Seiko Celebrates 140 Years With These Limited Edition Watches

Cy Sinderson

Can you believe it? Seiko are 140 years old! Not many companies survive that length of time so Seiko naturally enough have taken the opportunity to celebrate a rare milestone in style – by bringing out three beautiful new timepiece ranges to mark the occasion. Taking their cues from company founder Kintaro Hattori, Seiko have made sure all their new watches are ‘always one step ahead of the rest.’ The resulting Prospex, Presage and Astron limited edition watches all live up to that tenet whilst celebrating the Japanese landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes of their birth.

The Prospex Diver’s Collection

What better way to celebrate a classic diver’s watch than by drawing from the beauty of one of Japan’s most beautiful and well-patronised diving islands? Iriomote, in the Okinawa Prefecture, serves as the source of inspiration for this new Prospex diver’s collection – and while the island is surrounded by blue coral reefs, it is the verdant local flora that has inspired the colour scheme here. The deep green of the island’s jungles and mangrove forests have been faithfully recreated on the dials of this Iriomote-inspired series.

The two mechanical watches of the series have been based on Seiko’s legendary 1968 diving original. The SLA047J1 is an eight beat with a unique one-piece case structure and is powered by the Calibre 8L35 – designed specifically for diving. Water resistant to 300m, this model is a special edition of only 3,000. The SPB207J1 is a six beat, water resistant to 200 metres and limited to 6,000. The third watch is a 200m solar chronograph and a limited edition of 4,000. All three feature stainless steel bracelets accompanied by an extra silicone strap.

An All-New Presage Sharp Edged Series Automatic Watch

With a colour scheme inspired by the Tokyo dawn, the all-new Presage Sharp Edged SPB205J features an Asanoha hemp leaf pattern that has been used in Japanese fabrics for a thousand years. Sharp angled gold accents and hands contrast with the flat black of the dial to encourage pleasing sparkles in the light. Limited to 4,000, this automatic watch is a unique, modern addition to the Seiko stable of timepieces. Comes with a stainless steel bracelet and black leather strap alternative.

Astron’s New Night-Time Look

The Japanese obsession with the cherry blossom continues with this new Astron. Focusing on how the blossoms look against a star-lit night sky, known as Yozakura, the Astron’s pink-hued purple darkens toward the bottom of the dial creating a subtle – and magical – illusion of depth. The case features the same curved silhouette and wide case lugs as the 1969 Quartz Astron, while inside the latest GPS Solar Dual-Time Calibre 5X53 adjusts to the exact time anywhere* in the world. Limited to just 1,500, this unique Astron watch is available now in Seiko Boutiques and selected Seiko retailers worldwide.

* If there are changes in the region / time zone / DST, manual selection may be required.

Check out these limited edition watches at your nearest Seiko stockist.