This Limited Edition Seiko Prospex Watch Is A Tribute To The Spirit Of Adventure
This modern reinterpretation of a 1970-era dive watch was worn by Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura when he scaled the world’s highest peaks.
In an ideal world, the best luxury watches would be able to go just about anywhere without missing a beat. In reality, that lofty goal is sometimes more tricky to come by, but Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura proved otherwise: In the 1970s, he famously wore the Seiko Prospex to ascend the world’s highest peaks, not the depths of the ocean.
Seiko is now paying tribute to the iconic adventurer with the new 1970 Diver’s Naomi Uemura Limited Edition Prospex, a modern reinterpretation packed with subtle nods to his legendary ascent of Mont Blanc.
The most noticeable of those nods? The dial itself, which depicts Mont Blanc–Uemura ascended the fabled peak, along with Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Aconcagua, all before the age of 30.
The legend only grows from there: Ueumura became the first mountaineer from Japan to summit Mt. Everest, then tackled Mt. McKinley–capping off a summit of five of the most famous (and of course, tallest) peaks in the world by 1970.
Seiko’s homage to Ueumura is fittingly adventure-minded, with luminous markings at each of the 12 hour markers (made possible by moving the date window between the 4 and 5-o’clock position).
They’ve also finished off the dial and bezel with a handsome hit of blue in a nod to the frosty peaks Ueumura ascended so speedily.
The 26-jewel movement, the Caliber 8L35, was developed specifically for dive watches by Seiko, and as the company notes, it’s “crafted to the highest standards for performance and functional beauty” (Ueumura would surely approved).
A limited-edition engraved caseback notes this durable timepiece comes in a limited edition of just 500, and it’s priced accordingly at about $3,000.
Look for it to hit the market this May, and revel in the fact that this timepiece can take on ocean depths and any other adventures from sea to summit.
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