Reviewing the Seiko Prospex Black Series 1968 Mechanical Divers Watch

This limited edition watch of 5,500 pieces is part of a set of four new Black Series watches released under the Seiko Prospex name – designed in honour of some of Seiko’s most famous vintage Dive watches. 

It was in 1968 that Seiko raised the bar with its mechanical dive watches. Following in the footsteps of the Japanese brand’s first waterproof mechanical watch in 1965 – the 62MAS (or Reference 6217-800x) with 150-meter water resistance – a new watch arrived. It had been equipped with a Hi-Beat movement and promised an improved 300-meter water resistance. The ref. 6159-700x was the first time that Seiko had fitted a 10-beat high-precision automatic calibre inside a dive watch. In addition to this, it featured a one-piece case structure like its 1967 predecessor, the ref. 6215-7000. For the model's 50th anniversary – Seiko released a 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch. The limited edition of just 1,500 pieces mirrored its striking 4 o’clock crown. The original watch has a sharp and angular design, exuding a sense of power and masculinity. Now it is time for Seiko to re-launch the watch once again – this time following the design codes of its Black Series range – a family of blacked-out models that take inspiration from the mysteriousness and fascination of underwater exploration at night.

Many divers share an appreciation for the ocean at night. The vast waters and immense depth of the ocean appear completely different at night compared to the sea in the day. The black case of the new Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch is designed to reflect the darkness and silence of the ocean, whilst its vivid orange accents represent the professional underwater lighting equipment that guides the way for the diver. Some of the attributes of the new Black Series Limited Edition Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch include;

• Lumibrite accents – designed to enhance readability whilst under dark and daring depths of water
• A unidirectional rotating bezel designed to rotate only in the counterclockwise direction to ensure dive time can never be accidentally extended
• The Calibre 6R35 – a manual and automatic winding movement that produces an impressive 70 hours of power reserve
• A traditionally crafted fabric strap – crafted from a traditional braiding technique from Japan called Seichu. The robust, thick and durable strap offers improved resistance to colour fading and saltwater damage.

The new Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch ref. SPB255J1

The new Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch is an all-black design crafted from stainless steel with a black hard coating. Its sleek persona enhances robustness and reflects the blackness of the ocean at night. Belonging to the Black Series range, it features a 42mm diameter and is integrated with 200-meter water resistance. Its curved sapphire crystal glass front has received a layer of anti-reflective treatment upon its inner surface, granting a clear view into the dial at a glance, day or night. The new Seiko Prospex dive watch also measures a depth of 12.5mm and features an unprotected screw-down crown at 4 o’clock adorned with the Seiko logo and an easy-grip structure.

Inside the durable and hard-wearing black case of this steel Seiko Prospex Black Series 1968 limited edition watch is the Calibre 6R35, which provides a 70-hour power reserve and beats at a rhythm of 21,600 vibrations per hour. It belongs to the high-performance 6R series and features a bi-directional Magic Lever.

The rich black dial of the new Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Re-interpretation watch ref. SPB255J1 is punctuated by an orange minute hand and a lollipop style second hand. The date resides at 3 o’clock, dressed against a white background, whilst the hour track is represented in circular and rectangular-shaped hour markers treated with Lumibrite. The central hour hand is also luminous under dark conditions. The dial is surrounded by a unidirectional rotating black bezel with grey 60-minute markers – the first 20 minutes of which are represented in orange.

One key feature of the new Seiko Prospex 1970 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch is its specially woven polyester strap. The bands that have been fitted to all three of the Mechanical Diver’s Black Series watches with orange and black bezels capitalize on traditional Japanese craftsmanship with a special braiding process named Seichu. Although NATO-inspired, these material straps take on a new aesthetic against the vintage-inspired feel of these watches and are particularly resistant.

The straps are crafted in a similar way to “obijime” – a technique used to craft the decorative cord that holds a Kimono sash in place. With their tensile strength, these straps exude a true Japanese style and are nearly four times stronger than standard Seiko fabric straps. What makes them particularly useful on this vintage-inspired 1968 Seiko Prospex watch is the fact that they’re particularly resistant to the degradation caused by saltwater. They’re also fade-resistant, so whether you’re wearing the watch for nighttime diving or not, the appearance of the ultra-strong strap will preserve the youthful look of this blacked-out watch, making it an ideal companion for wearing on vacation. Also, visually striking and thick to the touch, these special Seiko polyester straps are incredibly supple, optimizing comfort on the wrist. The watch is also supplied with an additional black silicone strap that dries easily and quickly when in and out of the water.

If you’d like more information on the new Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch, you can check the details out here or call and speak to a member of our sales team at Jura Watches on 01335 453453

Technical specifications of the Seiko Prospex Black Series 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch ref. SPB255J1

• Case: 42mm – height: 12.5mm – stainless steel – black hard coating – 200-meter water resistance – specially engraved caseback with limited edition number – anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass front – unidirectional rotating bezel with grey and orange indexes – screw-down crown at 4 o’clock
• Dial: Black – luminous circular and rectangular-shaped hour markers – hour hand treated with Lumibrite – orange minute hand – date window at 3 o’clock – lollipop second hand with orange pip
• Movement: - Calibre 6R35 - automatic and manual winding – 70-hour power reserve - belonging to the high-performance 6R series – 21,600 vph – 70-hour power reserve – bidirectional Magic Lever
• Strap: Polyester strap – crafted using the Seichu technique – improved resistance to fading and saltwater damage – tough and thick structure – supple and comfortable design – black hard-coated stainless steel fastening – additional black silicone strap
• Reference: SPB255J1
• Price: £1,080
• Availability: Limited to 5,500 pieces worldwide