Project Phoenix - Earth [Vintage King Seiko 5626 Gold Medallion]

Project Phoenix Earth – Vintage King Seiko 5626 Hand-Painted Dial Artwork by Dial Artist Matt

Reborn from forgotten time.

This is the only watch art project that deliberately selects aged and imperfect vintage Seiko watches to transform them into unique hand-painted horology artworks.

In collaboration with Matt — the British hand-painted dial artist based in Shanghai and one of the very few true masters creating authentic artwork directly on vintage watch dials — Samurai Vintage presents the Earth chapter of Project Phoenix.

Why We Chose This Vintage King Seiko for Our Earth Theme

Arguably one of the best-value icons in vintage Seiko collecting, the King Seiko was Seiko’s fierce internal rival to Grand Seiko — built to conquer both Swiss competition and the high-end Japanese market. When we think of the Earth element in Japanese horology, nothing represents strength, stability, and the land better than the King Seiko.

This particular vintage King Seiko 5626 had developed natural aging, especially around the dial edges — details that often caused collectors to overlook this hidden gem. We saw its character as the perfect foundation for rebirth.

Dial Artist Matt brought the Earth element to life with Japan’s most iconic landmark: Mount Fuji during peak cherry blossom season in spring. He painted a solid, majestic Fuji mountain contrasted against a beautifully graduated sky rendered with layered blues and delicate dot textures. The cherry blossoms are also depicted using intricate dot work, creating wonderful depth and harmony while cleverly incorporating the watch’s original edge aging into the composition. The result is a serene yet powerful landscape that feels alive on the dial.

This is no longer just a vintage Seiko watch. It is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted watch artwork — a true piece of movable horology art.

About This Vintage King Seiko 5626

The King Seiko 5626 represents the golden era of Japanese watchmaking, embodying Seiko’s “Grammar of Design” philosophy with its mirror-polished, multifaceted case and exceptional finishing. Produced in May 1969, this model competed directly with Grand Seiko while offering outstanding value and mechanical excellence.

Specifications

Maker: Seiko

Model: King Seiko 5626 (reference 5626-7000 series)

Era: May 1969

Case Diameter: 36 mm

Lug to Lug: ~42 mm

Lug Width: 18 mm

Case Condition: Excellent original condition with minor honest usage marks (kept unpolished to preserve its story and character)

Glass: Scratch-free crystal

Dial Condition: Original dial with edge aging, now transformed into a unique hand-painted dial artwork by Dial Artist Matt (true 1/1 piece)

Caseback: Perfect intact gold medallion

Movement: Newly serviced Automatic Hi-Beat Caliber 5626 (28,800 bph, 25 jewels) —  offering smooth sweeping seconds and excellent accuracy

With its refined proportions, luminous hands, and legendary hi-beat movement, the King Seiko was designed for timeless elegance and daily wear. Now reborn under Matt’s brush, it captures the enduring beauty of the Japanese landscape.

Created by Samurai Vintage in true partnership with Dial Artist Matt, this piece is a beautiful fusion of Eastern tradition and Western artistry. It is wearable watch art you can collect, wear daily, and proudly share — sparking conversations about vintage King Seiko, custom watch painting, Mount Fuji art, and modern horology art.

Project Phoenix — where forgotten vintage Seiko companions rise again as one-of-a-kind hand-painted artworks.

The journey of Sky • Earth • Ocean continues. Who knows where the elements will take us next?