Seiko Prospex Readies Its Sumo for Mt. Everest With "Ice Diver" Release

Seiko takes its popular Sumo style dive watch and updates it for winter exploration with the new “Ice Diver” release. This U.S.-exclusive sits at 45mm in case size with a screw-down crown at the four o’clock position.

While it may seem like a stretch for the Sumo to make its way from the ocean to the frigid lands of Antarctica, the watch has a long history with cold-weather exploration, becoming the watch of choice for the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE) in the mid-’60s. It didn’t stop there as Seiko’s dive watches continued to find their way on the wrists of other explorers like Naomi Uemura, the first person to complete a solo dog-sled run to the North Pole, and Yuichiro Miura, the oldest man to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

The watch is available in the choice of blue, green, or gray, and features a special waffle-textured dial, a sapphire crystal glass, LumiBrite hands and markers, and is powered by a Caliber 6R35 movement. Each color variant of the watch is inspired by the hues coming off a glacier under different lighting conditions. The Seiko Prospex “Ice Diver” has a power reserve of 70 hours and is water-resistant up to 200 meters. Those interested can head over to Seiko USA where the watch sells for $900 USD.

In other watch news, OMEGA returns with Snoopy to celebrate the Silver Snoopy Award’s 50th anniversary.