- In 2025, Seiko is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its first-ever dive watch with the launch of three new limited editions inside the Prospex collection, headlined by the impressive SLA081J.
- The brand has also launched a new King Seiko collection celebrating the VANAC range that debuted in 1972, including a funky purple reference with gold accents.
- Both collections are now available for pre-order, with the Prospex 60th anniversary line-up arriving in stores in June and the King Seiko collection arriving in July.
This year is an important one for Seiko because 60 years ago – back in 1965 – the Japanese watchmaker launched its first true diving watch – the 150m water-resistant 62MAS. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this category-defining timepiece, Seiko has announced the launch of three limited-edition Prospex dive watches including the remarkable SLA081J (pictured below).
As the flagship model within this 60th-anniversary collection, Seiko pulled out all the stops for the SLA081J. It features a one-piece titanium case and bracelet with a super-hard coating that makes the watch significantly more scratch-resistant, while the case measures a hefty 45.4mm in diameter and 16mm in thickness and the dial is protected by a dual-curved sapphire crystal.
It’s also fitted with an L-shaped gasket that prevents the build-up of any helium within the watch (eliminating the need for a helium escape value) and guarantees an impressive 600m of water resistance. Powered by the in-house calibre 8L45 with 72 hours of power reserve, it’s a limited edition of 600 pieces worldwide and arrives with an RRP of $7,200.
The other two new members of the Prospex collection are the SPB511J, based on the original 1965 Seiko diver, and the more contemporarily styled SPB509J which is also equipped with a GMT function.
For those who prefer their dive watches on the smaller side, the SPB511J features a stainless steel case that measures 40mm in diameter (13mm thick), while the SPB509J is a little larger on the wrist with a 42mm case (13.3mm thick).
Both sport 72 hours of power reserve, a water resistance of 300m, and are limited editions of 6,000 pieces. The SPB511J has an RRP of $2,200 while the GMT-equipped SPB509J has an RRP of $2,800.
It’s not all about dive watches, however, with Seiko also announcing five new references within the King Seiko range that are based on the VANAC collection that was first released in the early 1970s. Featuring the same angular case shape and eye-catching coloured dials that were a distinctive style during the 70s, these VANAC-inspired King Seikos are equipped with the 8L movement platform: delivering improvements in power reserve and accuracy.
Across the five references, the dial colours include vibrant purple, dark blue, icy blue, silver, and a special limited edition gold dial that’s inspired by Tokyo sunrises and will be limited to 700 units. All five watches feature 41mm cases (14.3mm thick), 100m of water resistance, and are powered by the calibre 8L45 that delivers 72 hours of power reserve and an accuracy of +10 to -5 seconds per day.
For those less well acquainted with Seiko’s history, it created some truly weird and wonderful timepieces during the wild creativity of the 1970s. While some purists will miss the faceted dial crystals of the original VANAC watches, it’s cool to see the Japanese watchmaker cribbing from this energetic chapter of its own history. The King Seiko VANAC references arrive with an Australian RRP of $5,200.
