Seiko Presage HC0008: US pricing revealed for limited-edition pearl-coated Presage model
When we covered Seiko's new silk-inspired Presage Classic Series in June, one price was missing. The three regular references had figures attached; the limited HCC008 did not. However, Seiko US has since filled the gap at $1,150.
That puts it $200 above the trio it launched alongside, which sell for $950 each. The premium covers pink gold-colored plating across the case and folding clasp, a coin-edge bezel, and a pearl-like coating on the dial to catch light the way woven silk does. Each of the 2,000 pieces is individually numbered. Also, serials allocated at random rather than by order.
Regional pricing gets a little confusing. Europe pays €1,200, which converts roughly to $1,400 at current rates, and Australia AUD 1,800, around $1,180. American buyers get the cheapest access to a watch limited worldwide. This is not something we usually see for Japanese limited editions.
However, please note that the pink gold tone is plating over stainless steel, not solid gold. Plated cases wear at the edges over years in a way coated steel does not. On the other hand, the other three standard references (which are cheaper) use Seiko's super-hard coating.
All the other specs are shared across the collection. The watches are powered by the 6R51 automatic movement with a 72-hour reserve, a 38 mm case, sapphire front and back, and 10 bar of water resistance. The strap is Leather Working Group certified. It's dark brown has been deliberately chosen to reflect the brick facade of the Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma. A portion of proceeds goes to the Tomioka Silk Promotion Organization as well.
Another small detail worth noting is that Seiko sells the same watch in Japan as the HCC010J, and @plus9time mentioned in his original post this is the first instance of a domestic and international release diverging under the newer H-prefix system. Anyone hunting it through Japanese retailers will have to look for the second reference, not the first.
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