Seiko Revives the World's First Professional Quartz Diver's Watch from 1978

Seiko is no stranger to vintage model revivals: last year, the Japanese watchmakers revamped the 1968 Hi-Beat Automatic Diver 300m with an array of upgrades, and just earlier this year it reworked the cult classic “Captain Willard.” Next in line to get the modernization treatment is the world’s first professional quartz-powered diver’s watch — the 1978 Professional Diver’s 600m.

The original model was created in 1975 to push depths past 300m, and three years later, the watch was upgraded with a quartz-powered 7549 calibre, becoming the world’s first saturation diving watch to be powered by that mechanism. While the re-release retains most of the aesthetics of the past, with matte gold and black dressing up the model, much of the tech has been upgraded. The original titanium outer protector ring has been replaced with zirconia ceramic, a material seven times harder than stainless steel and even more corrosion-resistant than the original titanium. The dial design stays true to the original, but the indicators are now coated with a longer-lasting LumiBrite to increase legibility. Of course, as a diving watch, water resistance is paramount, and the original 600m depth limit has been increased to 1,000m. The calibre has also been upgraded to a modern 7C46 calibre to accompany all the other enhancements.

For adventurous divers and timepiece enthusiasts alike, the revamped Seiko Prospex 1978 Quartz Saturation Diver’s Re-creation Limited Edition will be available in September, limited to only 1,978 units. Head over to Seiko’s site to learn more now.

In case you missed it, BEAMS and Citizen brought back the iconic Ana Digi Temp Watch.