Seiko

Prospex Watches

Watches have always provided significant value to our history of humankind. Japan has always led the watchmaking industry worldwide with its signature design, innovation, and incredible value for the price. Seiko remains one of the best among Japanese manufacturers, the highlight of them being the Seiko Prospex series.

The Seiko Prospex series does not only stand for an excellent collection of diver watches, but a collection that has top-quality construction, precise and accurate mechanical or quartz movement, and a timeless appeal. You can pair a Prospex series watch with almost anything and in any situation, making them an ideal choice for everyday errands to professional-level sea explorations. Before we head to the Seiko Prospex series, let’s get down to the history and legacy of one of the best watchmakers ever. 

Over a hundred years, Seiko has manufactured hundreds of models. While some watches have gained 'legendary' status and thus became rare, many have gained dependency for their unbeatable value among commoners.

The journey of Seiko started 140 years ago, in 1881. The idea behind the company was of Kintaro Hattori’s, a 21-year-old entrepreneur. He opened a watch selling and repairing shop in the Ginza area of the city of Tokyo.

In 1965, they launched their first diver’s watch, which was also Japan’s first. The automatic watch had a 150meter water resistance. This series later evolved into the Prospex lineup.

Later in 1975, Seiko introduced the world's first diver's watch from the Prospex series again with a titanium case, the most water-resistant watch, up to 600m. Later in 1986, they introduced another model of the diver series with a ceramic casing. That watch could withstand the water pressure up to 1000m.

When people all over the world got interested in scuba diving, watch companies emphasized producing diver's watches. The reason behind that was that professional divers were on a mission to challenge the previous diving records by beating them. Hence, the need for a tough diver's watch was elementary. Seiko's diver-style mechanical watches were an answer to other European watchmakers like Rolex and Omega. These robust, advanced automatic watches constitute the Prospex series, which stood for 'Professional Specifications.’

The watches do best what other professional diver's watches can. To keep up with the European counterparts, the Seiko Prospex series changed the game of deep-sea diving by introducing the first 150m diver's watch in 1965. By that, Seiko Prospex pioneered the way we look at divers' watches today.

The company also released even higher-end versions of their divers' watches, with water-resisting capabilities of 200m, 300m, 600m, and eventually an incredible 1000m.

Although the divers' watches fall under the Prospex series, there are plenty of non-diver's watches too, which offer unmatched efficiency and top-quality construction. Moreover, the series offers some cheaper quartz movements, also capable of deep-sea diving.

The Prospex series is also the first to offer a diver's watch consisting of both analog-digital display features. Modern functionalities like stopwatch, chronograph, and the elapsed time feature are some of the best in the watch industry. The Prospex diver series also remains to be the only one that offers a titanium casing instead of steel for increased durability and tensile strength. The titanium casing with a ceramic outer shell can endure almost any level of water pressure. The one-piece construction of the watches is among the finest in watchmaking history, if not the finest.

The series has a lot to offer, ranging in different price segments.

1. Prospex Alpinist ‘Ginza’ 140th Anniversary

This is a limited edition watch from the collection. The watch sports a stainless-steel case; a hard, sapphire crystal glass protects the front. Besides, it has an automatic movement with a manual winding facility that has 24 jewels. The watch looks fantastic with its blue dial. It comes with a stainless-steel strap that keeps the watch tightly in place. Lastly, the watch has a 200m water resistance. The mechanical movement comes with 70hrs power reserve. It has a date display.

2. Prospex Speedtimer 1964 Edition Chronograph

It is a limited edition classic from Seiko with a chronograph. This watch sports a stainless-steel case with hard coating; a sapphire crystal glass protects the dial and provides a clear view. The mechanical movement comes with a manual winding feature. The white dial comes with a silver coating, and a stainless-steel strap secures the watch with your wrist. Finally, the watch has 100m water resistance to keep your watch safe from splashes and mild water activities.

With a 45-hour power reserve, you need to wind the watch every two days. A date display, a stop second-hand function, and 34 jewels are some of the watch's features.

3. Prospex ‘Alpinist’ 1959 Re-interpretation

Another classic, limited edition from the Prospex series. A stainless-steel case makes the watch very durable. The sapphire crystal glass provides great scratch-resistance and clear views. An automatic movement with manual winding makes the watch super-accurate. The hands and indices remain clearly visible for its cream-colored dial, and a steel bracelet is enough to keep the watch secure. The watch is suitable for swimming and water sports, thanks to a 200m water resistance.

The watch comes with a 70hr power reserve, 24 jewels, and LumiBrite coating for enhanced visibility during the dark and deep water.

4. Prospex Compact Solar Scuba Diver

A unique combination of toughness and technology. The case is made of stainless-steel, and hardened sapphire crystal glass provides superior scratch resistance. The watch sports a solar movement, so it doesn't need winding. The dial color is black, and it comes with a stainless-steel bracelet for increased durability. A 200m water resistance provides you with enough room for water activities.

The watch has overcharge prevention which protects the battery. Also, the date display and a unidirectional rotating bezel are some of the best features of the watch. 

5. Prospex limited edition 1986 Diver’s Automatic

Nicknamed the 'Emperor Tuna', this watch is at the pinnacle of this series. The Emperor Tuna sports a titanium case with ceramic coating, making it the most rigid diver watch in history. The hardened sapphire crystal glass gives the watch outstanding scratch resistance while providing a clear view of the dial. The watch runs on automatic movement with a manual winding facility. It comes with a silicone strap, providing maximum grip and strength. Finally, the watch has a 1000m water resistance which is the highest among all diver watches globally, more than enough to dive in record depths of the sea.  

The watch sports a one-piece structure, 26 jewels, a unidirectional rotator bezel, and a screwed-down crown to comply with international standards. Moreover, the LumiBrite coating on hands and indices provide a clear view of the time even in the pitch dark.

Seiko has been the leader in manufacturing quartz and mechanical movements, and their Propsex series serve justice to their name. If you want to look at some of the world's finest automatic movement diver's watches at comparatively affordable prices, Prospex is your best bet.