Feeling Blue? The JIOS SEIRAN Might Cheer You Up

Every now and then a parcel arrives from a brand new to us, and that's half the fun of this hobby. This time it's JIOS, a small Japanese brand founded in 2022 by Mr Takewaki, who has nearly 20 years in the watch industry behind him. The name isn't a made-up marketing word either. It stands for Japan, Ishiyama, Otsu, Shiga, which is a lovely nod to his hometown.

He couldn't have picked a better hometown. Otsu City is known as the birthplace of Japanese timekeeping. The story goes back around 1,350 years to the reign of Emperor Tenchi, when the first water clock, the Roukoku, was set up to sound bells and drums to mark the hours. It's recorded in the Nihon Shoki, and it's the reason Japan still celebrates "Time Day". You'd struggle to find a better origin story for a watch brand.

The JIOS mission is simple: make proper Made in Japan watches and get them onto wrists around the world at a fair price. They sell direct to the customer, so there's no middleman, no glossy TV adverts and no huge factory overheads added to the price. It's a small, dedicated team, and they're open about the fact that they currently use trusted Japanese manufacturers. They're working towards their own in-house assembly workshop, and eventually a gallery and shop back in Otsu. I find that honesty rather refreshing.

The watch I've got here is the SEIRAN, the brand's twist on a dress model. It's firmly a classic watch, with Roman numerals mixed with faceted bar markers, a guilloché dial (a fine engraved pattern), a date window and a polished 38mm case. It isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It is smart, well made, everyday watch that works as well in the office as it does at the weekend. So, does it pull it off? Let's have a proper look.

Specification

The SEIRAN measures roughly 38mm across and 12mm thick, not counting the lugs and crown, which to my mind is the sweet spot for a classic watch. The stainless steel case is polished all over, with a gently sloping bezel that catches the light nicely and lugs that curve down towards the strap. The crown is a good size, deeply ridged and easy to grip, and there are no crown guards to spoil the clean, dressy shape. There's sapphire crystal on the front and on the see-through case back, which you can't take for granted at this level. Water resistance is a healthy 10 ATM, so a downpour or a bit of washing up is nothing to worry about.

The dial is the star of the show, though. It's a deep, rich blue split into two zones. The centre has a hobnail guilloché pattern, a grid of tiny pyramids that's properly textured and plays with the light beautifully. The outer ring is smoother, with a printed minute track and five-minute numerals around the edge. The hour markers are a mix of applied Roman numerals at XII, VI and IX, with faceted, pointed baton markers everywhere else. They're raised and polished, so they really sparkle, and they give the dial a surprising sense of depth. The date window sits at 3 o'clock, with a partly hidden III peeking out beside it. The JIOS logo and the "AUTOMATIC" text both sit on small applied plaques, which is a classy little detail.

The hands are faceted blue sword hands that match the dial nicely, and the seconds hand has a looped counterweight. You would think that blue on blue can lose some legibility in dim light, but not the case here and in daylight it reads even better.

Inside is the Citizen Miyota Cal. 8215, a Japanese automatic with a reputation as one of the most dependable workhorse movements around. It beats at 21,600vph, holds roughly 40 hours of power reserve, can be wound by hand and is rated at around -20 to +40 seconds a day. It's not chronometer-level accuracy, but it's tough, easy to service and looks the part through the case back.

On the Wrist

On my 6.25 inch wrist, about 15.9cm, the SEIRAN feels like it was made for me. A 38mm case is ideal for smaller wrists, and the downturned lugs hug the wrist rather than sticking out past the edges. It's comfortably within the brand's suggested 15 to 20cm wrist range, and I was on a sensible hole on the strap with room to spare either way.

The 12mm thickness is perfect, it sits a touch higher than an ultra-slim dress watch and that to me it is great. I'll be honest, I prefer this type of robustness for an everyday watch, not a fan of something that slips under every tight shirt cuff. Day to day, it never felt top heavy or clumsy and as mentioned, it actually gives the watch a reassuring, solid presence that some ultra-thin pieces lack.

The supplied strap is navy blue leather with a crocodile-style embossed pattern and matching blue stitching. It's soft out of the box, needs very little breaking in and ties in perfectly with the dial. The overall look is very much tonal blue, which is smart, if slightly formal.

If you fancy a change, the 18mm lug width opens up loads of options. My pick would be a tan or chocolate brown suede strap. Brown and blue is a classic British pairing, and it dresses the watch down nicely for jeans and a jumper. A steel Milanese mesh bracelet would also work brilliantly in summer, giving it a slightly retro 1960s feel and making the most of that 10 ATM water resistance.

As for where it looks best, this is a watch made for collar and cuff. It's absolutely at home in the office with a crisp white shirt and navy suit, at a wedding or a dinner out. That said, it doesn't look out of place with a smart casual outfit at a Sunday pub lunch either. Where it really comes alive is in natural light, on a bright morning walking into town or sitting by a window in a café, when the guilloché centre and polished markers start to sparkle. Under dim restaurant lighting the blue goes deep and moody, which has its own charm, though reading the time is a little trickier.

Concluding Thoughts

The SEIRAN retails at £216, and for what you're getting, that's an awful lot of watch for the money. You get a Japanese automatic movement, sapphire crystal on both sides, 10 ATM water resistance, a properly textured guilloché dial and raised, polished markers. On top of that, it's genuinely Made in Japan. Plenty of brands charge noticeably more for a similar recipe, and that's where the direct-to-customer approach really pays off.

So who is it for? I'd say it suits anyone who wants a classic, smart automatic without going down the Swiss route. It's ideal for a first "proper" watch, for a graduation or a milestone birthday gift, or for collectors with smaller wrists who are tired of oversized cases. It's also a great fit for anyone who likes the idea of supporting a small, independent brand with a real story behind it.

There's plenty of competition around the £200 mark, of course. The Orient Bambino is the obvious rival, a much-loved dress watch at similar money with Orient's own movement, though it has a more vintage look and usually uses a domed mineral crystal rather than sapphire. The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time has those famous textured dials, but it generally costs more and comes in a larger case. The Orient Star Classic range is another good shout if you can stretch your budget a fair bit further. What the SEIRAN offers in comparison is sapphire front and back, a slightly more modern, crisp take on the classic dress watch, and the satisfaction of wearing something you won't see on every other wrist.

Working with JIOS has been a real pleasure. Because it's a small team, you're dealing with people who are clearly passionate about what they make, and that comes through in the communication and the care taken over the watch. For a first model, the SEIRAN is a confident start, and I'm genuinely curious to see what comes out of Otsu once that in-house workshop is up and running.

For more information please visit: https://www.jios-en.com/product-page/seiran-blue-dial-blue-hands-roman-numerals-croc-embossed-leather-strap-blue?currency=GBP

Technical Specifications

Brand: JIOS (Otsu City, Shiga, Japan)

Model: SEIRAN (the brand's first model)

Price: £216

Movement: Citizen Miyota Cal. 8215, Japanese automatic

Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, date

Winding: Automatic with manual winding

Power reserve: Up to approximately 40 hours

Accuracy: Approximately -20 to +40 seconds per day

Case: Stainless steel, approximately 38 × 38 × 12mm (excluding lugs and crown)

Crystal: Sapphire, front and back

Case back: See-through (sapphire)

Water resistance: 10 ATM (100m)

Dial: Blue, with a guilloché centre, applied Roman numerals and faceted markers

Hands: Blue sword hands

Strap: Navy blue crocodile-embossed leather

Lug width: 18mm

Suitable wrist size: Approximately 15 to 20cm

Made in: Japan