Horological Meandering

Ludi
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Review of ...

.. a pair of vintage Seiko SilverWave.

Hello there,

This is my first review ever on PuristsPro, and these watch are certainly not "luxurious wristwatches for collectors and buyers", so please be indulgent with me (and pardon my poor written english)... well, try to enjoy it anyway

Seikomatic SilverWave, 1963

with its amazing starburst dial...

... which strangly remains me this super hero from my youth ... 

If you look carefully, you might have notice above the "Silver Wave" text, but below the arbor for hands there is a circular logo ... it appears to be the logo that means "Special Dial" in Seiko nomenclatura

The Silverwave happened to be "the first" in so many things:

First Seiko with an internal rotating ring, first Automatic Seiko movement encased in a screw caseback instead of snap, and consequently waterproofed at 50m

This forgotten diver is supposed to be the ancestor of the famous 6217 or 62mas...

(credit WUS)

(credit WUS)

... so supposingly the first Seiko diver ever.

 "[i]Prior to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (with Seiko as Official Timer), Seiko had introduced its first range of truly submersible sport watches with (internal) rotating countdown bezels( in the form of the Seikomatic 50m Silverwave (1962)and the Sportsmatic 30m Silverwave (1964). These sports divers were the immediate precursors to Seiko (and Japans) first professional diver comprising 150m depth capability, shockproofing, extreme legibility and an external timing bezel,the 62MAS(1965)." (from the 6217 Buyers Guide).[/i]"

Several versions of this early Silverwave were produced from 1962 to 1964:

- white dial, white bezel

(credit google)

- white dial, black bezel

(credit myself)

- black dial, black bezel
(unable to locate...does anyone has a pic of this version ....  ???)

Lately, a 50 m dial version appeared

(credit kumakun / Seikoholics)

(credit Zonda / Seikoholics)

The watch was not cheap though: around 11.000 yens, mainly because of its Seikomatic 20 jewels caliber (62SW)

(credit google)

It works that way: turn the crown and you rotate the bezel, pull it and you set the time.... but impossible to wind it manually.

Sportmatic SilverWave, 1965

... and once again  ...

From 1964, Seiko started to sell this "cheaper" Sportmatic version (8200 yens) with its 66SW serial 17 jewels caliber.

(credit google)

The watch is not the same class as the previous model: the dial does not have the same lustre of the 50M versions; other lesser features are only having a snap case back, 30m waterproof, the rotating bezel is made of plastic instead of bakelite (like the later 1968+ Sports 70m watches) and obviously the 17 jewel movement

Same dial and ring coulour variations as above:

 (credit myself)

Funny copper patina... :

(credit Cannop / TZ-UK)

(credit google)

etc...

Underestimated, and far undervalued, these watches are absolutly legit for any diver fan collector nonetheless... IMHO of course

Best regards

Fred