In collaboration with Japanese industrial designer Ken Okuyama, Seiko presents Prospex LX Line, a new series of high-end sports watches with Spring Drive movements.
Ever since it released its first diver’s watch in 1965, Seiko has created many watches that have found favor among sportsmen from professional divers to explorers. Among these many creations, the 1968 Seiko Professional Diver’s watch became one of the most favorite timepieces of sports watch enthusiasts, thanks to its robust design and high functionality.
Today, the spirit of this classic sport watch is expressed anew in a line of watches for sports on land, in the sea and in the sky. With his international experience in the design of automobiles and other high-profile products, Ken Okuyama brings his own special creativity to Prospex LX.
Seiko Prospex LX Line
The design of the Prospex LX line strikes an unusual balance. On the one hand, it is true to its heritage and its overall appearance reveals its strong link with the 1968 professional Diver’s.
On the other, it is thoroughly modern in its execution. The center of gravity of the case is lower so that the watch sits comfortably on any wrist. The upper side of the case is set at a more pronounced angle to allow the Zaratsu-polished surfaces to shine more brightly.
Most of all, the contemporary feel of the LX line is revealed in the use of Seiko’s advanced 5R Spring Drive caliber, which offers one-second a day precision alongside high levels of shock and temperature resistance.
With these attributes, 5R is the perfect caliber for use in all types of sporting and adventure environment. It already proved its caability in space, when it travelled to the International Space Station and was worn on a spacewalk. Moreover, Japanese Skier and Alpinist Yuichiro Miura wore a Spring Drive watch on his third successful ascent of Mount Everest.
All watches in the first LX collection have the robustness, legibility and reliability that every sport or adventure demands but different functions have been incorporated for three specific activities.
The land version has a GMT hand and a compass bezel for direction finding. The sky version also has a GMT hand and a bi-directional bezel for showing time in an additional time zone and the sea version has a unidirectional bezel to indicate the length of a dive.
Seiko Prospex LX All-Black Versions
In addition to three versions in a light color titanium, the LX line offers a special series of three all-black interpretations: References SNR027J1, SNR031J1 and SNR035J1.
These models feature black super-hard coated titanium cases with Zaratsu polished flat surfaces. The sky and land versions have leather straps while the sea version comes with a silicone strap.
The Spring Drive GMT Land and Sky versions from the Seiko Prospex LX collection houses the Caliber 5R66 where as LX Spring Drive Sea Versions feature 5R65 Calibre.
All six timepieces come with 44.8 mm diameter case, but water resistance varies: 100m, 200m and 300m for Sky, Land, and Sea versions, respectively.
Technical details
Collection: Seiko Prospex LX line
Models
- Spring Drive GMT Automatic Land Version SNR025J1/ SBDB029*
- Spring Drive GMT Automatic Land Version All Black SNR027J1/ SBDB023*
- Spring Drive GMT Automatic Sky Version SNR033J1/ SBDB031*
- Spring Drive GMT Automatic Sky Version All Black SNR035J1/ SBDB025*
- Spring Drive Automatic Sea Version SNR029J1/ SBDB027*
- Spring Drive Automatic Sea Version All Black SNR031J1/ SBDB021*
*Corresponding JDM (Japan Domestic Model) reference numbers
Movement
Caliber: Spring Drive GMT 5R66 (SNR025, 027, 033, 035) Spring Drive 5R65 (SNR029, 031)
Driving system: Automatic
Power reserve: 72 hours
Accuracy: ±1 seconds per day (±15 seconds per month)
GMT hand (SNR025, 027, 033, 035)
Number of jewels: 30 jewels
Case
Titanium case and bracelet with super-hard coating (SNR025, 029, 033)
Titanium case with black super-hard coating (SNR027, 031, 035)
Diameter: 44.8 mm
Thickness: 14.7 mm (SNR025, 027, 035, 033) 15.7mm (SNR029, 031)
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating (SNR029, 031)
Sapphire crystal with super-clear coating (SNR025, 027, 033, 035)
Screw-down crown, screw case back
Water resistance: 300m saturation diver’s (SNR029, 031), 20bar (SNR025, 027), 10bar (SNR033, 035)
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m
Bracelet
Titanium bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release and slide adjuster
(SNR025, 029)
Titanium bracelet with three-fold clasp with push button release (SNR033)
Calf strap (SNR027), Silicone strap (SNR031), Crocodile strap (SNR035)
Price
Approximate recommended retail price in USD: $5,000 (SNR025, 027), $6,000 (SNR029, 031), $5,500 (SNR033, 035)
