Seiko Prospex

The Seiko Prospex collection is the best-known collection of Seiko watches and is well known worldwide. Partly due to films such as Apocalypse now and Abby's, the watch has been a household name since the 1990s. In addition, it has had the help of major Hollywood stars such as Mick Jagger who was an outspoken fan. The Seiko Prospex Diver 200M is still the best-selling diving watch of its time.

Seiko Prospex Diver

Seiko produced its first watch for divers, and also the first Japanese diving watch ever made in 1965. This first diver 150M was specially developed for the Japanese Olympic Games. Where Seiko was the official timing partner. This watch was well received and also became the official timepiece of the 8th Japanese Antarctic Expedition.

But it was 1968 that Seiko started seriously focusing on the production of watches for divers and it all started with a letter.

A Japanese commercial deep-saturation diver wrote Seiko a letter complaining about the standard watches available for his profession. Saturation Divers work at great depths and sometimes have to stay under water for days. Dive computers were still decades away, and too many watches broke easily underwater, even though an accurately functioning timepiece was essential for the safety of a professional diver. According to the letter, the problem was especially serious after dives at depths of more than 300M.

Seiko assembled a specialized research and development team led by senior engineer Ikuo Tokunaga, and devoted the next seven years to creating a watch specifically designed for the high-pressure world of saturation diving.

In 1975, the team made worldwide history with the launch of the first commercially available diving watch. The professional Diver 600M was loaded with 20 new patents. Including the innovative 'L-shaped gasket', which prevented helium from completely entering the watch. The watch known as the 'Big Tuna' became the industry standard for saturation diving. Until it was succeeded by its own successor in 1986. The 'Proffesional Specifications' - Propex Diver's 1000M. Now valued up to 1000M.

Seiko Prospex 1968

While Seiko put a lot of effort into its deep-sea saturation watches for commercial divers, the company also focused on recreational divers.

The model 6105, manufactured between 1968 and 1977, became a popular watch for American soldiers during the Vietnam War, who, fed up with the low quality of the standard army timepiece, purchased the Seiko Prospex Diver 150M on the local market as a replacement. . The watch became so popular that it eventually became known as the 'Willard' after it was worn by Martin Sheen in the 1979 Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now. Following the 6105, its successor the 6309 'Turtle' was released to mark the pulse of Ed Harris in the 1989 film the Abbys, a film about a group of deep-sea divers recorded by James Cameron.

Seiko Prospex innovations

Since Seiko's early days, the company has been innovating in the field of water-resistant watches. We work closely with both the commercial and recreational diving industry. To develop technologies that best meet the high demands of its customers. This has led to many different firsts.

• the Seiko Prospex Kinetic Diver 200M from 1992
• the diving computer watch from 2000
• Prospex 1000M with quartz movement in 1978

But the innovation for which Seiko Prospex perhaps deserves the most praise, and a special tribute to Seiko watches within the diving world, is probably the Prospex partnership with PADI. The biggest and most influential name in recreational diving.

Seiko Prospex-PADI save the ocean collection.

In 2016, on the 50th anniversary of the training company, Seiko launched two special edition Prospex watches: the Prospex PADI Kinetic GMT Diver and the Prospex PADI Automatic Diver watches. With several additions such as PADI branded versions of the Prospex Samurai, Monster and Turtle expanding the range in subsequent years.

6 months later, Seiko Prospex became the official sponsor of the PADI AWARE foundation's newly established Dive Against Debris initiative, donating a portion of the proceeds from the Save the ocean watch collection to the largest diver-supported marine cleanup initiative in the world.

 Seiko's continued support of PADI's Dive Against Debris is critical to keeping the oceans clean, said Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand at PADI Worldwide. We continue to celebrate our partnership through the creation of more Seiko PADI Prospex watches. And together we look forward to a long-term future working hand-in-hand with Seiko to support underwater cleanup and data collection activities, promoting a clean and healthy ocean.

Seiko Prospex watches at the Juwelier van Zeeland

Since the launch of the first Japanese dive watch, Seiko has become one of the largest and most trusted watch brands in the world. There are currently more than 120 different models available in the Seiko Prospex collection.

Ranging from affordable straightforward models such as the Seiko Prospex Solar PADI chronograph. To the exclusive Seiko Prospex Automatic Turtle models.

Are you looking for a specific Seiko Prospex model and don't see it in our webshop? No problem, because Van der Kooij Edelsmeden is the official dealer of Seiko and can supply almost all models to you without any problems. Please contact us for this. We can then order the model for you free of charge, so that you can try it on in our jewelry store in Vlissingen.

Warranty and Service for Seiko Prospex watches

When you decide to buy a Seiko Prospex watch from Van der Kooij Edelsmeden, you are automatically assured of lifelong service and expert advice.

Seiko's two-year manufacturer's warranty entitles you to free repairs for any problems with the movement, case or metal strap. We take care of the handling with Seiko, so you don't have to worry about anything.