The Seiko brand brings to mind electronic devices, but in fact Seiko has an important tradition of mechanical watches. The Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, reference SPB511, is a new watch that has all the Seiko trademarks – great attention to reliability, durability and safety, an in-house mechanical movement, hour markers and hands with Lumibrite, Seiko’s proprietary luminescent paint – along with a significant touch of poetry. The dial has a relief decoration inspired by the sea. The wave pattern catches the light so that the watch changes subtly as you move it. The indices are integrated into the dial so that they cannot be dislodged even in the case of impact. The watch has a titanium monobloc case, and a stainless steel bezel with DLC treatment that notably increases its hardness and scratch-resistance. The 6R55 calibre runs at 21,600 alternations per hour (6 oscillations per second) with a power reserve of 72 hours. The Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s SPB511 has a price of €1,500.
SPB511 Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 features
The Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 Diver is compact at 40 mm width. It is relatively slim at 13 mm and so it is ideal as a watch for everyday use. Water resistance is 300 metres. The screw-down crown at 3 o’clock looks customary but in fact it is something of an exception in the world of Seiko divers’ watches, which generally have a crown at 4 o’clock. Another characteristic diver’s watch feature is the steel bracelet with quick size adjustment, making it easy to regulate for use with a wet-suit. The adjustment range is 15 mm with 6 increments of 2.5 mm, performed by simply pressing the buttons on the side of the clasp.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Seiko divers’ watches
As suggested by the name, the Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Divers – reference SPB511 – is based on a model dating back to 1965. The new timepiece celebrates the 60th anniversary of Seiko’s diver’s watches. One significant difference between the new Prospex and the 1965 model is that today’s version doesn’t have the date window at 3 o’clock, a great way of underlining the watch’s practical utility. Who cares about the date when you’re diving and the fundamental function is seeing at a glance how many minutes you’ve been underwater!
The historic Seiko Diver 1965 model 62MAS
The 1965 model was the first Japanese diver’s timepiece, the Seikomatic Calendar Diver’s Watch 62MAS, in which the series name was apparently derived from the name “SeikoMAticSelfdater”. The number 62 indicated the year in which the series was launched, 1962, and the 6217A movement, part of the 62 calibre family. The 62MAS watch was used for Japan’s eighth research expedition to the Antarctic in 1966.
Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 price and availability
The Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 Diver’s Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is a beautiful watch, and the price of €1,500 is certainly not entry-level, but it is nonetheless an attractive price-point considering that it is a limited edition (6,000 pieces) and has an in-house movement. The Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 Diver will be available from June 2025. Seiko has impeccable credentials both for its repair facilities, with a service centre for Europe located in the Netherlands, and for its work in the defence of the marine environment – Seiko supports Save The Ocean, and JAMSTEC, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
Seiko SPB511, SPB509, SLA081
The Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 Diver range comprises two other models, one powered by the newly-developed 8L45 calibre and a water resistance of 600 metres, reference SLA081, available from July 2025, price about €5,200. The other, SPB509, is a GMT watch with a 24 hour hand that can be regulated independently to indicate a second time zone. It has a blue dial and bezel, and it is powered by the GMT 6R54 calibre. Price €1,900.
Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 SPB509 GMT divers
Seiko Prospex Heritage 1965 divers SLA081
Further information on the Seiko website https://www.seikowatches.com/global-en/products/prospex/special/60th_anniversary_limited/
