Prospex is not a new brand name launched by Seiko at Baselworld 2014. Prospex, if you are living overseas, is an iconic trademark that has been around for 50 years. It was 1964 when Seiko debuted the first timepiece expressly conceived for diving and other adventurous sports. Anyone living in Europe, who wants to buy a Seiko Prospex, has to look for Internet retailers or travel to Tokyo or the US, where Prospex are like a mantra to watch enthusiasts. Until now. For, this year, at Baselworld 2014, Seiko debuted an entirely new and entry level (Prospex range from a few hundreds of dollars to 4500$) Prospex (PROfessional SPECification) line up, with special regard to their diving watches.
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I'm highlighting Seiko “Diver's watches”, certified ISO 6425, since they're true professional divers’ timepieces and are widely used by professional divers. How do you recognize a Seiko Prospex? By its three distinguishing features: the case, consisting of two parts, the big luminous hands, the corrugated or “accordion” silicon strap, widely used today but patented by Seiko back in 1975.
If the Seiko Prospex line up has so far been powered (overseas) by quartz, mechanical or Spring Drive calibers, the latter being a spectacular limited edition model (first and only Seiko Prospex to adopt a Spring Drive caliber ever) the Seiko Prospex 2014, which officially marks its arrival in Europe (at least in Italy), is powered by a Kinetic caliber, a technology widely known here, from the Greek word for “Movement”, whose first prototype dates back to 1988 and is all about converting the movements of your body into electrical energy.
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Seiko created the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) long before Formula 1 engineers ever conceived it. The Seiko Prospex GMT Diver's has a 47,5mm stainless steel wide case, is water resistant up to 200m, is accurate to +/-15 sec per month and has a stunning and unique dial, with tri-dimensional luminous indexes in the shape of a snifter. The power reserve lasts at least 6 months and the GMT function is activated via a push button placed at 2 o'clock. The Seiko Prospex GMT Diver's is a very cool watch, retails for 660 € (the stainless steel bracelet one) and is being launched in three versions, one with a stainless steel band, two other with a silicon strap which, in my opinion, best fits this diver's watch. The story continues…for the Seiko Prospex GMT Diver's watch must be tested in its natural habitat, and for us that means the Mediterranean Sea, in Italy.
(photo credit: Horbiter®'s proprietary photo-shooting)
Vincenzo E. @Horbiter®
