Although it’s been in existence since 1881, Seiko introduced its first wristwatch bearing the brand’s name in 1924. Yet it wasn’t until 1965 when the Japanese watchmaker entered the world of divers with its 62MAS. Becoming an icon the world over, the Prospex line saw its fair share of changes throughout the coming decades, but in 2017, Seiko unveiled a quasi-reissue of the 62MAS, called the SLA017. Despite being a paragon of the perfect diver, it was highly limited in edition size. Fortunately, Seiko overhauled its Prospex line with its SPB models in 2020, which were heavily inspired by the SLA017. Now they’ve been updated for a new generation, and with specs that are even closer to its progenitor.
Available in three variants with matching dials and bezels — blue (SPB451), black (SPB453), and charcoal (SPB455) — the new Prospex dive watches bump up the water resistance from 200m to 300m, and without needing to get bigger to do so (attributed to a redesigned caseback). While the original SLA017 measured 39.9mm across with a 46mm lug-to-lug, this trio comes pretty close with a 40mm stainless steel case and a lug-to-lug of 46.4mm. While the marginal difference in dimensions may not be incredibly noticeable, the new steel bracelet was slightly redesigned for comfort, including smaller links and a smaller clasp.
While the blue and black editions come stock with steel bracelets, the SPB455 is a commemorative special edition for the 100th anniversary of Seiko’s first wristwatch and comes with a textile strap made from recycled plastics and using a woven pattern based on the traditional Japanese Seichu technique. Other updates on the Prospex diver include a moved date window from 3 o’clock to 4:30 as well as a new movement, the Caliber 6R55 automatic, which increases the power reserve from 70 to 72 hours.
If you’re interested in these new Prospex SPB Dive Watches, head over to Seiko’s website where they’re priced starting from $1,300.
