character, I start by deciding on their personality or another essential quality. For the central character, I wanted to portray a strong, self-assured person without any clear gender identity.

Suganuma: We wanted this watch to appeal to individuals who are free of preconceptions and make choices based on their personal sensibilities. Even in the key visuals, we were able to avoid rigid stereotypes. The other visual is on the theme of the Seiko power design project. That is also very nice.
I wanted a visual that captured the attitude of the designers as they worked together on the project. I asked you to express dynamism and momentum, and an atmosphere of the team members enjoying themselves.

NAKAKI PANTZ: I created five colorful people, in purple, green, yellow, blue, and pink, taking care not to make them look like a squadron. The five are all slightly different in age and gender, but they are moving forward in the same direction. It’s a bright and positive image, I think.

Suganuma: The Seiko design team is made up of many kinds of individuals. I was, therefore, happy that you could accurately express this diversity in the visuals.

The sensibilities of creators move the feelings of people

Given its long history, Seiko tends to be viewed as a company that values tradition. In light of this, what role will the Seiko power design project play in the future?

Suganuma: For our regular models, we have to focus, to some degree, on designs that are acceptable to a broad range of people. That’s one of the jobs of designers, but I think our role is also to show that we can think outside the box and generate interesting ideas and solutions.
I believe it is a truly meaningful endeavor to have many creative designers, to faithfully transform their sensibilities into products, and to bring them into the world in a form that people can actually wear.

NAKAKI PANTZ: I thought the same thing while working on this project. Seiko has a conservative image, so I was surprised to see the company creating watches in such a playful way. I was pleased to see an approach to design that is so outside the box produce such beautiful results.

If I were a product designer and were shown the design of collection 1, I would definitely feel frustrated. Some might feel they could almost arrive at such an idea, but turning an “almost” into a breakthrough is incredibly difficult. That last step often depends on a mix of timing, chance, and inspiration. In the end, creative work is really just a repetition of that process, isn’t it?

Suganuma: I believe that the feeling of “I might have come up with that myself” is a very important aspect of design. In other words, it is a form of empathy. Small realizations and discoveries in everyday life can turn into new value for someone, or resonate with others. And that sense of connection may well be what leads to the moment when something truly wonderful is created.

Report & text：Tetsuo Shinoda