Seiko’s bonsai nod, IWC’s Mercedes tribute and Jackie Ho’s food watch — this week’s new releases

Originally reported by Time+Tide Watches. This article is a curated summary of their original coverage.

Three brands leaned into history and personal stories this week.

Seiko: bonsai as design language

Seiko’s newest piece mines traditional bonsai motifs for its aesthetic. The brand used bonsai imagery as the primary inspiration, rather than a generic retro cue. That choice frames the watch as a cultural study as much as a product.

IWC: a historical Mercedes‑Benz salute

IWC marked its historical partnership with Mercedes‑Benz. The release explicitly celebrates that relationship. Expect design elements that reference the collaboration’s past, as opposed to a loose co‑branding exercise.

Jackie Ho: food memory as muse

Independent designer Jackie Ho based a new watch on his own story — specifically, food. The result is a food‑inspired piece that reads as autobiography in metal and dial treatment. It’s an example of a creator turning personal narrative into product language.

Selten and a wider pattern

Selten and several other brands also appeared in the roundup. Across the selection, references skewed literal: bonsai, a brand partnership, a chef’s memory. As Time+Tide Watches first reported, the week favoured concrete cultural and personal sources over abstract heritage cues.

Which approach ages better: literal motifs tied to a clear source, or softer, heritage‑evocative cues?

Buying angle: if you prize storytelling, go literal — you get an easy narrative for resale and conversation. If you prefer timeless silhouette, watch how other marques translate these sources into proportion and finishing before committing. The real test will be which pieces keep their narrative value after the novelty fades.

Originally reported by Time+Tide Watches. This article is a curated summary of their original coverage.

Tags: Seiko, IWC, Jackie Ho, Selten