Seiko's diver's watch had a major impact on the modern diver's watch. Its humble beginnings led to its evolution into the 600m diver, arguably the world's best diver at the time, ten years later in 1975. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the release of the first model in 1965. To commemorate this, Seiko has revived three historic models in the diver's watch series as a "trilogy."
Interview and text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
Seiko Diver's 55th Anniversary 1965-1975 Trilogy
Seiko's diver's watch celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2020. The first model was the 62MAS-010, known as the "150m Diver" with a screw-down case back. Released in 1965, this was more of a sports watch with enhanced water resistance than a diver's watch, but just two years later it was redesigned as the "300m Diver," with the appearance of a full-fledged diver's watch. In 1968, this model was equipped with the caliber 6159, which beats at 36,000 vph, marking the completion of the watch as a diver's watch for air diving.
Reference 6159-022. Japan's first saturation diving model. While following the case structure of the 6215-010 and 6159-010, it achieved 600m water resistance by incorporating 23 exterior patents. This standard had a major impact on JIS and ISO diver's watch standards. Automatic (Cal. 6159). 25 jewels. 36,000 vph. Titanium with ceramic coating. 600m water resistance (at the time).
Ref.6159-010. A professional model that improved on the 6215-010 released in 1967. Released with a one-piece case and a
It boasted a water resistance of 300m with a Yonet-style fixed glass structure and a twin-shield screw-down crown. The movement was equipped with an automatic winding mechanism at 36,000 vph. Automatic winding (Cal. 6159). 25 jewels. 36,000 vph. Water resistance of 300m (at the time).
Ref. 62MAS-010. Seiko's first diver's watch, developed by Suwa Seikosha (now Seiko Epson). Its airtight case made it water-resistant to 150m, but it differed from modern diver's watches in that it had a bidirectional rotating bezel and a non-screw crown. Automatic (Cal. 6217). 17 jewels. 18,000 vph. Stainless steel. Water-resistant to 150m (at the time).
Seiko completed its first saturation diver's watch in 75. After receiving a letter from a diver working in ocean development stating that 300m water resistance was useless, Hattori Watch Shop (now Seiko Watch) embarked on the development of a completely new diver's watch. The result was the "600m Diver" with a titanium and ceramic exterior. It featured an L-shaped gasket that dramatically improved airtightness and watertightness, NBW luminous material that was 10 times brighter than existing luminous materials, a stretchable rubber strap that could be worn over a wetsuit, and an outer case that would not damage the case. Suwa Seikosha (now Seiko Epson), which was involved in the development, submitted these requirements as JIS standards, which would later have a major influence on ISO diver's watch standards. The 600m Diver can be considered the ancestor of the modern diver's watch.
Since then, Seiko has made excellent diver's watches for professionals, but at the same time, they have not forgotten their past. In 2000, the company reissued the classic 600m diver, and in 17 revived the 1965 150m diver (with improved water resistance to 200m), and in 2018 revived the 1968 300m diver.
Now, in 2020, marking the 55th anniversary of the birth of the diver's watch, Seiko has re-released these three historic watches as a "trilogy." While they look almost identical to the previous reissues, none of them are rehashes of past models. As proof of this, the English description reads "re-creation" rather than "re-edition." Some of the movements have been upgraded to a higher frequency, and some of the cases are made of "Ever Brilliant Steel," a highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The dials are a unique blue-gray, neither black nor blue. The texture of the dials and reinforced silicone straps has also been further improved.
The Trilogy Collection is a fitting addition to the 55th anniversary of diver's watches. From the next page onwards, we will take a look at its origins and each individual model.
People who carry on the heritage of Japanese divers
The 2020 "trilogy" diver's watch was born from a previous reissue. However, this is no mere revival model. While the appearance is faithful to each original model, like all Seiko diver's watches, it also has the performance to withstand practical use. Three key people involved in the development explain the approach to the exterior that made this combination possible.
The "Trilogy" is a reissue of the 1965, 68, and 75 models. The Trilogy further emphasizes Seiko's recent preference for combining classic looks with the latest specifications.
The case material has been changed from stainless steel SUS316L to the highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel "Ever Brilliant Steel" (used for the bezel of the "1000m Diver"), and the movement of the "200m Diver" has been changed to the high-frequency version of the 8L55. The 1000m Diver, a reissue of the 600m Diver, also has an inner soft iron case added to the case, improving magnetic resistance to 4 A/m.
The three people involved in developing the exterior were Yasunori Hara, Yuki Bito, and Masahiko Kamata of Seiko Watch Co., Ltd. Hara, who was in charge of the material, explained the key material, Ever Brilliant Steel, as follows:
"We began looking into highly corrosion-resistant materials around 2017. After testing several materials, we decided that EverbrilliantSteel was the most suitable for the exterior of a luxury watch." The PREN (Pitting Corrosion Resistance Index) is a standard used to measure the rust resistance of stainless steel. This is an index showing corrosion resistance to chloride ions, which are the biggest problem in stainless steel corrosion. The PREN of standard SUS316L is 24. In comparison, EverbrilliantSteel is over 40. A PREN of 40 or higher is what the steel industry calls super stainless steel. As far as I know, it has never been used in the watch industry.
"This material was originally designed for harsh environments, such as those used in marine structures and chemical and food plants. It was known to have high corrosion resistance, but it wasn't suitable for use in accessories like watches," says Hara.
Steel used in structures and other applications is essentially required only for its performance. Its polished appearance is not a problem, so a few inclusions are not a problem. However, this is precisely why it is not suitable for luxury watch cases. Furthermore, because it is intended for structural use, manufacturers were not able to produce small lots of watch cases. Even if they were able to accommodate small-lot production, there would be a large variation in quality. This is why watch manufacturers were hesitant to adopt the new stainless steel. Seiko, on the other hand, held repeated discussions and requested a custom-made process. As a result, they were able to secure material with few inclusions even in small lots, and also to forge the cases.
"One of the reasons why watch manufacturers did not use super stainless steel for case materials was that it was difficult to cut. However, by modifying the material itself, we were able to achieve both forging and cutting," says Hara.
The basic design of the Trilogy follows that of existing reproductions, but its details are meticulous, reflecting its 55-year history. For example, the waterproof gasket that secures the crystal. If left as is, the gasket would be noticeable and the watch would look modern. Mr. Bitou's skill allowed him to hide the gasket and make it look just like the original. The indexes are embossed by pressing, so they will never come off even if subjected to a strong impact. Although this now costs more to manufacture than applied parts made from separate components, Seiko has chosen to continue this tradition.
This trilogy shows an extraordinary level of perfection, and represents the history that Seiko has built up over more than half a century.
Taking on the challenge of new material "Ever Brilliant Steel"
"Ever Brilliant Steel" has excellent corrosion resistance. There is a reason why this material was used for the first time in this "Trilogy" model. Not only is it resistant to rust, but its texture is different from that of previous stainless steels. The planners and designers of Trilogy were captivated by this material and accelerated the creation of a diver's watch that appeals to an unprecedented sense.
Seiko Prospex is a brand that symbolizes Seiko sports and achieved global brand status in 2015. Its core diver's collection underwent a major change in direction on the occasion of its 55th anniversary. For a long time, Seiko had focused its technological advances on improving the performance of its diver's watches, but Hideaki Kato, who is involved in the planning of Prospex, wanted to create a diver's watch that would appeal to the senses. His aim was to "appeal to new users the tradition of Seiko diver's watches."
The man in charge of redesigning the "Trilogy" is the talented Takumi Kishino. Having worked on designs for overseas-exclusive models, he joined Prospex as a director in 18. How could the distinctive diver's watch feel and texture that appeals to the senses that Seiko has cultivated be conveyed to new users? After much discussion, the planning and design team decided on a neutral blue-gray color for the dial. This color certainly has the tool-like feel of a diver's watch, and is in line with current trends.
As the Trilogy project progressed, Kato's eyes fell on a new material that was under development at the time: Ever Brilliant Steel. This highly corrosion-resistant material was perfect for a new diver's watch. In addition, the white color of this new material fascinated the two. Although it was difficult to process, the Trilogy concept would not have been complete without this material. "We were amazed when we saw the prototype. If we could make the case this white, we decided to go with a blue-gray dial," said Kato. After seeing the material, Kishino decided on a dial design that was "somewhere between matte and sexy."
That said, even a slight change in the color composition of blue-gray can result in a completely different color. So, they lined up several prototypes and chose the color until they were satisfied. The most difficult was the 1000m diver. The dial material of the 200m and 300m divers is brass. In contrast, the dial of the 1000m diver is made of soft iron to provide magnetic resistance. It cannot be given the same striated finish as brass, and even if the same color is used, the appearance will be completely different. So instead of a striated finish, they chose polished lacquer and made fine adjustments to ensure the color was consistent. "In the end, I actually saw the dial sample and intuitively decided on a color that suited the appearance of a professional tool," says Kishino.
The Trilogy essentially follows the previous reissues. However, just like the dial, subtle adjustments have been made throughout. For example, the strap is made of reinforced silicone. While the shape is the same as the previous strap, the mold was remade several times to give it a more classic look. Furthermore, the strap for the 300m diver has been deliberately given a dull finish. The quality of the printing has also improved compared to previous reissues.
The platinum-white Everbrilliantsteel certainly made the Trilogy even more appealing. This material was undoubtedly the perfect choice for a luxury dive watch. However, even without this super stainless steel, the Trilogy would still be a story to tell. The more refined details give these three reissues an appeal that goes beyond mere retro style.
Read Part 2
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