Seiko Prospex Black Series Heritage Collection 1968 Recreation Automatic Black Dial Brown Textile Strap Men’s Watch SPB255J1

The Prospex Black Series 2022 – Seiko Heritage collection – 1968 Recreation Limited Edition

There are just 5,500 pieces of this particular 2022 'Black Series' design available globally.

Very popular since its inception and now in its fourth year of limited edition release, Seiko Prospex Black Series is inspired by the mysterious world of night diving. 

The 2022 Series is inspired by key moments from Seiko’s diving heritage – 1965, 1968 and 1970 - this particular design is a modern version of the 1968 timepiece.

The 1968 Seiko Diver’s watch was the first hi-beat diving watch – an important milestone in Seiko’s six decades of innovation in diving watches. Its 10-beat high precision automatic calibre, one-piece structure, mono-directional rotating bezel and screw-down protection crown influenced Seiko diver's watch development which has, for nearly 60 years, pushed back the frontiers of precision, durability and ease of use in watches for professional and recreational divers.

The orange colouring of the markers and lumibrite is designed for increased visibility in the dark word of the night sea – orange is the colour of night divers’ lamps, allowing time to be read clearly under dark conditions. 

This timepiece is accompanied by Seiko's first ever original nylon strap for diver's watches, created in 2021 – the 'SEICHU.'' Made in Japan with a traditional texture pattern following the intricate design of Kimono belts, the strap is specifically designed for diving flexibility and durability. It also comes with an additional silicone strap.

Seiko Prospex watches are designed for sports lovers and adventure seekers in the water, in the sky or on land – and are robust for everyday wear, whatever the environment. Since launching Japan’s first diver’s watch in 1965, Seiko’s innovative watchmaking has changed global dive watch standards.

The Case:

The Seiko Black Series 1968 Recreation SPB255J1 features a 42mm black PVD stainless steel case that has been treated to a brushed finish and a super-hard coating. The most distinctive component of the case is the 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel that showcases a lume-pip at 12 o’clock and 60-minute scale. The first quarter of the increments seen on the bezel are presented in a bold orange tone that is designed for increased visibility in the dark and by the colour of night divers’ lamps. The wall’s of the bezel are coined which allows for it to be easily rotated. 

On the side of the case there are angular bevelled surfaces that have been treated to a polished finish, giving it a sharp, robust profile. Also present on the side of the case is a screw-down crown at 4 o’clock, which is positioned in such a way so that it prevents it from digging into the wearer’s wrist. Lastly, sapphire crystal glass provides the watch with optimum protection against scratches and shattering. 

The Dial:

The dial is presented in a matte all-black tone that is brought to life through dashes of orange and luminescence. The layout of the dial is simplistic, as it utilises a combination of thick silver-framed baton-style and circular hour markers that are each filled with Lumibrite material, ensuring that the dial can be read in areas of low light. The gunmetal grey sword-style handset is located in the centre of the dial, the hour hand has been generously coated in a cream luminescent material, whereas the minute hand has been coated in a vivid orange luminescent material. A date-display window replaces the 3 o’clock marker, whilst a 60-minute track surrounds the hour markers around the edge of the dial. The dial also displays the Seiko logo beneath the 12 o’clock marker and the Prospex logo above the 6 o’clock marker. 

The Strap:

The watch is presented on Seiko’s first ever original nylon diver’s strap - the Seichu.' The strap is made using a traditional Japanese braiding technique. The rich texture and colour of the strap is also present in a traditional “obijime,” which is the decorative cord that holds a Kimono sash in its place. They are designed to have a tensile strength nearly four times that of regular Seiko fabric straps and resistance to degradation, making them the ideal strap for a diver’s watch. It fastens through the use of a standard metal buckle that is signed with the Seiko logo. 

The Functions:

Seiko’s 6R35 calibre automatic movement powers this watch, offering a 70 hour power reserve and an accuracy of +20/-40 seconds per day. It also offers hacking and hand winding features. It also has a water resistance rating of 200 metres making it suitable for scuba diving.

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