45

An elegant watch for both day and night for the ladies, the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time ticks a lot of boxes and punches above its weight.

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time collection has earned a dedicated following by delivering dress-watch elegance with a uniquely spirited twist — each model draws inspiration from classic cocktails, pairing refined dial artistry with Seiko’s dependable automatic movements. With so many cocktails in the world, inspiration is endless for this lineup, and last year, Seiko released the Summer Cocktail collection, featuring a range of watches inspired by refreshing summer drinks.

At the heart of this lineup lies the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRPL64J, a two-tone timepiece inspired by the Frozen Banana Daiquiri. With the playful vibrancy of its muse, it showcases a textured gold-toned dial and subtle diamond accents. With a blend of vintage charm and modern wearability, the Presage Cocktail Time Frozen Banana Daiquiri showcases how Presage transforms everyday timekeeping into something distinctly stylish and expressive, while being fun at the same time!

First Impressions

Now, you may have gathered by now, this is more for the ladies – two-toned with gold accents, diamond-set indices and in a smaller 34mm case size. Part of the wider summer collection, which includes a mint green dial – SRPL63J, a vibrant blue texture dial – SRPL61J, both in stainless steel, the “Frozen Banana Daiquiri” sets itself apart, quite literally. As much as I tried, I’m not the best person to test this watch out, so in my usual fashion, when road testing a lady’s watch, I gave my wife, Dominique, the choice of which model she wanted to wear – and without reservation, she chose the two-tone.

Personally speaking, before I hand the reins over, the two-tone gold accents really elevate the look, giving it a more refined presence on the wrist, while the gold-toned dial really pops without being over the top. It’s the kind of watch that can work both for everyday wear and dressier occasions, which is exactly what I look for in a versatile piece. However, I will let Dom speak for herself:

“Out of all the watches that I’ve tried on recently, I think this is my favourite. I’m not a watch geek like you, so for me, what matters is how it looks on my wrist, what I can wear it with and for, and how it makes me feel. Whether it is a Seiko or a Rolex, I’m not fussed as it is how I like the actual watch on my wrist!” And I can’t blame her for this statement as I feel it is how we should all approach watch collecting – how each piece makes us feel, not the price tag or the brand cachet.

The Design

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the watch, it’s worthwhile looking at where the design cues come from. As mentioned, the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time takes its design cues from the Frozen Banana Daiquiri, part of Seiko’s broader approach of translating classic cocktails into dial textures and colour palettes. The gold-toned dial features a finely pressed pattern intended to resemble crushed ice, giving the surface subtle depth without becoming overly reflective. In typical Presage fashion, the effect is understated yet deliberate, offering visual interest while remaining clean and legible.

Applied hour markers and slim gold-toned hands complement the warmth of the dial, maintaining a cohesive colour balance across the face. Four diamond hour markers are positioned at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock markers, adding a light touch of refinement to the dial, and unless you look closely, you almost miss them. A framed date window at the 4:30 position is nice and functional, and doesn’t overtake the dial with a small, round window to keep the dial and hour marker symmetry. One aspect Seiko could have refined was the date window colour. A matching golden colour could have blended more seamlessly with the gold coloured dial.

The watch is housed in a 34mm stainless steel case with yellow gold-tone accents, a size that aligns well with the dress-leaning nature of the Presage Cocktail Time range. The polished surfaces really lend to the watch’s formal character, while the two-tone execution ensures versatility across different settings. Paired with a matching two-tone bracelet, the case design feels cohesive and balanced on the wrist.

As with the wider Cocktail Time collection, the SRPL64J Frozen Banana Daiquiri reflects Seiko’s long-standing connection to Japanese cocktail culture, particularly the precise, considered craftsmanship seen in high-end Tokyo bartending. Rather than directly referencing the drink itself, the inspiration is communicated through colour, texture, and proportion. The result is a watch that subtly acknowledges its source material while remaining firmly grounded as a wearable, everyday mechanical timepiece.

How It Wears

This is the section where I’ll let Dominique take over more, as it has been on her wrist for the better part of two weeks. From my perspective, on the wrist, the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Frozen Banana Daiquiri wears exactly as you’d expect from a 34 mm case — comfortable, balanced, and not at all oversized. For women, the case sits nicely without feeling too delicate, and the two-tone bracelet helps it feel substantial enough to be noticed, even pairing nicely with bracelets as a stack on the wrist. I’ll let Dominique elaborate here:

“The two-tone is really nice, and it elevates the watch so I can wear it to work each day or out to dinner at night. I love the way I can stack some bracelets with the watch on the same wrist as well, and pair it with my rings. Out of all the colours, I like this the best due to the more subtle gold vs the green or the blue dials, and I feel I can wear it more each day.”

That is a fair call.

The dial itself is surprisingly versatile in everyday light. The textured gold tone isn’t overly bright or flashy, which means it works well both during the day and in more formal evening settings. The diamond markers catch light subtly, adding a touch of sparkle without feeling like it’s trying too hard. I’ve heard some women comment on the fact that women’s watches don’t have to be covered in diamonds, which is true, and the subtle nature of this goes a long way.

On Dominique’s fairly small 14.2cm wrists, the 34 mm size isn’t too big at all, and in her words: “I think this is about the limit to what I would normally wear. It’s a little larger than my Longines and my Rado, but those are both ultra-slim quartz, so that makes sense. After wearing it for a few days, I’m used to the size now, and think I could easily wear this each day without any worries” And she did just that for two weeks!

I went on to ask her about the comfort and feel of the Frozen Banana Daiquiri Cocktail Time, and this is what she had to say…

“I think the bracelet is comfortable, and because of the five-link bracelet, it feels good on the wrist. I don’t like wearing watches that are too tight; I like some give and movement around the wrist, and in this case, the Seiko Presage fits really well once we had it fitted properly. I don’t notice any issues with it, and the double folding clasp makes it easy to put on and off.”

Admittedly, I did try it on before I had the bracelet re-sized for Dominique’s wrist, and I found it pretty good on my wrist, which is larger and with a little more hair! And no, I didn’t get photos as I feel Dominique does it more justice on her more slender wrist.

The Movement

Seiko’s 4R35 automatic movement is quietly reliable. It is the workhorse of the Seiko family, with many of Seiko’s automatic watches housing this movement, and coincidentally, similar to the movement that we were able to disassemble and reassemble in our workshop that we did with Seiko late last year. It keeps time well, winds smoothly, and the 41-hour power reserve is more than enough for regular wear.

For a daily wearer, it’s low-maintenance; you don’t have to think about it constantly, and it gives the watch a satisfying mechanical feel without being fussy. For Dominique, it means no battery replacements as well, which, for her, is great, as her other quartz watches need battery replacements every 18 months or so, which I do find slightly annoying.

“I’m not heavily into watch movements like you are, but the fact that this doesn’t need a battery is a win. It’s always frustrating when my other watches go dead, and you have to take them in and replace the battery. The automatic means I can wear it, and even if I don’t for a few days, I can put it back on, wind it up, and away it goes again. Perfect!”

Dom says this like a true watch fan! Or maybe just a girl who likes a nice watch without worrying about the technical specs of it. From my point of view, the 4R35 is a solid movement. You don’t get super high accuracy with it, but over the two weeks, it kept decent time, within about 7-8 seconds a day, and better than the guaranteed accuracy +45 / -35 seconds per da,y which Seiko states.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, this model translates the Cocktail Time concept into a piece that works in real life, not just on paper. It’s a watch that suits smaller wrists while still feeling purposeful, and it’s easy to see why women looking for a combination of elegance, subtle detail, and everyday reliability would reach for it. Dominque certainly did. But don’t let me speak for her, when I asked her to sum it up, here is what she said:

“I’ve loved wearing this watch. It has been great to put on each day, and it dresses up any outfit I’m wearing. The two-tone gold looks nice, and it goes with all the jewellery I wear each day, as I do wear a combination of silver and gold. The diamonds on the dial are a nice touch, and for me, they are not in your face, which I like as I’m not into flashy things, and this keeps it elegant and understated. Is this a watch I would buy and wear each day? Yes, very much so.”

So it looks like I need to head out and buy a new watch – and for under A$1,000, it is a great bang-for-buck buy to be honest. And I can count my self as lucky, as for Dominque, I could buy her a A$50,000 watch, and she would love the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Frozen Banana Daiquiri just as much, maybe more so, as she wouldn’t be worried about it’s value and damaging it, and as an added bonus, it looks like it is worth more than the retail price would suggest.

Reference: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Ref: SRPL64J

Specification:

• Dimensions: 34mm x 10.7mm thick x 40.4mm lug-to-lug
• Case Material: Two-tone stainless steel and gold PVD with polished finishes
• Dial: Textured gold dial with applied indices and diamond-set hour markers at 12, 3, 6 & 9 o’clock
• Water Resistance: 50m (5 Bar)
• Movement: Automatic winding Calibre 4R35
• Power reserve: 41 hours operating at 3Hz (21,600 VpH)
• Crystal: Hardlex with anti-reflective coating
• Bracelet/Strap: 5-link two-tone steel bracelet with double folding push button clasp

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $950

Availability: Limited to 1,000 pieces. Available through Seiko Australia boutiques and authorised retailers, or head online to seikoboutique.com.au

Full Image Gallery