Introducing A Trilogy Of Seiko 55th Anniversary Dive Watches
55 years later, Seiko is still imbuing dive watches with technological advancements.
Quick Take
Seiko's association with the underwater world goes way back to 1965, when Seiko introduced the first dive watch to Japan. Today, Seiko has released three models that trace the trajectory and evolution of Seiko's dive watch line. Each model tips the proverbial hat to a model that changed the game when it was released over the course of the last 55 years. The reputation of Seiko today is much the same as it's always been: The brand is known for value-oriented watches that simply get the job done. No frills. No egregious marketing campaigns. Nothing too fancy – just dive watches that do what they need to do, every single time.
But these watches do include a visual flourish that defines their "55th Anniversary" identity. They all have a deep blue dial that's reminiscent of the vast, deep nature of the ocean. They slot neatly into the Prospex line, and they'll all be limited to 1,100 pieces. The watches are essentially recreations of iconic models from 1965, 1968, and 1975.
Three of Seiko's most iconic divers from 1968, 1965, and 1975, respectively.
The 62MAS/6217 was released in 1965, and it has indeed been re-issued by Seiko since, in the form of the SLA017 limited edition. But this 55th anniversary edition, dubbed the SLA037, is just a little different. The SLA017 is an exact re-creation, whereas the SLA037, released today, features a blue-grey dial and a new grade of stainless steel case that Seiko calls "Ever-Brilliant Steel," (more on that later). The watch also utilizes the 8L55 hi-beat caliber. On top of that, the iron dial increases the anti-magnetic resistance to 40,000 a/m. This might look like the SLA017 from 2017, but the specs have drastically improved.
In 1968, we saw the introduction of the 6159-7001, a totally serious dive watch that even featured top-loading architecture for increased water resistance. The 62MAS had kicked down the door in 1965, and then three years later, we saw a serious dive watch that even featured a hi-beat caliber. Now that watch is honored with the SLA039. Again, it looks similar to a re-issue that Seiko put out in 2018, the "1968 Automatic Diver’s Re-Creation" or SLA025, but like the 55th anniversary version of the 62MAS, there's plenty more than meets the eye. What does meet the eye is that deep blue-grey dial that visually ties together all three 55th anniversary watches, but we also get the inclusion of the 8L55 caliber and the new grade of stainless steel case that's essentially resistant to pitting and also has a distinctive "white" hue to it.
Lastly, the Tuna returns in brilliant form. Introduced in 1975, the 6159-7010 was Seiko's response to the problem of crystals popping out due to helium build-up in saturation diving environments. Such a unique problem required a unique approach, and the resulting watch was unlike any other on the market – instead of using a helium release valve, it had gaskets and seals that kept helium from getting in, in the first place. It had a whopping 600 meters of water resistance, and 20 patents were filed in association with its development. Now we have the SLA041 to honor the first Tuna, a watch that truly did "raise the bar" – and by "bar," I mean 58 bar (or 600 meters of water resistance). The SLA041 doesn't use the 8L55 the other watches in the trilogy use. Instead, it uses the 8L35, which has been proven in a number of contemporary Seiko divers. Its case is also titanium, like the original, but Ever-Brilliant Steel is used for the bezel.
Initial Thoughts
All of the watches that this new trilogy of watches pay respect to represent engineering-intensive horological innovations from a time when dive watches were more than just something to stare at between typing emails. For every watch, there's a legion of divers that truly depended on it. The Tuna, for instance, was specifically developed for offshore commercial divers. Sometimes, it feels like some of the Swiss brands send a junior marketing associate into the archives and tell them not to come out until they've found an obscure model that could be turned into a modern "homage" piece. We end up with re-creations of watches that weren't significant back in their time, and end up missing the mark in the modern era.
When it comes to the Seiko divers, this isn't quite the case. These are watches worth re-creating. And what's interesting is that all of these models have been re-created in one iteration or another over the last few years. It might seem redundant to release another re-creation of a watch that's been re-created before but I'd argue that there's enough value added by the new calibers and use of a new steel that it certainly warrants a new release. The 8L55 is essentially the same as Grand Seiko's lauded 9S85, so two of these watches are sort of a "watch hack" way to get a Grand Seiko movement. The prior re-creations were also limited editions, and this is essentially a second chance at scoring one of the heritage re-creations if you missed them the first time, except now you get a watch that's technically superior.
When it comes to any of Seiko's serious dive watches, I have a feeling that you'll find the #seikobois crew unequivocally welcoming of any new model that captures the spirit of the models from the '60s and '70s. What those watches represent is why we all fell in love with the brand in the first place.
The Basics
Brand: Seiko
Model: The 1965 Diver’s Re-creation, the 1968 Professional Diver’s 300m Re-creation, and the 1975 Professional Diver’s 600m Re-creation
Reference Number: SLA037, SLA039, SLA041
Diameter: 39.9mm(SLA037), 44.8mm(SLA039), 52.4mm (SLA041)
Thickness: 14.7mm(SLA037), 15.7mm(SLA039), 17.2mm (SLA041)
Case Material: Ever-Brilliant Steel (SLA037 and SLA039), Titanium w/ Ever-Brilliant Steel bezel(SLA041)
Dial Color: Blue-grey
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Lumibrite
Water Resistance: 200m(SLA037), 300m(SLA039), 1000m(SLA041)
Strap/Bracelet: Rubber strap, reminiscent of original designs
The Movement
Caliber: 8L55 ((SLA037 and SLA039), 8L35 (SLA041)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve: 55 Hours (8L55), 50 hours (8L35)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 5 Hz (36,000 vph) on the 8L55, 4 Hz (28,800 vph) on the 8L35
Jewels: 37 (8L55), 26 (8L35)
Pricing & Availability
Price: $6,300 (SLA037), $6,800 (SLA039), $4,500 (SLA041)
Availability: The 1965, 1968, and 1975 re-creations will be introduced in June, July, and August 2020 respectively. They will be available at select Seiko authorized dealers worldwide and the Seiko Boutique network.
Limited Edition: All three models are limited to 1,100 examples each.
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