A Deep Dive into the Seiko Prospex Black Series for 2022

Shrouded in a high-impact black aesthetic, Seiko extends its Black Series dive watch collection with four new and innovative dive watches for exploring daring underwater depths at night.

Four new blacked-out dive watches join Seiko’s Black Series. The Japanese watch manufacturer has been committed to designing black dive watches recently, with models from the Seiko 5 Sports series as well as the popular “Turtle” series. With a strong deep-sea theme, these four new Seiko Prospex Black Series watches are inspired by the sea at night and reinterpret key dive watches from the brand’s past - the 1965, 1968 and 1970.

Those who regularly take to the water will appreciate that the ocean looks completely different at night. Although daunting to some, many expert divers are fascinated by the mysteriousness of the vast sea at night and how diving in it during the darkest hours can provide a truly unique experience compared to exploring the ocean during the day. The four new additions to the Black Series collection are; the Seiko Prospex SPB253J1, the Seiko Prospex SPB255J1, the Seiko Prospex SPB257J1 and the Seiko Prospex SLA061J1. Each model with a stealthy black and orange colourway is intended to evoke the mystery and adventurous spirit of nighttime diving. The all-black case of each model expresses the silence and depth of the deep ocean in the dark, whilst the orange accents are inspired by illuminating lights that help a diver navigate his way underwater.

Three of the new models; the SPB253J1 (the Seiko Prospex 1965 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch), the SPB255J1 (the Seiko Prospex 1968 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch), and the SPB257J1 (the Seiko Prospex 1970s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch) are all limited to 5,500 pieces worldwide and come fitted on a polyester band and an additional silicone strap. The SLA061J1 (the Seiko Prospex 1970’s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch) is limited to just 1000 pieces worldwide and comes fitted on a bracelet crafted from stainless steel with a black hard coating and an additional silicone strap, as well as being powered by a different movement specifically developed for the Seiko’s line of dive tool watches. Let’s take a look at all four models in a little more detail…

The Seiko Prospex Black Series 1965 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch ref. SPB253J1

There are some key features to point out about these new Seiko Prospex Black Series watches. In addition to a useful 70-hour power reserve thanks to one of the Japanese brand’s own in-house manufactured movements, the watches also offer many dive-friendly features like a legible dial and bezel in black with vibrant orange accents. Lumibrite material assists with timekeeping underwater, illuminating the key features of the dial in a vivid cool blue colour. The fabric strap is designed to dry easily and quickly once out of the water, leaving you to enjoy the Seiko Prospex watch on dry land too. Its enhanced strength and resistance are owed to a traditional braiding technique from Japan called Seichu. It resists degradation caused by exposure to sunlight and helps meet the needs of those wearing the Seiko Prospex diver’s watch. To help transform the look of the watch on the wrist, the wearer has the opportunity to switch the fabric strap over to a matching black silicon one. Sporty and supple, the rubber band gives this 1965 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch a young and dynamic edge but remains incredibly comfortable for wearing all day and night.

This 40.5mm model ref. SPB253J1 is inspired by Seiko’s first diver’s watch in the year 1965. Its clean, squared-off skin diver-style lugs and broad, radially brushed bezel insert are just two practical elements to the design that simultaneously give it a distinct look. The brushed surfaces are kept true to the original design that inspired all three of these new watches from the Black Series, whilst any polished areas are replaced with a matte finish. The Seiko-style diving scale on this SPB253J1 watch is split between grey and a signal orange colour. The original Seiko 1965 Mechanical Diver’s watch proved its capability with a trip to Antarctica back in 1965, where it survived its harsh environment and extreme weather conditions with ease. Today, Seiko packs the new Prospex 1965 Mechanical Diver’s Modern re-interpretation with plenty of new and improved technological features including its slim profile and case designed with a low centre of gravity.

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

Turning to a more sharply bevelled appearance, the 42.5mm Seiko Prospex SPB255J1 is, as its name suggests, a reinterpretation of the brand’s original 1968 Mechanical Diver’s watch. It has angular style lugs and case sides that are flanked with a screw-down crown at the 4 o’clock position. With its 10-beat automatic movement and impressive 300-meter water resistance, the original 1968 Mechanical Diver’s watch created shock waves throughout the watch industry when Seiko released this hardy and incredibly robust dive tool. Its sharp and powerful aesthetic is retained in this newer model, adopting a now smaller size of 42mm.

The watch, as with the other three 5,500-limited-edition versions, is crafted from stainless steel with a black hard coating. It also features 200-meter water resistance, a black dial with Lumibrite indexes and hands, a curved sapphire crystal glass front with anti-reflective coating, a date window at 3 o’clock and the first 20 minutes against its unidirectional rotating bezel marked in orange. The minute hand is also coated in the same vibrant orange shade. Limited edition lettering and numbering is engraved onto the back of all three of these Seiko Prospex Mechanical Diver’s watches, and each watch is also equipped with a screw-down crown and caseback.

The Seiko Prospex 1970s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch ref. SPB257J1

The Seiko SPB257J1 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation is a 42.7mm dive watch recreated from the earlier 1970 original. It has an instantly recognisable cushion-shaped case crafted from black hard-coated stainless steel and is powered by the same movement as its two new siblings. The automatic Calibre 6R35 comprises the bi-directional Magic Lever component, along with 24 jewels and a power reserve of 70 hours. It features a stop second hand function, central hours and minutes, and a date feature.  The watch features an anti-reflective coating on the inside of its curved sapphire crystal glass front and a lollipop style central second with an orange pip. The crown in this design is integrated into the cushion-shaped profile of the case for a smoother, flowing look. The original 1970s watch was worn by adventurer Naomi Uemura between 1974 to 1976 when he completed a 12,500km solo dog-sledge run from Greenland to Alaska. Its water resistance has since been increased from 150 meters to 200 meters.

The Seiko Prospex 1970’s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch ref. SLA061J1

The Seiko SLA061J1 1970’s Mechanical Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation watch is limited to just 1000 pieces and differs from the other three models in quite a few ways. Firstly, its eye-catching surface texture applied to the dial reflects the texture of sand on the sea bed. The central orange second hand takes on a different shape and the date window is located at 4:30. One of the key selling points to the original Seiko 1970 Mechanical Diver’s watch was its robust and hard-wearing case with an asymmetrical extension that accommodated space for the crown at 4 o’clock. The sides of the case are polished in this new design and the watch is fitted in a sleek and stylish black hard-coated stainless steel bracelet that secures with a robust folding clasp. A black silicone strap is also offered with this new design, perfect for alternating the style of the watch depending on the occasion or the attire in question. Inside the strong case of this new limited edition Prospex Black Series watch by Seiko is the automatic Caliber 8L35, which has been designed especially for the brand’s diving watches in Shizukuishi Watch Studio in northern Japan. It comprises 26 jewels, beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a 50-hour power reserve. The model’s unidirectional rotating bezel shows no orange in this design. Its black aesthetic contributes to a sleek black dial with Lumibrite hands and indexes. Only the second hand and “Diver’s 200M” lettering is sported in orange.

If you’d like more information on these four new Seiko Prospex diver’s watches from the Black Series, you can check out the range here, or call and speak to a member of our sales team on 01335 453453