What started as a trickle of Seiko releases is well and truly a flood at this point as in addition to the new Silfra Editions, Landmaster Anniversary, Navigator Timer and more, they’ve also released their latest Save the Oceans edition. The new watch is called the Seiko Prospex ‘Arctic Ocean’ Save the Ocean GMT and it’s an icy re-colour of the Prospex GMT Diver.
Technically, it’s not actually the first ice inspired GMT Diver because back when the collection was originally launched, the very first reference was a glacial blue limited edition. For the Save the Ocean version, Seiko have returned to the textured dial with vertical striations that gives the impression of a river of ice flowing down a mountain valley in the Arctic circle.
The white colour matches the white, snowy top of a glacier whereas the previous Blue Glacier model represented the colour of ice when bright sunlight shines through it. This simple colour difference makes for a surprisingly large impact on the watch’s aesthetic.
Structurally, the Prospex Arctic Ocean Save the Ocean GMT has a 42mm diameter stainless steel case equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel with dive timer. On the flange – the part of the watch that connects the dial to the top of the case below the bezel and underneath the sapphire crystal – you can see the 24-hour scale that correlates to the blue GMT hand. Like the majority of Seiko dive watches it has 200m water resistance.
Housed inside the watch is the calibre 6R54, which is one of Seiko’s higher spec movements. It has a good 72-hour power reserve with automatic winding and an accuracy of -15/+25 seconds per day. This movement does contribute to a fairly high price as far as Prospexes go at £1,600. However, as a limited edition of 1,500 pieces that supports important global conservation initiatives via Seiko’s Save the Ocean program, that’s a justifiable cost. Plus, glacier dials are cool, both in terms of style and thematically.
Price & Specs:
Model: Seiko Prospex ‘Arctic Ocean’ Save the Ocean GMT
Ref: SPB439J1
Case/dial: 42mm diameter x 12.9mm thickness, stainless steel case, white dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: Seiko calibre 6R54, automatic, 24 jewels
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72h
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet
Price/availability: £1,600, limited to 1,500 pieces
More details at Seiko.
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