Prospex 62MAS 200m Professional 55th Anniversary - Ltd Ed 1700pcs Ref. SBDX039

During the early 50s, there was a race amongst the Swiss watch industry to produce the best diving watches. Being one of the most prominent Japanese watchmakers, Seiko jumped on the bandwagon to showcase their watchmaking capabilities to the global stage. This led Seiko to produce one of their most historic dive watches in 1965 that paved the way for many Seiko models today - The legendary Seiko 62MAS. Being the first ever diver produced by a Japanese watch manufacturer, the 62MAS was the original 150M professional automatic dive watch that Seiko produced that established Seiko as one of the dominant players in the dive watch industry. Since then, the original issue of the 62MAS has been highly sought after by Seiko collectors.

Seiko Prospex 62MAS 200m Professional 55th Anniversary - Ltd Ed 1700pcs Ref. SBDX039 / SLA043J1

To commemorate the Seiko Diver 55th Anniversary, Seiko launched a series of diver models that pays homage to their heritage watches. The Seiko Prospex 62MAS 200m Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 is a re-creation of the renowned 62MAS that introduces a mesmerizing new dial variant. Limited to 1700 pieces, each watch has its own unique serial number engraved on the screw-down case back. Although Seiko has previously released numerous remakes, this new interpretation gets a handsome facelift while staying true to its original design.

Being a re-creation of the 62MAS that flaunts a robust construction, one of the key elements of the Prospex Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 that emphasizes the superior diving qualities is the use of Ever-Brilliant Steel for the case construction. This new steel alloy is significantly more corrosion resistant than typical stainless steel, which allows the case to handle harsh seawater conditions without worries of seawater corrosion. The Brilliant-Steel also exerts a more silvery appearance compared to stainless steel, adding a touch of brightness to the case.

Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant Steel in its case construction

Diving into the measurements of the Prospex Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039, the case diameter measures 39.9mm and has a thickness of 14.1mm. Similarly to previous 62MAS remakes, the watch comes in larger than the original. However, the contemporary size fits incredibly well on many wrist sizes. The fine satin brushed finishing on the top and sides of the case is done impeccably well, showcasing Seiko’s exquisite workmanship. To top it off, both the case and the 120-click unidirectional dive bezel is treated by Seiko’s proprietary carbon-based “super hard coating” that greatly improves scratch resistance. Protecting the dial is a piece of sapphire crystal coated with anti-reflective treatment on the underside.

One of the main changes that Seiko introduced in the Prospex Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 lies in the dial of the watch. The style of the indices and hands retains the original design of the 62MAS, however, the stunning marine blue dial adds a delightful change to the suite of re-creations. Inspired by the beautiful view of the Antarctic Ocean, the blue dial is a reference to Seiko’s dive watches in the 60s which were handed to researchers at a Japanese research station in Antarctica. The second hand is painted a vibrant blue to match the dial. Like many Seiko divers, the hands and indices are treated with Seiko’s proprietary Lumibrite lume that glows excellently in the dark.

Seiko's LumiBrite luminous

Under the hood, the Prospex Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 is equipped with the Seiko Caliber 8L35, a 26 jewel automatic movement based on the Grand Seiko 9S55 movement. This 192 parts of this high-grade caliber is meticulously assembled by hand and adjusted by Seiko’s master watchmakers located at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio located in Morioka, Japan which mainly handles Grand Seiko calibers. The movement has a 4 Hz beat rate of 28,800 beats per hour featuring Seiko’s SPRON mainspring, providing 50 hours of power reserve.

The Prospex Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 comes supplied with a black reinforced silicone “waffle” strap which is another throwback to the past, mimicking the style of the Seiko ZLM01, Seiko’s first in-house diver strap. The watch also comes with an alternative marine blue version of the “waffle” strap that matches perfectly with the dial. Strap changing is a breeze due to the drilled lugs integrated into the case.

Comes with an additional blue waffle silicone strap

To sum up, the Prospex 62MAS 200m Professional 55th Anniversary Ltd Ed Ref. SBDX039 is an impressive 62MAS re-creation that stays true to the original while incorporating modern upgrades that lifts the iconic design to a whole new level. The marine blue dial is a wonderful touch that makes this re-creation truly unique. This new release definitely checks all the right boxes, showcasing Seiko’s 55 years of meticulous craftsmanship in making fine Japanese watches.