Grand Seiko Sport… not quite a leap for the brand, but at least a step into the unknown for a brand that usually sticks to restrained, classic beauty. Now, they are completing their transition with the new Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Professional Diver’s Watch 600M. The SLGA001 is Seiko’s first professional diver’s watch to feature a Spring Drive movement, which means that, in addition to the usual essentials: a sturdy case, a unidirectional diving bezel, and solid depth resistance, you also get incredible accuracy thanks to the quartz-mechanical hybrid movement.
The massive 46.9mm case is made from high-strength titanium, which is twice as hard as steel while having all the lightness of standard titanium. Same goes for the thick bezel, which is Grand Seiko, you can bet it’s pretty sturdy. So far, so overdone. But then there’s the water resistance.
Instead of the usual 300m for professional divers, Seiko has gone all the way to a 600m depth resistance level with the Planet Ocean. Add to that plenty of lume and a screw-down crown—which, in typical Seiko fashion, is located at 4 o’clock instead of 3—and this has everything a serious deep-sea dweller could want, and more.
That’s not what makes the new Diver special, though. It’s the first watch to feature Grand Seiko’s new 9RA5 movement, the latest generation of the watchmaker’s acclaimed Spring Drive movement.
The advances are considerable. It’s thinner, though you probably won’t notice in this particular watch; it has a staggering 120-hour power reserve, and significantly improved shock resistance. It’s more precise, thanks to a new circuit that monitors the movement’s temperature. The result is a movement that gains or loses just 10 seconds per month, or 0.5 seconds per day.
Limited to 700 pieces, the Grand Seiko Diver will be available in August, but you can expect to see the new 9RA5 movement in other Grand Seiko watches before then.
Price and specifications:
Model name: Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Professional Diver Model: SLGA001Case/dial: 46.9 mm diameter x 16 mm thickness, high-strength titaniumWater resistance: 600 meters (60 ATM)Movement: 9RA5 caliber, automatic (spring drive)Functions: Minutes, hours, date, power reserveFrequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)Power reserve: 120hStrap: High-strength titanium bracelet, blue siliconePrice: 11,500 EUR, limited to 700 pieces worldwide, available in August
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