When Kintaro Hattori founded his company in 1881, he was just 21 years old. During his fifty years at the helm, Replica Seiko became the leading watch company in Japan, with its own design and production facilities. This achievement was a direct result of his single-minded vision that Seiko should be “Always one step ahead of the rest”. His words resonate still and continue to inspire Seiko today. Throughout this year, Best Grand Seiko will release a series of creations that embody the spirit of Kintaro’s words and honor the140th anniversary of the founding of his company. The celebrations start with a series of Prospex, Presage and Astron watches inspired by the landscapes, seascapes of Japan.
From Seiko Prospex, a new series focuses on the beauty of nature. The watches capture the deep green scenery of the rich ocean that surrounds Iriomote Island.
The island of Iriomote in Okinawa Prefecture attracts divers from all areas of the world. Its abundant coral reefs teem with marine life but the island’s special charm lies in the primeval and pristine mangrove forests that surround it. Further, Iriomote is home to several species of flora and fauna that are rare and, in some instances, unique to the island.
As a culmination of Seiko’s developments in watchmaking technology, today, a diver’s watch in a stainless steel case with a green dial offering water-resistance of up to 300m is introduced.
The watch has sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. The bezel display material is zirconia ceramics to ensure both high legibility and rigidity.
The gold-colored second hand, reminiscent of the sunrise over a lush virgin forest, makes a strong presence on the dark green dial.
The watch is powered by the 8L35 movement which was developed expressly for diver’s watches and is assembled by hand at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio. The watch is offered with an additional dark green silicone strap.
Based on the 1968 Diver’s 300-meter water resistant watch, this model has been given a modern design interpretation. While retaining the sharp and powerful design of the original, the new model features a slimmer bezel and a contemporary design for its minute and hour hands. The watch is offered with an additional dark green silicone strap.
The watch incorporates a case design that has long been nicknamed “SUMO” by fans because of its dependable and dignified structure.
The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters and has a screw-down crown to ensure the safety of the divers from any accidental operations.