cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
17068
BLUE coming this summer to YOU
55 years ago, Seiko introduced Japan’s first diver’s watch. With an automatic movement and water resistance to 150m, it proved its reliability when it was used by members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition from 1966 to 1969. In the years that followed, Seiko created many other diver’s watches that found favor with professional divers and adventurers, thanks to their high quality and reliability.
Three of the most important landmarks from Seiko’s first decade as a maker of diver’s watches are now re-created in celebration of the 55th anniversary of that first achievement. They are offered in the Prospex collection, synonymous with excellence in watches for use in all types of sports and challenging environments.
Proud that their watch had proved itself in the Antarctic, Seiko’s engineers continued their development work to better meet the needs of the professional diver. In 1968, Seiko’s first diver’s watch with 300m water resistance and a 10-beat automatic movement was created. It was used by the first person from Japan to climb Mt. Everest. However, this achievement was partially diminished by a letter from a professional diver who asserted that no diver’s watch yet could withstand the conditions in his job as a saturation diver. The Seiko team realized a technical leap was needed to create a diver’s watch that could truly be called ‘professional’.
It took them seven years but, at last, in 1975, Seiko produced a 600m diver’s watch that pushed back the boundaries further than perhaps any other diver’s watch in history. It had a titanium one-piece case and an outer case protector. It used a specially developed L-shaped gasket to make it impervious to helium without the need for an escape valve. It had an accordion-style strap that made the watch secure on the wrist whatever the ambient pressure. This unique watch changed the world’s expectation of what a diver’s watch could deliver. Its unique construction led to it being given the nickname “Tuna”
While faithful to the original designs, all three watches are fully up to date in their specifications and execution. The greatest advance is in the grade of stainless steel used in the construction of the three watches. To be known as Seiko’s “Ever-Brilliant Steel,” thanks to the brilliant white hue that gives this trilogy of watches its unique look, this grade of steel is more corrosion resistant than that which is used in most high-end watches today.* It is used for the first time** in the watch industry for the cases of the 1965 and 1968 re-creations and the bezel of the 1975 re-creation whose case is, like the original, in titanium.
This material is used extensively in the surfaces, linings, bolts and other components of marine structures and vessels so as to avoid corrosion in a chloride-rich environment such as sea water. It presents many challenges in the manufacture of watch cases but, thanks to the experience and innovative techniques of the Seiko team, these challenges were overcome and Ever-Brilliant Steel is now set to bring a new level of durability to the diver’s watch.
The 1965 and 1968 re-creations are powered by the high beat 8L55 movement and the 1975 re-creation carries Caliber 8L35, both developed and assembled expressly for diver’s watches at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio. All three have sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. The 1975 re-creation has an increased anti-magnetic resistance of 40,000 a/m thanks to the dial made of pure iron.
Designs that capture the beauty and mystery of the deep sea
All three re-creations share the same blue-gray dial that reflects the beauty of the sea but also hints at their ability to perform at depths which dim the intensity of the oceans’ blue. In particular, the subtle gradation of the dial color on the 1965 and 1968 re-creations dramatizes the way that light gradually fades as one dives deeper into the dark, mysterious world of the ocean.
The straps also pay homage to the originals while being modern in both the material used and their color. The rubber strap with a fabric-like texture of the 62MAS from 1965 is reproduced in silicone for greater strength and comfort. The strap on the 1968 re-creation is also in silicone and has the same pyramid pattern as its predecessor and the 1975 professional diver’s re-creation comes with the signature accordion-type strap.
Coming this summer
All three watches will be made available as limited editions of 1,100. The 1965, 1968, and 1975 re-creations will be introduced in June, July, and August 2020 respectively.
A set of three will be released in an edition of 100.
BONUS - SAME BLUE DIAL, THINNER CASE, BRACELET
In addition to the limited edition trilogy, the 55th anniversary of Seiko’s first diver’s watch is also celebrated with an all-stainless steel modern re-interpretation. This new version has a slim profile and a lowered center of gravity that makes it comfortable even on a smaller wrist. It features the same special 55th anniversary blue-gray dial as graces the trilogy and comes with both a stainless steel bracelet and a silicone strap. It is powered by Caliber 6R35 that delivers a power reserve of 70 hours. It will be available in a limited edition of 5,500 from June 2020.
Here are the details that we all are waiting for:
More posts:
BLUE coming this summer to YOU
55 years ago, Seiko introduced Japan’s first diver’s watch. With an automatic movement and water resistance to 150m, it proved its reliability when it was used by members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition from 1966 to 1969. In the years that f...
As an SLA 017 owner I'm pretty disappointed that they are issuing a near exact copy of it.
I know this will be limited too, and it is a Hi Beat designation, but the SLA 017 was supposed to be something really limited and a special model.
Price is much higher so that's some consolation
but I don't think you can expect any company NOT to ever make a watch like the ones they've made before, since vintage and homage are one of the best-selling trends. They are in business not only to make collectors happy but to draw new people in, and tha...
Let's go beyond the immediate reaction, and consider new stainless steel material, straps, high quality movements and see what they are aiming for
I think that Seiko has to continually move themselves up in the watch world and this release is a step towards that. There are multiple factors in these watches that have been improved. There's the new Spring Drive model (see the other article) which also...
