Seiko now pays homage to the spirit of exploration ignited by its first diver’s watch through three reinterpretations of the typical design of the 1960s, each featuring a dial inspired by some of the most challenging cold-water diving locations in the United States. The trio are exclusively available in the U.S. market.

The first reinterpretation, the ref. SPB419, showcases an icy-blue gradient dial inspired by the mesmerizing blue ice formations along the northern Great Lakes’ coastline in Michigan. This phenomenon occurs when ice forms gradually and uniformly, taking on the shape of large crystals and allowing light to penetrate deeply, resulting in a vivid blue hue.

The other two reinterpretations draw inspiration from the state of Alaska and its remote glacial moulins, water tunnels formed within glaciers that only the most daring divers have explored. The dial of the ref. SPB421 boasts a dark blue hue with a subtle gradation, reminiscent of the colors observed at the depths of the moulin, while the ref. SPB423 highlights the light gray tones of glacial ice with its gradated dial. All three timepieces feature an intricate the-dimensional pressed pattern dial that vividly recalls the colors one might encounter while exploring these challenging diving environments.

Each model in the trio has a diameter of 40.5mm and is powered by the modern Caliber 6R35 self-winding 24-jewel mechanical movement, which has a frequency of 21,600 vph, and maintains a power reserve of 70 hours when fully wound. Water resistant to 200 meters and engineered for compliance with the relevant ISO for diving, each has a screw-down crown and features a uni-directional bezel in a color that complements its patterned dial. Comfort and security are ensured thanks to a three-link stainless steel bracelet with a tri-fold push button release clasp with secure lock and diving suit extension.

All three Seiko Prospex divers have a suggested retail price of $1,250.

To learn more, visit Seiko, here.

Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional
Tissot’s very large and robust dive watch is water-resistant to 600 meters and impresses with its irregular wave pattern, which resembles the surface of the sea in a strong swell. The hour markers, attached to the edge of the dial, float above it and call to mind surfers or sailboats that barely touch the water as they glide along its surface. The watch is available with a blue, turquoise or anthracite-colored dial. The case is equipped with an automatic helium valve for saturation diving.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 46 mm, ETA C07.111, automatic, $1,025.

Breguet Marine 5517
Like all the watches launched since the collection’s last major refresh in 2017, the Marine 5517 maintains a classic, naval chronometer-inspired design, is distinguished by both luxurious and sporty elements, and hosts signature hallmarks of the collection such as Roman numerals, a 100-meter water resistance, and Breguet-style hands, to name a few.
Rose gold, 40 mm, Caliber 777A, automatic, $28,600.

Baume & Mercier Riviera
The Riviera that Baume & Mercier has now reactivated is inspired by a model from 1973. While it’s not a dive watch, it’s certainly a sporty companion for a vacation. The wave pattern on the dial is particularly architectural, but this in no way detracts from the overall impression made by this lighthearted accessory. The blue version with the matching rubber strap calls to mind the clear waters of the Mediterranean or South Seas. The pressure resistance to 100 meters is sufficient for boat trips, kite surfing and relaxing hours beside the pool.
Stainless steel, 42 mm, Sellita SW200, automatic, $2,500.

Mido Oceanstar 200C
Green has been popular in the watch world for a number of years, but the combination of fir green and maritime-inspired dial engraving looks quite unusual. Mido uses this daring combination in its Oceanstar line of dive watches. The number in the model’s name stands for the water resistance in meters and the “C” refers to the newly introduced ceramic bezel, which teams up with the sapphire crystal to protect the dial against scratches. There are even waves on the stainless-steel back, where they share the limelight with a starfish engraved in relief.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 42.5 mm, ETA C07.621, automatic, $1,150.

Seiko Prospex SRPE07
Joining Seiko’s highly coveted “Save The Ocean” series, the SRPE07 “King Turtle” brought an improved bezel and large cyclops to the collection in 2020. The dial design is themed around Great White Sharks to mark the preservation and understanding of these beautiful creatures (there’s even a shark dorsal fin hidden near the 8 o’clock index).
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 45 mm, 4R36, automatic, $595.

Oris Aquis Pro Date Calibre 400
The subtle wave pattern on the dial is the only bit of playfulness Oris allows in this extremely useful watch for professional divers. All other details are rigorously functional: the bezel’s entire scale glows in the dark, the Rotation Safety System allows the bezel to rotate only after the surrounding safety ring has been pulled up, and the water resistance to a depth of 1,000 meters is well beyond a casual diver’s deepest descent. These features, plus the well-thought-out bracelet with its loss-prevention and quick-extension mechanisms, almost make you glad to discover the nonfunctional pattern on the dial.
DLC-coated titanium, ceramic bezel, 49.5 mm, manufacture Calibre 400, automatic, $4,600.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300
The 43-mm version of the new Aquaracer has straight transverse grooves on its dial, while the 36-mm version shown here is more playful. The wave pattern boasts the softest, most curved shape of all the watches here and makes the dial almost look like a casually thrown piece of fabric. This small version of the Aquaracer is equally convincing in other details with water resistance to 300 meters, intensely radiant luminous material in green and blue, and a secure folding clasp with quick-extension mechanism.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 36 mm, Calibre 5 based on Sellita Caliber SW200, automatic, $2,800.

1. ORIS BIG CROWN PROPILOT DATE ($1,550)

Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date

This pilots’ watch from Oris achieves optimal legibility thanks to its matte dial and impossible-to-overlook hands and numerals, which are coated with plenty of luminous material. The big crown can be operated while wearing gloves. The textile strap is steplessly adjustable thanks to a clamping system; the clasp works like the buckle on a seatbelt aboard an aircraft. With a date display on its dial and a time- tested automatic movement inside its case, this watch offers everything you need. Stainless steel, 41 mm, Sellita SW 220, automatic

2. TUDOR PELAGOS LHD ($4,400)

Tudor Pelagos LHD

The letters “LHD” in the name of this divers’ watch stand for “left-hand drive,” like a car with its steering wheel on the left. For a watch, LHD means that the crown is located opposite its usual position. This is convenient for a southpaw who wears the watch on his right wrist. But this watch can also be worn on the left wrist, thus keeping the crown especially well protected against impacts. Tudor’s own auto- matic movement has earned a chronometer certificate and accordingly runs with great precision. The titanium case is extremely resistant to salt- water and can resist water pressure to a depth of 500 meters. A helium-release valve rounds out the professional equipment. Titanium, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber MT5612, automatic; click here for more details.

3. CERTINA DS ACTION DIVER AUTOMATIC ($895)

Certina DS Action Diver Automatic

The DS Action Diver Automatic upholds the ISO standard for divers’ watches. The stainless-steel case is water resistant to 200 meters and has a rotatable bezel with a diving scale. The dial has luminous indexes, along with plenty of luminous material on the hands to assure that the face is always clearly legible, even underwater and in the dark. The time-tested automatic movement and the robust stainless-steel bracelet equip this timepiece for every mission. The price is appealing, too. Stainless steel, 43.2 mm, ETA 2824, automatic.

4. SEIKO PROSPEX AUTOMATIC DIVER’S ($495)

Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver’s

Nicknamed “Turtle” because of the shape of its case, the Prospex Automatic Diver’s was introduced in the 1970s. With an indestructible urethane wristband, a case that resists water pressure to a depth of 200 meters, and a unidirectional rotatable bezel, this watch is optimally equipped to accompany a diver underwater. And despite its low price, it has a self-winding manufacture movement. Seiko makes the crystal from Hardlex, which isn’t quite as scratch-resistant as sapphire, but nonetheless harder than ordinary mineral crystal. Stainless steel, 44 mm, manufacture Caliber 4R36, automatic.

5. TAG HEUER AQUARACER 300M CALIBRE 5 ($2,800)

TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M Calibre 5

This classic divers’ watch from TAG Heuer has a trendy military look with a black titanium case, sand-colored textile strap, and sand-colored elements and gray luminous material on the dial. The watch has plenty to offer from a functional standpoint, too: Black titanium-carbide coating resists scratches and the screwed crown contributes toward achieving pressure resistance to a depth of 300 meters. The nonreflective treatment on the sapphire crystal helps assure good legibility. Titanium coated with titanium carbide, 43 mm, ETA 2824 or Sellita SW 200, automatic.

6. BREITLING AVENGER BLACKBIRD ($5,105)

Breitling Avenger Blackbird

The militarily inspired Avenger Blackbird has a distinctive 48-mm case made of DLC-coated titanium. The coating helps prevent reflections from light, which could betray its wearer’s location. With a unidirectional rotatable bezel, screwed crown, and water resistance to 300 meters, this timepiece is also suitable for diving. In addition to the case, the dial and textile strap are also black. The luminous material on the hands and indexes is beige in daylight conditions. Breitling’s Caliber 17 is based on an ETA 2824 movement and has earned a chronometer certificate to confirm its accuracy. DLC-coated titanium, 48 mm, ETA 2824, automatic; for more on the Blackbird, click here.)

7. ROLEX EXPLORER II ($8,100)

Rolex Explorer II

This watch, which debuted in 1971, is made for adventurers, researchers and expedition members. Equipped with a second time zone, the continually updated design has become iconic. This model epitomizes a tool watch, although its high price might make its wearer feel annoyed if the case should suffer a scratch or two. The 904L stainless steel that Rolex uses is more resistant to saltwater than ordinary 316L steel. And Rolex’s manufacture caliber is regarded as the sturdiest and lowest-maintenance automatic movement. Rolex’s famous accuracy is assured not only by a chronometer certificate, but also by the brand’s in-house standards, which specify that the watch be so finely adjusted that it neither gains nor loses more than two seconds per day. Stainless steel, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber 3187, automatic.

8. ALPINA ALPINER 4 AUTOMATIC ($1,395)

Alpina Alpiner 4 Automatic

Developed for rugged excursions and mountain climbing, the Alpiner 4 is equipped with a sturdy, 44-mm stainless-steel case and a unidirectional rotatable bezel. A soft-iron inner case protects the automatic movement against magnetic fields. The hands and indexes are coated with white luminous material for good legibility. The screwed crown helps keep the case water resistant to 100 meters. Stainless steel, 44 mm, Sellita SW 200, automatic; more details here.)

This article appears in the July-August 2017 issue of WatchTime Magazine.

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Underneath the surface, these watches are powered by the well-known automatic Caliber 6R5, providing an impressive 72-hour power reserve. This movement is also shielded against magnetic fields up to 4,800 A/m.

The Ref. SPB403 features a pristine white enamel dial crafted under the expert guidance of Mitsuru Yokosawa. The immaculate backdrop is adorned with simple gray metal indices, creating an elegant and refined aesthetic. Like the other two newcomers, there is a date indication positioned at 3 o’clock.

This execution comes with a five-link metal bracelet and has a price tag of approximately $1,600 when converted to USD.

The Ref. SPB405 and SPB407 both highlight another craftsmanship Seiko is famous for: their dials finished with traditional Urushi lacquer. This centuries-old technique is skillfully applied by Master Lacquerer Isshu Tamara and his team.

The Ref. SPB405 boasts a deep black dial coated in Urushi lacquer, while the Ref. SPB407 showcases a captivating green Urushi lacquer dial. Both models are furnished with white indices and a gold-toned second hand. The SPB405 is also attached to a metal bracelet, the SPB407 rides a brown leather strap. They are priced at approximately $1,880 and $1,990 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Seiko, here.

Caliber 5719: Japan’s First Wrist Chronograph

Caliber 5719 (below) powered Japan’s first wristwatch chronograph (above).

When Seiko set out to design Japan’s first wristwatch chronograph, its goal was to produce a watch that was as much status symbol as timing device. Suwa Seikosha, i.e., Seiko’s factory in the city of Suwa, developed the watch, which was launched in time for the 1964 Summer Olympics. It was powered by the 12-ligne, hand-wound Caliber 5719. The salient features of this 6.1-mm-thick movement included a single button to trigger the chronograph’s functions, horizontal coupling, and a column wheel to control the start, stop and return-to-zero functions. The balance was paced at 5.5 hertz, or 39,600 vph. With the chronograph mechanism switched on, the movement would run for 38 hours. The case was made of steel and was 38.2 mm in  diameter and 11.2 mm thick.

The watch had no elapsed-time counter, so Seiko equipped it with a rotating bezel calibrated in 1-minute increments. To measure an interval longer than 1 minute, the user started the chronograph and then rotated the bezel until the tip of the large triangle was directly opposite the tip of the minutes hand. After he stopped the chronograph at the end of the interval, he read the elapsed minutes using the rotating bezel and the elapsed seconds  using the regular dial. The problem with this first chronograph series was that the bezel had a tendency to break. Seiko rectified this by replacing the fragile bezel with a sturdy, steel one.

The Caliber 5718 chronograph had a single subdial for elapsed minutes and running seconds. It also featured a point counter at 12 o’clock.

Seiko brought out another version of the movement, the 6.4-mm-thick Caliber 5718, in a limited-edition steel watch that today is extremely rare and highly coveted by collectors. What looks like a date window at 12 o’clock is actually a golf-stroke or point counter, operated by means of the two buttons on the left side of the case. Another special feature is a subdial at 6 o’clock that doubles as an elapsed-minutes counter and a running-seconds display. There is a tachymeter scale along the dial’s periphery.

Caliber 6139: First Automatic Chronograph On The Market

The Seiko 5 Speed-Timer (above) with Caliber 6139 (below) was the first automatic chronograph to hit the market.

It’s well known that Swiss companies were working feverishly in the 1960s to develop a self-winding chronograph, but no one knows whether their Japanese competitors knew about these efforts. Seiko started working on the self-winding Calibers 6139 and 6138 in 1967, even though by then much of the watch industry was focusing its attention on quartz technology. It took the company just two years to develop Caliber 6139. Remarkably small, it had a diameter of 27.4 mm and a height of 6.5 mm. Its mainspring was a ball-borne, center-mounted rotor, which worked in conjunction with Seiko’s innovative Magic Lever (still in use today), a click-winding system that can use the rotor’s kinetic energy regardless of which way the rotor turns. After being fully wound, the watch would run for 36 hours with the chronograph switched on.

To improve the rate performance, the caliber’s developers gave the balance a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vph), instead of the then-standard 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph). Other technical specifications included a column wheel to control the chronograph’s functions, a counter for 30 elapsed minutes at the “6,” and vertical coupling. This last feature was quite innovative at the time: its debut here significantly predated its premiere in Swiss watches. In addition to a date display, Seiko also equipped this model with a bilingual (Japanese and English) indicator for the day of the week.

Caliber 6138 (above) was used in two self-winding chronographs Seiko launched in 1970 (below), with small seconds and elapsed-hour counters.

The new movement, housed in a watch called the 5 Speed-Timer, appeared in stores in mid-May of 1969. Seiko therefore won the race to bring the first automatic chronograph to market. (Two competitors, Zenith and a consortium of other Swiss companies − Breitling, Heuer, Hamilton-Buren and Dubois Dépraz – brought automatic chronographs to market later in the year.) Caliber 6138, which was 7.9-mm thick, debuted in 1970. It differed from Caliber 6139 because it had a running seconds hand and a counter for 12 elapsed hours. Seiko also incorporated Caliber 6138 into a so-called “bullhead” model, similar to Omega’s manual-wind bullhead, with pushers at the top of the case instead of on the side.

Incidentally, Seiko can also claim the honor of having sent the first self-winding chronograph into outer space. When U.S. astronaut William Reid Pogue flew aboard the Skylab-4 mission in 1973 to 1974, he wore a watch (nowadays nicknamed the “Pogue Seiko”) powered by Caliber 6139.

Caliber 7017: Slim Automatic Chronograph

A chronograph (above) with slim, self-winding Caliber 7017 (below) debuted in 1970.

In 1970, Daini Seikosha, which that year became Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII), introduced the so-called “70s Series” of mechanical chronograph movements. With a thickness of just 5.9 mm, the 27.4-mm-diameter Caliber 7017 set a world record. The Magic Lever winding system, the column wheel and the vertical coupling all  recalled Caliber 6139, but the 7017 was a genuinely new movement with many special features, including a “creeping” hand to tally the elapsed minutes. Decreasing the overall number of components made the movement more compact and its servicing easier. But to achieve the movement’s record-breaking slimness, the designers had to leave out an elapsed-minutes counter. They retained digital displays for the date and day.

The equally slim Caliber 7018 debuted in 1971: it had a counter for 30 elapsed minutes. Caliber 7015 and Seiko’s top-of-the-line Caliber 7016 followed in 1972. The latter had two concentrically rotating hands in a subdial at 6 o’clock: one for the running seconds and the other to tally up to 30 elapsed minutes.

The successors to Caliber 7017: chronographs with Calibers 7015 (above), 7016, and 7018 (both below)

Seiko discontinued production of mechanical chronograph calibers in 1977. In the early 1980s, it stopped making mechanical watches altogether. The machines used for their production were assigned to the scrap heap, but veteran employees refused to follow orders and did not destroy them. Thanks to these employees, the renaissance of mechanical watches – which had begun in Europe several years before – could commence in Japan in the mid-1990s.

Caliber Series 6S: The Chronograph Reborn

After a hiatus of more than two decades, Seiko returned to making mechanical chronographs with hand-wound Caliber 6S74.

In 1998, Seiko began making mechanical chronographs once again, relying on its veteran engineers and watchmakers, some of whom had retired but agreed to return to work on the project. The 28.4-mm- diameter calibers in Series 6S were initially intended only for the domestic market, for which they were encased in Seiko’s prestigious Credor line. The 5.8-mm-thick, hand-wound Caliber 6S74 from 1998 had a balance paced at 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and a 60-hour power reserve. The watch had no date window but it did have a 30-minute counter, 12-hour counter and power-reserve indicator. Like its forebears, Caliber 6S74 had a column wheel. Unlike them, the connection between the gear train and the chronograph was achieved by means of a rocking pinion, not by vertical coupling.

Seiko chronographs with Calibers 6S77 (above) and 6S78 (below)

In ensuing years, Seiko derived a whole series of other chronograph movements from this base caliber. These included the 7.2-mm-thick Caliber 6S77, which debuted in 1999. It was an automatic equipped with the Magic Lever winding system. It had a date display and a 50-hour power reserve.
Another automatic, Caliber 6S78, also debuted in 1999. Caliber 6S99, the skeletonized version of Caliber 6S74, appeared on the market in 2000. It was joined in 2001 by the self-winding Caliber 6S37, which supports both a date indicator and a power-reserve display. Caliber 6S96, which was based on Caliber 6S77, had a 60-hour power reserve but no date window.

Lastly, in 2005, Seiko launched Caliber 6S28, based on the 6S78. With this movement, Seiko made the same change ETA had made with its Caliber 7750, which morphed into Caliber 7753 when its counter for 30 elapsed minutes migrated from the “12” to the “3.” Caliber 6S28 has a date window between the “4” and the “5.”

A Seiko chronograph with skeletonized Caliber 6S99

Seiko sold Caliber 6S78, which Seiko called “TC 78,” to third parties. Its customers included Junghans, which renamed the movement J890. TAG Heuer also purchased the TC 78, subjected it to major alterations, manufactured a large percentage of its components in its own factory, and rechristened it “Caliber 1887.”

Caliber Series 8R: Seiko’s Chronographs Today

The Ananta (above) contains the self-winding Caliber 8R28 (below).

In 2009, 40 years after the premiere of Caliber 6139, people who visited Seiko’s stand at Baselworld saw a brand-new automatic chronograph called Ananta. It contained Caliber 8R28, which went into serial production in 2008. The newcomer combined traditional Seiko chronograph features such as a column wheel, vertical coupling and Magic Lever winding system with recent innovations including a three-pointed hammer that ensures all the chronograph counters return to zero simultaneously. The 8R28 has a power reserve of more than 45 hours. Seiko makes the balance, balance spring and escapement itself. The movement is 28 mm in diameter and 7.2 mm thick. It has a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and contains 292 parts.

Caliber 8R39, launched in 2011, is 7.6 mm thick. It was designed for dive watches. Caliber 8R48, 7.5 mm thick, followed in 2014 and is used in the Brightz, which is sold only in Japan.

As an alternative to ETA’s Caliber 7753, third parties can opt for Seiko’s Caliber NE88A. Based on Caliber 8R39, it debuted in August 2014 and is 7.63 mm thick.

The Ananta Diver (above) contains Caliber 8R39; the Brightz, (below), Caliber 8R48.

This article was originally posted in September 2017.

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