We’d be lying if we said the world of vintage watch reissues wasn’t getting a tad bit out of hand, especially when many of these reissues and re-editions hardly resemble their progenitors to begin with. Seiko has had its fair share of recreations, especially when it comes to its very-first dive watch from 1965, in part because of the vast increase in the price of the original models. Since 2017, the 62MAS has been given several new iterations, whether limited-editions, modern interpretations, or both. And they’ve all been bigger than the original. Now, Seiko has finally caved and made its most faithful recreation of the 62MAS that we first saw in 1965.
The new watch, the SJE093, is 38mm in diameter just like the original 62MAS, although it’s slightly thinner thanks to a new movement (13mm instead of 12.5mm). Even the ‘60s-era Tropic-style silicone strap is the same length at 19mm. Housed in the stainless steel case is the slim in-house caliber 6L37 automatic movement, which boasts 45 hours of power reserve. It’s capped by a steel caseback that features the same dolphin embossing as the original and comes engraved with the edition number, which is limited to, you guessed it, 1,965 pieces. Everything from the bezel design to the font used on the dial looks nearly identical to the original.
As far as the differences, the depth rating has been increased from 150m to 200m, in part thanks to the larger crown. Likewise, the lume on the hands and indices has been updated with Seiko’s LumiBrite, which wasn’t in use until the ‘90s.
If that all weren’t enough, the timepiece also comes in a special ‘60s-era box similar to what Seiko used back then. For the most accurate reissue of the 62MAS, try to get your hands on the new limited-edition SJE093, which will be priced at €3,700 (~$4,017) when it comes out in August. Head over to Seiko’s website to learn more.
