Seiko Revisits the Laurel with New Presage Enamel and Urushi Dials

Few Japanese watches carry the historical weight of the Seiko Laurel.

Introduced in 1913, it was Seiko’s first wristwatch and the first wristwatch made in Japan, which makes it a natural touchstone as the brand approaches its 145th anniversary in 2026.

The new Presage Classic Craftsmanship Enamel Laurel Dial and Urushi Lacquer Laurel Dial bring that early 20th-century design language into a modern automatic dress watch format, with traditional Japanese dial work doing much of the heavy lifting.

At a glance

The Laurel returns through Presage

The enamel model is the more direct tribute, pairing a clean white dial with Breguet numerals, a small seconds subdial and the Laurel’s distinctive red marker at 12 o’clock.

It’s a restrained composition, and that restraint matters here.

Rather than turning the Laurel into a heavily nostalgic object, Seiko has kept the dial open and legible, letting the numerals, small seconds and red accent carry the historical connection.

The 39.8mm case is larger than a traditional dress watch, especially when compared with the proportions of early wristwatches, but it gives the enamel dial room to breathe.

At 12.4mm thick, it has more presence than a slim formal watch, though the softened case profile and bevelled lugs help the shape feel less rigid on the wrist.

Enamel clarity and Urushi depth

The white enamel dial is the brighter and more classical of the two.

Its appeal is in the smoothness of the surface, which gives the dial a calm continuity from the centre to the minute track.

The Urushi Lacquer Laurel Dial takes the same basic architecture in a warmer, more dramatic direction.

Its black lacquer dial is paired with golden accents across the scales and numerals, while the stainless steel case receives a gold-coloured super hard coating.

That combination gives the Urushi version a more ornate character without changing the watch’s layout or proportions.

Both watches use a flared, knurled crown as a nod to the original Laurel, though the sharper modern execution keeps it from feeling like a costume detail.

A black leather strap with a deployant clasp completes the dress-leaning package.

The 6R5H movement and the Presage position

Inside both models is Seiko’s calibre 6R5H, an automatic movement from the brand’s higher-grade 6R family.

It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a 72-hour power reserve, which gives the watch practical weekend-proof usability.

The 6R5H is the small seconds variant, a fitting choice for a Laurel-inspired design where the off-centre seconds display is central to the watch’s personality.

The movement is visible through an exhibition caseback, including a gold-coloured rotor that continues the elevated finishing language of the pair.

These watches sit toward the more expensive end of Presage, but that positioning makes sense given the use of enamel and Urushi lacquer dials alongside the premium automatic movement.

Details & Specifications

The Laurel has been revisited before, and it will almost certainly be revisited again, but this Presage pair finds a persuasive balance between heritage and everyday wearability.

For collectors who want a Seiko with genuine historical resonance, traditional dial craft and enough mechanical substance to justify regular wear, these two models make a clear case.