The New Seiko Black Series Tuna Limited Edition

The limited-to-5000-pieces Seiko Tuna watch ref: SNE577P1 from the new Black Series tribology features a sleek black hardened 46.7mm stainless steel case and is powered by solar energy.

Navigating your way around the deep ocean at night – you may as well do it blindfolded. When the night sky blankets the ocean, the entire marine universe can appear entirely daunting. The abyss – an impossible infinity. A black hole of nothingness. That is unless you have the right equipment. And you’d have to be pretty insane to attempt to even swim in the sea at night let alone try to explore it with super-human night vision. But computerised diving technology enables us to gauge how far down we can go until the conditions become life-threatening and diving torches light the way when we need to see equipment, obstacles or marine life. But what if we had a tool that kept accurate time, appeared legible under dark conditions and glowed almost torch-bright? The Seiko Black Series is a line of entirely black saturation dive watches that capture the mystery and dramatic depth of the ocean, and what they lack in colour they really do make up for on a functionality level.

Seiko certainly knows how to make a black watch look cool. Night diving is arguably one of the most terrifying pursuits known to man and the new Seiko Black series captures the stealth of the darkness and the intuition and confidence needed to venture deep into the unknown. The Seiko Tuna watch has a case shape that devoted enthusiasts insist wears really well on the wrist. In addition to this, the collection’s steady stream of case sizes, colourways and movements have entrapped many a dive watch fan. The new Seiko Black Series Tuna watch ref; SNE577P1 shares some characteristics of the standard Tuna watches but is limited to 5000 pieces worldwide. Belonging to the trio of new releases launched by Seiko, the Tuna Black Series watch is inspired by the mysteriousness of deep-sea diving at night and features visible orange elements that promote legibility underwater.

7 years and 20 patents later…

The first Tuna watch was developed by Seiko in 1975 in response to a complaint received by a diver who stated that the pre-Tuna model he was wearing was simply not robust enough to withstand exposure to water pressure. Developed for saturation diving, the Tuna watch featured a helium escape valve that would release helium through special valves to prevent the crystal glass from cracking under pressure. Despite taking a total of 7 years to develop, 20 patents later and the first Seiko Tuna watch was ready for use. It was the first to feature a titanium monocoque case, the first to offer a vented rubber strap and the first to feature an L-shaped gasket.

The case that looks like a tuna can

The new Seiko Black Series Tuna Limited Edition watch is crafted from stainless steel and treated with a hardened black coating to enhance strength and robustness underwater. The orange accents on the dial of the watch mirror the orange light used by diving lamps underwater. This colour is seen in the central minute hand, carved into an arrow-shaped tip, and the hour track, represented by circular markers and a triangular 12 o’clock index. The bold shape of the Tuna watch case takes its name from the size and shape of a tuna can and protects a solar-powered quartz movement at its centre. The movement, as its name suggests, is charged by natural and electrical light.

Designed for active individuals and those who frequently take part in extreme sports and activities – the case of the Seiko Black Series Tuna Limited Edition watch is 200-meter water-resistant and sealed with a hardlex crystal glass front. The crystal glass protects the dial from scratches, dust, light, heat and moisture damage but also promises the wearer a glare-free view into the dial at any point during the day or night.

“A dive watch on steroids”

The Tuna Limited Edition watch from Seiko’s Black Series collection is a saturation dive watch on steroids. Its bold and dynamic case dominates the wrist with a confident 46.7mm case width and comes fitted on a black silicone strap. A unidirectional rotating bezel surrounds the black dial of this new Seiko Tuna watch, enabling for effortless measuring of elapsed time underwater. The luminescent treatment (named LumiBrite) applied to the hands and the hours of this dive watch plays an integral role in how the watch functions underwater. Towards the bottom of the dial, the “Solar Diver’s 200m” lettering can be seen against a rich black dial, balanced by the Seiko name emblazoned onto the surface of the dial under the 12 o’clock position.

As with most quality dive watches on the market today, the crown on the new Seiko Black Series Tuna Limited Edition watch is screwed down – a useful feature for professional and amateur divers. Considered common practice for Seiko specialists, the crown not only prevents water ingress but ensures the wearer doesn’t need to keep checking his watch continually.

Whether drawn to the Black Series Tuna watch because of its limited availability or looking to test the watch’s innovative dive features out yourself, the model is sure to impress with its solar-powered quartz technology and its powerful, bold case design. For more information on the watch or to pre-order a piece today, please call our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453

Technical specifications of the Seiko Black Series Tuna Limited Edition watch

• Case: Stainless steel – black hard-coated – 46.7mm width – unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute dive scale – 200-meter water resistance – hardlex glass front
• Dial: Black – orange minute hand – orange coloured LumiBrite hour markers and hands – date window at 4 o’clock
• Movement: Solar-powered quartz – charges via sunlight and artificial light
• Strap: Black silicone rubber strap
• Availability: Limited to 5000 pieces worldwide
• Reference; SNE577P1
• Price: £420