Seiko Presage HCC005 and HCC006: Laurel Dials, Wrong Subdial

Short version: the Seiko Presage HCC005 and HCC006 are two 39.6mm Laurel-inspired dress watches with hand-finished dials and the 6R5H automatic calibre. HCC005 is the cleaner historical tribute, with white enamel, a red 12 and blue-colour hands. HCC006 is the darker alternative, with black urushi lacquer and gold-colour details.

The awkward bit sits at six o’clock. It looks like the small-seconds display on Seiko’s 1913 Laurel, but it is a 24-hour indicator. Seiko has captured the old layout without developing the function that would make the tribute feel complete. Handsome, yes. Horologically literal, not quite.

HCC005 is the straightforward Laurel tribute

Seiko’s Laurel arrived in 1913 and is recognised by the company as Japan’s first wristwatch. HCC005 borrows its most recognisable dial details: a white surface, expressive Arabic numerals, a red marker at 12 and blue-colour hands.

The dial is genuine enamel rather than a flat painted approximation. Seiko notes that the firing process can leave small dimples, dots or a slightly rough surface. Those are normal consequences of the material, not defects to be Photoshopped out of the story.

The steel case receives Seiko’s super-hard coating. At 39.6mm across, 12.4mm thick and 46.8mm lug to lug, this is a modern dress-watch footprint rather than a compact reproduction. The 20mm leather strap and three-fold clasp keep the proportions conventional.

HCC006 changes the mood, not the mechanics

HCC006 uses the same case dimensions, movement, crystal and strap format, but the black urushi lacquer dial pushes the design away from the Laurel’s pale, utilitarian face. Gold-colour numerals and hands make it the more theatrical watch.

Seiko says each urushi dial is created by hand and may show slight colour differences or minute distortions. Again, that variation is part of the technique. If machine-perfect uniformity is the priority, a hand-lacquered dial is an odd place to demand it.

The official specification identifies the case material as stainless steel. The product image clearly shows a gold-colour exterior, but Seiko’s current global and UAE specification pages do not describe that surface treatment in detail. Until the regional listing is clearer, it is safer to call it gold-colour rather than invent a coating specification.

Shared specifications

The official Seiko pages call both watches “splash resistant.” Some launch coverage translates that into 30 metres, but the brand’s current product specification is the safer ownership guide. These are dress watches for ordinary daily exposure, not watches to buy because the dial looks good beside a swimming pool.

The 6R5H is useful, but the subdial is the compromise

The 6R5H offers roughly three days of power reserve, manual winding and a stop-seconds function. Seiko rates it at +25 to -15 seconds per day. That is familiar 6R territory: practical reserve, broad factory tolerance.

Its 24-hour indicator is mechanically clear but editorially awkward. It shows whether the main time is in the first or second half of the day. On a watch without a second time zone, that information is not especially valuable. A true small-seconds display would have made the Laurel connection both visual and functional.

That does not ruin either watch. It simply means the strongest reason to buy one is the dial craft, not the complication. The subdial is there because the composition wants it. The movement gives it something to do.

UAE availability and the honest WristBear route

Seiko has live UAE product pages for both HCC005 and HCC006, with September 2026 release wording, but those pages do not currently display UAE prices. WristBear does not list either reference at the time of this check.

For an available Craftsmanship model using the same 6R5H calibre and a white enamel dial, WristBear currently lists the Seiko Presage SART013. It uses a different 35.9mm tonneau case, so it is an alternative rather than a substitute. You can also browse the current Seiko Presage collection while local HCC005 and HCC006 availability remains unconfirmed.

For another recent September Presage release, see the Seiko Presage HCC009 bonsai edition overview.

Verdict: enamel for the Laurel, urushi for the drama

HCC005 is the better answer if the 1913 Laurel is why you are here. Its red 12, white enamel and blue-colour hands explain the reference immediately, and the steel case is easier to wear without turning the whole outfit into part of the launch campaign.

HCC006 is the more dramatic object. The black urushi dial and gold-colour details give it greater visual depth, but they also move it further from the original watch. Pick it because that contrast appeals, not because it is the more faithful tribute.

Sources and verification: Seiko UAE HCC005 product page; Seiko UAE HCC006 product page; Seiko global HCC005 product page; Seiko global HCC006 product page; historical context from Seiko’s Laurel anniversary archive; release-monitoring source Plus9Time post Db9zyOIEU8b. Specifications, catalogue route and UAE availability checked 13 August 2026 (UAE).