Introducing Seiko Turns 145, Celebrating With Two Presage Classic Series Models With Stunning Sunburst Dials

If any brand is not shy to celebrate its anniversary with a multitude of watches, it’s Seiko. The Japanese powerhouse makes the most of any festive occasion, commemoration, or model jubilee, often drip-feeding these special releases throughout the year. The same is happening in 2026, as the brand celebrates 145 years since Kintaro Hattori set up shop in Ginza - first with four very different pieces all tinged with gold, and now with the Presage Classic Series and some of their best dials in recent memory.

A model that’s likely going to be one of their landmark releases of the year is the long-windedly named Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Arita Porcelain Dial Limited Edition HCC007. Admittedly, the name does tell you pretty much everything you need to know on paper, but if you’ve ever seen one of Seiko’s Arita porcelain pieces before, you’ll know it only tells half the story.

Led by Hiroyuki Hashiguchi, the dials are made in the Arita workshop of Toshiaki Kawaguchi, where he and his team ensure that the three-dimensional pattern beneath the layers of translucent porcelain remains visible. The colour is also carefully selected as a reminder of the “Seiko blue” that became more widely used in the 1960s.

For this new model, Seiko redesigned the Presage case, now measuring 39.6mm in diameter and 12.8mm in thickness, with a double-domed sapphire crystal taking up much of that height. To ensure that the case looks just as good as the dial (and for a long time to boot), there’s also a super-hard coating covering the polished steel surfaces - though with the 30-metre water-resistance rating, you’re not likely to be taking this one anywhere too extreme.

Its celebratory counterpart is the 36mm HCC004, continuing a Presage Classic Series trend with its fabric-inspired dial. This time, it’s all about silken threads forming a pristine, silvery white sheen - shironeri, in Japanese, referring to silk that has had any yellow pigment removed. It’s a dial colour Seiko has used before in its Sharp Edge collection, but this sunburst texture and blue appliques are new to the HCC004.

Along with the smaller diameter, the Shironeri also drops slightly in thickness, down to 12.5mm, but interestingly ups the water-resistance to 100 metres. Design-wise, the cases seem to be identical, but for the thin, elegantly fluted bezel of the Shironeri.

Both watches are powered by the 6R51, a movement from the middle of Seiko’s range, offering three days of power reserve, a 3Hz beat rate, and a view of the gold-tone rotor through the caseback. Interestingly, Seiko also notes them to have 4,800 A/m of magnetic resistance (equivalent to about 60 Gauss), which meets the minimum rating required by ISO’s standards for an anti-magnetic wristwatch. Put into context, it’s about the same magnetism as that fridge magnet your auntie brought back from her trip to Hawai’i.

Porcelain-dialled watches are few and far between, and Seiko is one of the only brands that releases them with any consistency, and the only one to do so at this relatively affordable price point. As usual, the result is stunning, with the new Seiko Blue variant standing out in particular thanks to that intricate sunray pattern hiding beneath the layers of pigment.

The Shironeri may not have the artisan-made material for the dial, but it’s also quite refined, and I especially appreciate the curved hands and indices that follow the curvature of the dial and crystal. With the beaded bezel and large crown, there’s something about it that reminds me of a vintage Seiko, and in my world, that’s a very good thing.

I do have a bone to pick with both of these new releases, however. I can’t help thinking how much cleaner the dials would look without the “Automatic 3 Days” printed at 6. I’d even omit all dial writing except for the Seiko logo, which would really let the dial textures and colours shine.

I’m delighted to see that Seiko is making small improvements to their case designs, as they still have to contend with the 6R line of movements, which is quite thick (around 5mm). In the pursuit of a sub-10mm thickness, I’d love to see Seiko fully swap the Presage over to the 6L family that has already featured in some limited editions, and is a regular in the King Seiko line-up.

Brand: Seiko
Model: Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Arita Porcelain Dial Limited Edition, Presage Classic Series Limited Edition
Reference Number: HCC007 (Arita Porcelain), HCC004 (LE)

Diameter: 39.6mm (HCC007), 36mm (HCC004)
Thickness: 12.8mm (HCC007), 12.5mm (HCC004)
Case Material: Stainless steel with super-hard coating
Dial Colour: Blue Arita porcelain, silver sunburst
Crystal: Double-domed sapphire, AR-coated on inner surface
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 30 metres (HCC007), 100 metres (HCC004)
Strap/Bracelet: Leather strap, triple-folding clasp with push-button release

Calibre: 6R51, in-house
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 3 Hz
Jewels: 24
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: 4,800 A/m magnetic resistance

Price: A$1,600 (HCC004), A$2,700 (HCC007)
Availability: June 2026 (HCC004), July 2026 (HCC007)
Limited Edition: Yes, 1,500 pieces (HCC007), 2,500 pieces (HCC004)

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