Steve Jobs once said that ‘design is at the core of human creation’. Who knows whether the designers taking part in the international Seiko Power Design Project have ever shared this view of the Apple founder… Judging by the watches they have created, probably yes. The project, which originates in Tokyo and features a different theme defining its title in each edition, returns to Italy this year for its first European stop with the exhibition “Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches”. During Milan Design Week and for a month, from 18 April to 17 May, visitors can view the exhibition at the Seiko Boutique at Via della Spiga 52 in Milan.
As you read on, we’ll tell you what the Seiko Power Design Project is and how it came about, what it has achieved in recent years, and which creations make up the 2026 exhibition. We’ll also try to explain the role and importance of design in the Japanese brand’s approach to watchmaking.
WHAT IS THE SEIKO POWER DESIGN PROJECT
The Seiko Power Design Project is an experimental initiative that originally ran from 2001 to 2009 with the aim of encouraging employees to develop their own ideas, adopting a different approach to their usual work. Initially supervised by product designer Naoto Fukasawa, the project gave rise to unique models. Seiko relaunched it in 2022 and, in its new guise, it is increasingly a platform that inspires the brand’s designers to create unconventional and cutting-edge watchesthat break away from traditional norms. The beauty of the Seiko Power Design Project lies in the fact that it grants creatives the freedom to explore new possibilities, free from constraints and preconceptions, without, however, betraying the spirit of the brand.
Upon its revival in 2022, the project’s theme was understandably ‘Rebirth’, and it saw the reinterpretation of seven historic Seiko models. Subsequent editions in 2024 and 2025 focused on “Incredibly Specialised Watches”, and last year, Collection 1 marked the first commercial launch to emerge from the Seiko Power Design Project.
Created by Yuya Suganuma, Collection 1 debuted in three colourways, each in a limited edition of 500 pieces. Its design was inspired by the Tissé, one of Seiko’s most popular creations from the 1980s, characterised by its delicate case and beaded bracelet, and much loved in Japan. An aesthetic designed for a unisex, casual watch.
In the 2026 edition, the Seiko Power Design Project continues to evolve. Seven designers – five men and two women – have brought their full range of technical expertise and aesthetic sensibility to bear, focusing on the essential elements that define the watch’s identity. The result is seven unique pieces, each expressing a distinct personality that goes beyond that of a mere object.
SEIKO POWER DESIGN PROJECT: THE TWO WOMEN BEHIND THE CREATIONS
In the Bar Indices watch, Miho Wada adorns the dial with three-dimensional bars, sculpted and polished like small ingots, which reflect light at every angle and are conceived as an essential synthesis of numbers. ‘The polished mirror finish, the sharp edges, and their brilliance exude a lustre typical of metal, lending the watch a mysterious power: a magic of light that goes beyond mere brightness.’
In Hands, by Yuki Omori, the dial comes to life through a design in which the watch’s hands transform into the arms, legs and tail of a cat: “I believe that the hands of a watch are extraordinary components, capable of expressing a character’s emotions through their movement. In character-themed watches, the role of the hands is significant. Precisely because they act as the element that breathes life into the watch, we are able to form an emotional bond with it.”
SEIKO POWER DESIGN PROJECT: THE FIVE DESIGNERS
Machining Marks, created by Naoya Sukeda, is inspired by the irregularities left by tools on the surface of metal during machining: “One day, I was struck by a video showing some carpenters working with great dedication. I noticed an attention to detail similar to that found in watchmaking finishing processes. I focused on highlighting the marks of machining as a form of authentic craftsmanship.”
Yu Ishihara created Spherical Surface, which highlights the spherical surface as the central element of the design, amplifying its three-dimensionality through light, reflections and shadows: “My passion for this form may stem from that inexplicable, almost mysterious charm that emerges when an ordinary scene is projected onto a spherical surface. I wanted to amplify the emotion evoked by this ‘mirror par excellence’, so I took the bold step of creating a project entirely dedicated to beauty.”
In Takuya Matsumoto’s Dial Texture model, the dial features a pattern composed of finely embossed decorative motifs, becoming three-dimensional art on a microscopic scale: “It is precisely the embossing that makes this three-dimensional artistic expression possible in watchmaking. Creating it was like rediscovering the charm of the technique itself.”
The Manual Winding model, designed by Kento Ito, stems from his passion for mechanical movements and the relationship that develops between the wearer and the mechanism that drives the watch. “My aim was to create a design that would allow more people to discover the charm of this mechanism.”
Finally, in Day Indicator, designer and photographer Akihiro Hasegawa displays the days of the week with elegance and playfulness: “The part of a watch that evokes the strongest emotions in me is the day indicator. Just like camera lenses, I feel drawn to this ancient technology, almost from another era.”
CONCLUSIONS
Guided by their attention to every minute detail, the designers who took part in the Seiko Power Design Project 2026explored new forms of creative expression through a process of deconstruction and meticulous observation. The exhibition at the Seiko Boutique – which opened in Japan on 14 March and, following Milan, is set to visit other European cities – invites visitors to discover unconventional perspectives and explore the creative universe that shaped each model. It is a story of intuition, experimentation and boundless passion, where every watch represents an authentic and radical exploration.
By Davide Passoni