Hands-On With The New Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 And HCC007
Seiko is celebrating its 145th anniversary this year, and that results in new watches paying tribute to this respectable age. Among them are these two new Presage Classic Series watches, both limited editions, available in 36mm and 39.6mm sizes. Let’s have a closer look at the HCC004 and HCC007, shall we?
Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004
The smaller of the two is the 36mm Seiko Presage ref. HCC004 with a textured dial and a fluted bezel. As always, Seiko draws on traditional materials and textures for its dial designs and motifs. In this case, it’s a silk-like texture in shironeri, an immaculate white born from the refining of silk threads. Seiko seems to be hitting the sweet spot here with the case size, as smaller watches are in demand.
Seiko Blue
As you can see in the photo above, the Seiko Presage HCC004 uses blue hands and hour markers, giving a nice contrast to the white dial. To match the dial’s shape, the hands are slightly curved. The blue color is based on the company’s “Seiko Blue,” introduced in the 1960s and considered its signature color. The conical crown looks elegant on this 36mm watch and is signed with the Seiko logo.
Caliber 6R51A
Inside ticks Seiko’s caliber 6R51, offering a power reserve of 72 hours. Watch enthusiasts will appreciate the transparent case back, which reveals this in-house Seiko movement. The screw-in case back is engraved with the usual specifications and numbers. Further inward, you will find the “Limited Edition” engraving.
On the wrist
Many watch enthusiasts consider a 36mm diameter the sweet spot for dress watches, and this case will fit both small and larger wrists. The Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 also has a 12.5mm thickness and a 100m (10-bar) water resistance rating.
On an 18.5cm (7.3″) wrist, as in the picture above, the watch wears and looks fine. It comes fitted with a blue leather strap and a single-deployant clasp. The brand will produce only 2,500 examples of the HCC004 and sell them at a retail price of €1,050.
Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC007
And that brings us to the larger of the two watches, the reference HCC007. This watch, with its cobalt-blue Arita porcelain dial, has a new exterior. According to Seiko, the case is more refined than before.
The Seiko Presage HCC007 has a 12.8mm profile. While slightly thicker than the 36mm Presage ref. HCC004, it also has a larger 39.6mm diameter. You could say that while this HCC007 is bigger and thicker, the ratio between the two measurements is slightly friendlier than on the HCC004.
Limited to 1,500 pieces
The production number is lower than that of the HCC004, totaling 1,500 pieces worldwide. The transparent case back and the 6R51A movement are the same as those on the HCC004, as you can see in the image above. Seiko just decided to make this watch slightly larger and thicker. Despite the increase in size, the water resistance rating is only 30 meters instead of 100 meters. It’s not entirely clear why there’s a difference here. That said, it might be because of the delicate porcelain dial.
On the wrist
This larger Seiko Presage works perfectly on an 18.5cm wrist but might be too big for enthusiasts focused on smaller watches. Also here, we find a blue leather strap with a folding clasp.
The main attraction of this watch, aside from the new case design, is the Seiko Blue dial. This dial is made of porcelain and produced in the town of Arita in Saga Prefecture, Japan, under the guidance of master craftsman Hiroyuki Hashiguchi.
Each piece is meticulously shaped and finished by Toshiaki Kawaguchi and his team at a workshop that traces its heritage back to 1830. Having trained directly under Hashiguchi, Kawaguchi brings a deeply traditional — and remarkably demanding — craft to the wrist in a way few modern watch dials can match.
To make the dial suitable for daily wear, the artisans use a specially developed type of Arita porcelain that is more than four times stronger than conventional porcelain. Achieving the dial’s intricate pattern is no simple feat either, requiring an extremely precise casting process. Because each dial is made through such a demanding handcrafted method, subtle variations naturally occur from piece to piece. The result is that no two watches are exactly alike, giving every example a unique character.
This comes at a certain price, of course! The Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC007, with its cobalt-blue Arita porcelain dial, retails for €1,800.
Final thoughts
Seiko has extended the Presage Classic Series with two nice new models. I love the 36mm case size for the Presage; it really works well on the wrist. The white textured dial is fresh, and the curved blue hands provide a lovely contrast. With water resistance of 100 meters and a 72-hour power reserve, the HCC004 is a lovely, dressy everyday watch. The cobalt-blue Arita porcelain dial makes the 39.6mm Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC007 a collector’s item! While you can probably use it as a daily watch, I’d keep it for special occasions. I was also pleasantly surprised by the nice calfskin straps on both watches. Admittedly, I wasn’t always a fan of the very smooth leather straps on the Presage Cocktail Time models, for example, so this is a step up in my opinion.
It will probably depend on your taste and wrist size which watch sings to you the most, but each of these has something interesting going on. The Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 and HCC007 will be available in Seiko boutiques and selected retail stores starting in June.
What do you think of these 145th-anniversary watches? Let us know in the comments below.
