Seiko Celebrates 60 Years of Dive Watches with New Prospex Models, Plus VANAC Returns

Anniversary and revival models are important in the business of timepieces because they help brands honour their past while re-introducing time-tested designs to younger generations. Celebrating milestones, such as a brand's inception or the release of a renowned model, promotes legacy and workmanship while establishing strong emotional connections with collectors and fans. Seiko’s latest releases perfectly encapsulate this philosophy behind anniversary and revival pieces that are frequently updated by brands with modern technology without compromising on their timeless aesthetics. 

Three new models have been added to the Prospex collection, namely Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional Seiko Diver's Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. SLA081), Seiko Prospex 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT Watch Seiko Diver's Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. SPB509), and Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch Seiko Diver’s Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. 511). The Japanese timepiece maker has also unveiled five models as part of its King Seiko VANAC collection: King Seiko VANAC (Ref. SLA083), (Ref. SLA085), and (Ref. SLA087), King Seiko VANAC Limited Edition (Ref. SLA089), and King Seiko VANAC Seiko Boutique Exclusive Edition (Ref. SLA091).

Seiko Prospex

The first watch in this lineup is Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional Seiko Diver's Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition. Limited to 600 pieces, this 45.5 mm watch has a titanium case with a super hard coating of stainless steel and a crown at 4 o’clock. Lumibrite can be found on the unidirectional black ceramic 60-minute bezel, dotted and rectangular hour markers, and hour, minute, and second hands. 

Sporting a date window at 3 o’clock, the watch features a new textured dial whose pattern evokes the magic of the deep sea. A thick, clear paint finishes the dial. Powering the watch is the new Caliber 8L45, incorporating Spron, Seiko’s proprietary alloy, designed for protection against rust, and wear and tear, ensuring resilience in harsh underwater conditions. A thinner, longer mainspring provides 72 hours of power reserve. 

In addition to its longer power reserve, Caliber 8L45 operates within a tolerance of +10 to -5 seconds per day. Turning the watch over showcases a closed caseback with an image of the sea, along with ‘LIMITED EDITION’ and the serial number out of 600 engraved on it. The watch is finished on a titanium bracelet with a super hard coating and a three-fold clasp with a push-button release, a secure lock, and a slide adjuster. This model has a 600-metre water resistance.

The next two novelties in this collection are SPB509 and SPB511. Limited to 6,000 pieces, the Seiko Prospex 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT Watch Seiko Diver's Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition (SPB509) has a 42 mm stainless steel case with a super hard coating and a crown at 4 o’clock. Lumibrite can be found on the unidirectional blue ceramic 60-minute bezel, dotted and rectangular hour markers, and hour, minute, and second hands.

This model has a yellow GMT hand for the second time zone. The GMT hand of the 509 variant can be set independently without interrupting the other hands. This blue-dialled version reflects the design of the 1968 diver’s watch, showcasing a blue wavy texture. Powering the watch is Caliber 6R54. The next model in the collection is the Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch Seiko Diver’s Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. 511). This model is the smallest in size (40 mm), compared with the novelties mentioned above. It also has a stainless steel case with a super-hard coating, but its crown is at 3 o’clock. Lumibrite is present on the unidirectional grey ceramic 60-minute bezel, rectangular hour markers, and hour, minute, and second hands. There is a date window at 4:30.

The silver wave-textured dial model pays homage to Seiko’s first diver’s watch from 1965. Equipped with Caliber 6R55, this watch is finished on a stainless steel bracelet with a super hard coating, accompanied by a three-fold clasp with a push-button release, a secure lock, and a slide adjuster. The movements of both the blue and silver models get a 72-hour power reserve. Turning both models over reveals closed casebacks, each with the image of the sea and the engraving of ‘LIMITED EDITION’ and the serial number out of 6000. Further, common to both models is a water resistance of 300 metres.

King Seiko VANAC

After more than 50 years since its launch in 1972, the King Seiko VANAC collection has been expanded with five new novelties. Their cases and dials are inspired by the ‘Tokyo horizon’, a vista whose rich expressions change depending on the time of the day; the collection has a bezel-less design. The 41 mm stainless steel watches have an array of dial colour options, namely purple (Ref. SLA083), navy blue (Ref. SL085), silver (Ref. SLA087), golden (Ref. SLA089), and ice blue (Ref. SLA091). The golden model, offered as a 700-piece limited edition, shares the theme of the ‘Tokyo sunrise’. The lettering on the dial and the King Seiko logo on the caseback look striking in a golden hue. The ice blue model is a boutique-exclusive timepiece that reflects a clear blue sky on a bright sunny day.

Each dial has a horizontal-stripe pattern and each hour marker has a dodecagonal ring that is embedded in its surface. The 12 o’clock index and the counterweight on the second hand display the impressive silhouette of the letter, ‘V’, indicating the first letter of the series' name. All models have a framed date window at 3 o’clock. Lumibrite coating can be found on the hour markers, and hour, minute, and second hands. 

Powering the collection is Caliber 8L45 with a power reserve of 72 hours, courtesy of an improved mainspring; it has an accuracy of +10 to -5 seconds per day. The movement can be fully seen through the sapphire crystal caseback of each watch. The stainless steel bracelet accompanying each piece has been developed through a combination of links with mirror and hairline finishing.