Seiko have certainly started 2021 with a bang!
It would appear that there’s no stopping Seiko this year. The monumental Japanese watchmaker has released a slew of new models over the past few weeks, and it’s been very hard to keep up with them!
Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea for us to pick out a few of the most interesting of their mew models.
Seiko Prospex 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation
The Seiko Prospex The 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation (SPB243) - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
The Alpinist is probably one of Seiko’s most recognizable non-diver lines. The field watch was first introduced in 1959 and has undergone many updates and changes in the following decades. Now Seiko have decided to recreate the original Alpinist design for 2021.
The new 1959 Alpinist is available in three dial colours – cream, grey, and green. Each of which has a gorgeous sunburst finish, and retains the classic triangular hour markers and dauphine hands of the original model. Seiko have updated the design with a date window at three, which will definitely give the model a wider appeal.
The original 1959 Seiko Alpinist - Image credit: Seiko Watches
These will retail from £660 according to Seiko’s website, which is a good price for a watch featuring 200m water resistance, a sapphire crystal and a 70-hour power reserve.
Specifications
- Movement: Caliber 6R35 - 24 jewels, 70 hours power reserve.
- Case material: Stainless steel
- Case size: 38mm
- Case thickness: 12.9mm
- Water resistance: 200m
- Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
- Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release (SPB241, SPB243) leather strap with three-fold clasp with push button release (SPB245)
- Price: £680 on steel (SPB241, SPB243), £660 on leather (SPB245)
There’s also a more faithful limited-edition option for those who want something even closer to the original design. This option is limited to 1,959 pieces (See what they did there?) and will retail for £2,700.
It will have a 36mm case, 2mm smaller than the standard Prospex versions, and come with the higher-end Caliber 6L35 movement.
The Seiko Prospex The 1959 Alpinist Re-creation - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
Seiko Prospex 1970’s Diver’s Modern Re-interpretations
The Seiko Prospex Naomi Uemura 80th Anniversary Limited Edition - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
To celebrate what would have been the 80th birthday of Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura, Seiko have released a new interpretation of their 1970 dive watch. Uemura was the first adventurer in the world to reach the tallest peaks on all five continents, and he often wore a Seiko 6105 on his expeditions.
This new limited edition comes in blue, with a textured dial designed to evoke the mountainous terrain Uemura loved to explore.
The Seiko Prospex Naomi Uemura 80th Anniversary Limited Edition - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
Seiko have also released a non-limited version with a charcoal grey textured dial.
Whilst not an original design, the new colours are interesting high-end additions to Seiko’s Prospex lineup which I’m sure will prove very popular.
Specifications:
Seiko Prospex The Naomi Uemura 80th Anniversary Limited Edition: SLA049 - Limited edition of 1,200
Seiko Prospex The 1970’s Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation: SLA051
- Movement: Caliber 8L35 - Automatic, 26 jewels, 50 hours power reserve
- Case material: Stainless steel with super-hard coating
- Case size: 44mm
- Case thickness: 13mm
- Crystal: Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 200m
- Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
- Screw case back. Screw-down crown
- Strap: Three-fold clasp with push button release, secure lock and extender. Silicone strap included (SLA049)
- Price: £2,900 (SLA049) £2,700 (SLA051)
The Seiko Prospex 1970’s Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation (SLA051) - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
Seiko Astron x Kojima Productions
The Astron GPS Solar X KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS Limited Edition - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
Hideo Kojima is a titan of the gaming industry. He is probably best known for creating the Metal Gear series in 1987, and his studio’s most recent game, Death Stranding. If you’re not into video games then you probably won’t have heard of him, but trust me, he’s big.
Which is why it’s not surprising that Seiko have partnered with his studio, Kojima Productions, to release a limited edition Astron.
The watch incorporates several elements from Kojima Production’s mascot, who is a sci-fi astronaut called Ludens. The carbon fibre texture on the dial is a nod to Luden’s carbon mask, whilst the connected sub-dials and gold accents mimic his spacesuit. The handset echo Ludens’ spear's design, and the Kojima Productions’ logo is printed both at the 9 o'clock position and on the case back.
Meanwhile, the studio’s motto “FROM SAPIENS TO LUDENS” is discreetly engraved on the side of the bezel at the 6 o’clock position.
Overall, the watch probably won’t appeal to the watch community as much as Seiko’s other 2021 releases, but Kojima’s name is so big I’m sure this watch will appeal to many of his fans.
Specifications
Seiko’s 140th Anniversary Releases
The Seiko 140th Anniversary Releases in the Astron, Prospex, Presage, & 5 Sports Ranges - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
2021 marks the 140th anniversary of the founding of Seiko by Kintaro Hattori. Therefore, Seiko have released four new limited-edition watches from across the Astron, Presage, Prospex, and 5 Sports ranges to celebrate the event.
Each watch offers a twist on a popular model in its respective range, and the numbers of each edition also vary. The numbers of each can be found with the full specifications for each watch.
All four watches share the same colour scheme – a white dial with blue accents. It’s a combination I think works really well across all the models, and one that will be perfect for the summer.
I’m especially fond of the Prospex SPB213, which is a great variant on last year’s 62MAS reissues.
I won't list the specs of all four watches, but you can find out more by visiting Seiko's website here.
The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series
The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series GMT (SPB221) - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
Seiko’s latest addition to its dressy Presage line is the “Sharp Edged” series. With four different dial options, these angular GMT’s are reminiscent of some of Grand Seiko’s GMT offerings, but retail at a more affordable price point.
The watches feature dials textured with the Asanoha, or hemp leaf, a pattern that has been used in Japanese design for a millennium. The overall design is a great blend of sporty and dressy, and the use of a sub-dial at 6 for the date display is a quirky touch.
Though, despite the crisp Seiko design, the movement inside is the real star for me. That’s because the 6R64 is a “true” GMT. That is to say that the hour hand can be moved independently of the minute hand to adjust to a local time zone, which is pretty rare at this price point.
Specifications
- Movement: Caliber 6R64 - 28,800 bph, 45 hours power reserve, 29 jewels, independent hour hand adjustment function
- Case material: Stainless steel case with super-hard coating
- Case size: 42.2mm
- Case thickness: 13.7mm
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 100m
- Magnetic Resistance: 4,800 A/m
- Strap: Stainless Steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release
- Price: £1,300
Final Thoughts
I think Seiko have hit it out of the park with these latest releases. There's quite a wide range of styles on offer, and nearly all of them offer a new twist on models that are firm favourites amongst Seiko fans. The new 1959 Alpinist is almost certainly going to prove very popular, thanks to its clean and simple design that's got just the right amount of vintage appeal. I also think that the Presage GMT's are going to go down well, not just because of their Grand Seiko-esque styling, but also because they're "true" GMT's, where the hour hand can be moved independently.
To find more about any of these watches, be sure to visit Seiko's website here.
You can also read our other articles on Seiko here.
