The New Blue Seiko Prospex Limited Edition 1965 Recreation “Blue Island” Watch

Looking for a new dive watch this summer? Own one of the 100 limited edition Seiko Prospex 1965 Recreation Island Blue watches – exclusive to European customers here at Jura Watches!

Fact – diving in the Ionian islands is an absolute dream. The 20-something little islands, just off the Western coast of Greece include Meganisi, Ithaca, Aotokos, Lefkas, Kefalonia, Kastos and Zante. They boast clear blue waters, and breathtaking scenery and are abundant in marine life, which makes these conditions perfect for keen divers and swimmers. The Ionian Islands offer plenty to explore, including caves, rocks and reefs. Visibility can even reach over 30 meters and the sea floor can stretch down to 4,000 meters. Upon diving there, you may encounter unique marine species, Mediterranean reefs, and World War II wrecks, but you’ll need a trusty dive watch on your wrist. Something like the Seiko Prospex Limited Edition 1965 Recreation in Graduation Island Blue.

Watches don’t come with more appealing names than “Island Blue”, and that’s exactly what this Seiko Prospex watch does. It captures the Mediterranean blue hues of the waters surrounding the Ionian Islands, which have been a hotspot for diving enthusiasts for many years. The watch in question, released by the famous Japanese brand, echoes an important watch developed in 1965 – Seiko’s first-ever dive watch. It’s not the first watch to do so. Seiko has released several “1965 Recreation” watches over the past few years – each one serving to capture the profile, dimensions and capability of this first dive watch, yet none so beautiful as the Graduation Island Blue iteration. This reference SPB473 has only been made available to European customers and is exclusive to just 1000 pieces worldwide. Intrigued? Read on.

The Seiko Prospex – A Beacon of Excellence

Jura Watches is proud to announce the arrival of this European special – a Seiko watch from the Prospex series that is not only limited to 1000 pieces but is also exclusive to European stockists. The Prospex series itself is special. It’s one of the manufacturer’s most popular sports watches. The Prospex is a beacon of excellence that serves as a reminder of just how far the Japanese watchmaker has come.

The brand has continually pushed the boundaries of innovation with the Prospex watch collection, exploring its illustrious past and paying homage to watches of bygone era. Seiko’s first dive watch was water resistant to 150 meters and was quickly followed by a successor. Seiko seized the opportunity to create a watch with better water resistance that could assist deep sea divers with a detailed and reliable underwater tool. From there onwards, Seiko’s dive watch manufacturing journey took off, with models boasting a capability of 600-meter water resistance, as well as lightweight, shock-resistant, titanium cases and corrosion-resistant models.

Seiko’s New Blue

Seiko likes using the colour blue. A quick glance through its catalogue will show you several blue-coloured Prospex dive watches sporting the colour. The brand has experimented with many shades, including the rich blue hues of the model reference SPB451J1, named “Scuba Blue”. The new shade of blue used in this SPB473 reference, however, is an entirely new shade that evokes the aquamarine hues of the Mediterranean, but with an entrancing gradient effect. The nuances are captivating. Light dances across this dial, picking up the various shades of colour underneath a handset and hour track that is razor-sharp for added clarity. Of course, the original 1965 diver’s watch marked the beginning of Seiko’s career in manufacturing dive tools, but the SPB473 certainly carves a path to the future, featuring all the hallmarks you’d expect of any reliable dive watch from the Japanese giant.

The Spec List for the New Seiko Prospex SPB473

The Seiko Prospex Limited Edition 1965 Recreation watch in Graduation Island Blue is expected to sell out fast, with European stockists all waiting in line for their allocation of this very special piece. Amongst them is Jura Watches, of course – a longstanding official stockist of the brand, offering one of the most impressive and diverse Seiko watch collections in the country. Our specialist sales team have had a chance to get the first glimpse and hands-on experience with this timepiece and can vouch for its striking aesthetics and captivating Ionian-inspired charm. I particularly love how the watch manages to capture the light blue waters and white sandy beaches of the Ionian Islands in very few ways. This is still a staple Prospex watch, but its blended colour dial, enhanced under the lens of a clear sapphire crystal glass front, gives this watch a completely unique appeal while remaining simple.

The Seiko Prospex SPB473 is crafted from stainless steel and measures 41mm in diameter. It sits at a height of 13mm. Its lug width measures 20mm, making it an easy option for finding alternative straps for. This is an automatic-powered watch that takes the 6R35 engine – a self-winding calibre with 70 hours of power reserve to offer. Its 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel is filled with aluminium in a striking dark navy-blue colour to complement the gradient-effect shades of blue seen in the dial. Other features of the case include a screw-down crown stamped with the iconic Seiko logo, an engraved caseback, and 200-meter water resistance for plenty of underwater exploration.

The new Seiko 1965 Recreation Island Blue Prospex watch comes fitted on a stainless steel bracelet with brushed elements that match the finish of the case. The bracelet also features an extension facility that allows for the bracelet to be secured over the top of heavy diving gear when required. The curved sapphire crystal glass front gives way to captivating blue tones that begin as an aquamarine shade at the top and gradually transcend into deeper ocean-blue colours towards the south of the dial. This, by far, is the talking point of the entire design. As one would expect, you get the date window at 3 o’clock, a set of baton-type hour markers and a set of legible central hands. All of these features, bar the second hand, have received a generous coating of Lumibrite material to assist with timekeeping at night.

To add to the versatility of the new Seiko Prospex Limited Edition 1965 Recreation Island Blue watch, it also comes with an additional white silicone strap – a superb choice for the summer months.

If you’d like more information on the new Island Blue Seiko Prospex SPB473, call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 or email us at help@jurawatches.co.uk