Japanese watchmaker Seiko has once again brought its Power Design Project exhibition back to Japan House London on Kensington High Street for the third consecutive year to showcase its passion for craftsmanship, innovation and creative design.
Seiko has been dedicated to the art of watchmaking for over 145 years now, combining Japanese craftsmanship with technical innovation to create timepieces renowned for their precision, reliability and enduring design. At the same time the company continues to push the boundaries of innovation.
This year’s exhibition is entitled “Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches” and gives a unique insight into the creativity behind the brand’s renowned Japanese watchmaking and celebrates the ingenuity of Seiko’s in-house designers who are encouraged to step away from traditional product development and explore new ideas through original watch concepts.
For example, Kento Ito, who joined Seiko in 2018, describes what manual watch winding means to him, saying:
“Amongst mechanical watches, the most classical mechanism is the manual winding movement. By winding the crown – the component at the 3 o’clock position – the internal mainspring is wound. The gradual release of the stored energy becomes the driving force that moves the hands. I would describe manual winding in this way. It is the bond that connects human and machine.”
Meanwhile, Akhiro Hasegawa, who joined Seiko in 1998, commented on what the day indicator means to him:
“An inner disc slowly rotates, revealing the day through a small window. Even in this era of smartwatch popularity, this somewhat old-fashioned mechanism is still commonly found in watches. I consider the day indicator to be the type of low-tech that touches the heart.”
Visitors to Japan House can discover a collection of seven watches inspired by the intricate details that make every timepiece unique, from the individual components and textured dials of each watch to finely crafted hands and beautifully finished surfaces.
Faye Lovenbury, Head of Marketing at Seiko UK, commented:
“The 2026 focus is on the components of a watch; having fun with dial textures, hands, or intricate watch surfaces.
“The aim of this exhibition is not to launch new watches, although previous popular concepts have been brought to life, but rather to give our designers creative freedom to draw on their own interests, instead of following a brief or chasing trends.”
Japan House London is the cultural home of Japan here in the UK and yesterday was the first time I had visited the place. It showcases the very best of Japanese art, design, craftsmanship and innovation and offers visitors an authentic and contemporary introduction to Japan so that they can take in some of the country’s rich creative heritage and encourage a cultural exchange between our two countries. There are currently displays of art, kitchen and tableware, whiskies and sake as well as a Kyotographie photography exhibition which is on display until 18th October 2026. The library is home to a permanent collection of hard-to-find Japanese books and there is a restaurant on the first floor where you can enjoy a special Japanese dining experience.
The ground floor has a shop as well as a wide selection of products and changing displays with artisanal items from different regions of Japan. Throughout the year there is a varied programme of events, workshops and seminars from craftspeople, artists and designers.
MaryAnn Broughton, Head of Partnerships at Japan House London, added:
“Japan House London presents the very best of Japanese design; Seiko’s Power Design Project is the perfect example of this. Their designers push the boundaries of what is possible in their field, and we’re thrilled to welcome the collection once again as part of our ongoing partnership.”
The “Passionately and Obsessively Crafted Watches” Power Design Project exhibition will be on display until 15th September 2026 at Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, with free admission for all.
For more information on displays at Japan House London and this year’s exhibitions, please visit: www.japanhouselondon.uk.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Japan House London and Seiko
Be the first to comment