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- Seiko launched the 150m 62MAS Diver’s watch in 1965
- Advanced swiftly with 300m in 1968, titanium 600m ‘Tuna’ in 1975
- New 1965 Diver reimagined packs Calibre 6R55, 72-hour power reserve, 300 m rating
- Fan vote decides 2026 Diver’s model colour addition
No watch collection is complete without a Rolex, OMEGA, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and at least one Seiko. We’d happily throw in a Casio G-Shock too, but what we’re trying to say here is that at its core, true watch enthusiasts appreciate history, craftsmanship, and performance before they even consider what anyone thinks about the watch on their wrist.
If a watch tells a story, has history, and the performance numbers to back up any claims a manufacturer wants to make about its intended use, we watch nerds think that’s pretty cool too.
While its famous for its Speedmaster Moonwatch, OMEGA was the first brand to release a commercially available divers watch in 1932 with the release of the cork-sealed, double-cased Marine, which was tested in Lake Geneva to a depth of more than 70 metres. Then, twenty years later, after learning from the Swiss, Seiko released the first Japanese dive watch in 1965, the self-winding 150M Diver’s called the 62MAS.
Brief History of Seiko Diver’s Watches
We can’t forget that at this time, these watches weren’t worn for style: they were concerned with function only. Divers were making personal requests to the brands, and Seiko was the one that became known for meeting these requests in Japan. They could be trusted to deliver a product that would meet or exceed those of the professional divers, and they proved it by making watches that could be used with a diving capsule and saturation diving techniques at depths of up to 600 metres by 1975.
However, we have to trace our steps back to 1965 to get a better picture of just how quickly Seiko innovated in this space.
Three years after debuting the 62MAS, which was capable of 150 meters of water-resistance, they released the 1968 Professional Diver 300m.
Then, less than ten years later, they released the world’s first professional Diver’s 600M with titanium case (nicknamed the Tuna) that was corrosion-proof, shock resistant, and airtight. It featured more than 20 patents on the exterior alone, and three years after its release, it was updated with a quartz movement, making it the world’s first saturation diving watch to feature that style of battery.
Seiko 1965 Diver Specifications
- Movement: Automatic Calibre 6R55, +25/‑15 s per day,
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Case: Stainless‑steel
- Case diameter: 40 mm (46.4 mm lug‑to‑lug)
- Case thickness: 13 mm
- Weight : 168 grams
- Band: Stainless‑steel bracelet
- Water resistance: Diver’s 300 m
- Dial: Black with Lumibrite hands & markers; date display; timer scale on bezel
Many watches followed, but the 1965 Seiko Diver’s watch probably remains the most iconic of all divers on the market to this day.
It’s hard to acquire in good condition these days, but there’s good news: Seiko has re-released the 1965 Diver’s and updated it for the modern day with one of the latest in-house automatic movements, the Calibre 6R55 with 72 hours of power reserve, and they’ve even upgraded the water resistance to 300 metres, which is a first for Prospex non-saturation diver’s watches.
It’s not a replica of the original, but it’s what Seiko would’ve released back in 1965 if they had today’s capabilities.
You’ll notice how they’ve moved the date window to the space between four and five o’clock to allow for a more symmetrical design and to allow more Lumibrite in the space for high legibility in dark conditions. We also love how they’ve slimmed the 40.0mm case down (46.4mm lug-to-lug) to 13.0mm, which is remarkably thin for a diver at this price point and these specs. Even the bracelet links are shorter for comfort, and the clasp has a conformed shape.
This watch celebrates 60 years of Seiko diver’s, and next year, the brand will release one of the colourful colourways teased above. You can choose the watch they release through a fan vote that is currently running on the brand’s website. Alternatively, pick up one of the existing Seiko 1965 Diver watches available right now for AUD$1,995 at the retailers listed below.
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