Time to get preppy with Seiko’s new KSK 6R watch collection

Avril Lavigne demanded the opposite, but we think it's time to put on all your preppy clothes for the latest additions to the King Seiko watch collection.

That’s because the new dial colours of the Seiko KSK 6R are called Preppy Green, Preppy Blue and Preppy Burgundy. No indication as to exactly why Seiko has gone down this naming route, but since it lodged the lyrics of Lavigne’s 2002 hit Complicated firmly into our brain, we thought we’d run with it.

What else do the new watches have to offer? Dial colour aside, these are simply new additions to the existing Seiko KSK 6R lineup. This means they fall into the Japanese watchmaker’s King Seiko sub-brand, complete with retro looks that give more than a respectful nod to the 1960s, back when the original King Seiko was released.

The vintage aesthetic is created with the use of vertical hairline detailing on the stainless steel case and strap. The sharp-edged case is also a bit of a retro throwback, and so too is the relatively compact 36 mm case diameter.

King Seiko’s latest timepieces are powered by an in-house 6R51 calibre automotive movement with manual winding and an impressive three days of power reserve.

I’m also a big fan of the box-shaped sapphire crystal protecting the dial, complete with anti-reflective coating on its inner surface, while water resistance is to a handy 10 bar, or 100 metres – so it’s safe to swim, snorkel and shower in.

Other details of the colourful dials include a set of sharp, Dauphine-style hands and 3D-cut batons. The watches come on a stainless steel bracelet with a quick-release system, where a squeeze of two levels unclips it from the case, ready for a different strap to be swapped in without the need for tools.

All three colourways are available from 7th August and each is priced at £1,720.