Seiko Blue is not arbitrary. It's a thread running through the company's history.
Since Kintaro Hattori opened a modest shop in Tokyo's Ginza district in 1881, Seiko has grown into a watchmaking institution that measures its own history in colour as much as in calibres. For its 145th anniversary, the brand returns to Seiko Blue — a signature hue born in the 1960s — as the unifying thread across two limited-edition Prospex dive watches launching in June 2026. In doing so, Seiko reminds us that enduring craft is not merely about precision, but about the continuity of identity across generations.
- A 145-year legacy demands more than a press release — Seiko answers with two dive watches that carry the weight of its entire diving heritage in a single, unmistakable shade of blue.
- The Heritage Diver HBC005 revives the lineage of the 1960s 62MAS with a refined 40mm case, 300m water resistance, and a three-day power reserve, limited to just 4,000 pieces at EUR 1,500.
- The Samurai HBB001 brings angular modernity to the celebration with its dual-tone bezel and compact 41.7mm profile, produced in a more accessible run of 9,999 pieces at EUR 650.
- Both models carry 2024 platform upgrades — improved ergonomics, contemporary movements, and micro-adjustable clasps — ensuring the anniversary is felt on the wrist, not just in the catalogue.
- Collectors face a clear fork in the road: the Heritage path leads to rarity and depth, while the Samurai offers broader reach without sacrificing the anniversary's chromatic soul.
Seiko's story begins in 1881, when Kintaro Hattori opened a small shop in Tokyo's Ginza district. One hundred and forty-five years later, the brand marks that founding not with fanfare alone, but with colour — specifically Seiko Blue, a signature tone introduced in the 1960s that has quietly threaded itself through the company's identity ever since.
The first of two anniversary releases is the 1965 Heritage Diver HBC005, a direct descendant of the original 62MAS dive watch. Refined in 2024 to a more wearable 40mm case with a 46.4mm lug-to-lug span, it pairs a brushed silvery-white dial and glowing hour markers with a Seiko Blue aluminium bezel insert and a matching blue seconds hand. The calibre 6R55 automatic movement offers a three-day power reserve, while the steel bracelet features a new clasp with six micro-adjustment increments of 2.5mm each. Limited to 4,000 pieces at EUR 1,500, it arrives in June 2026.
The second release, the Prospex Samurai HBB001, takes a different temperament. Where the Heritage Diver looks backward, the Samurai — also refreshed in 2024 — speaks in sharper, more angular lines. Its 41.7mm case houses a dual-tone bezel, silver for the first fifteen minutes and Seiko Blue for the remainder, above a darker brushed-silver dial with the Samurai's characteristic pointed hour markers. The calibre 4R35 automatic provides around forty hours of power. At EUR 650 and limited to 9,999 pieces, it offers a wider door into the anniversary.
What unites these two watches is not merely a shared launch date, but a shared colour — one that connects 2026 engineering to 1960s ambition. For collectors, they represent different chapters of the same long story, told in the blue that Seiko has always called its own.
Seiko is marking 145 years since Kintaro Hattori opened a small shop in Tokyo's Ginza district in 1881—the seed that would grow into one of the world's most respected watchmakers. The brand has a habit of marking these milestones with limited editions, and this year's celebration centers on a colour: Seiko Blue, a signature tone the company introduced during the 1960s and has carried forward ever since.
Two new Prospex dive watches embody this anniversary vision. The first is the 1965 Heritage Diver HBC005, a direct descendant of Seiko's original dive watch, the 62MAS. Seiko refined this model in 2024, trimming it down to 40 millimetres across and 13 millimetres thick, with a 46.4-millimetre lug-to-lug distance that makes it sit more comfortably on the wrist. The case is stainless steel with a super-hard coating, and the bezel now features an aluminium insert rendered in Seiko Blue. The dial is brushed silvery-white, with raised hour markers that glow in the dark and a blue seconds hand that echoes the bezel. Inside beats the calibre 6R55, an automatic movement that runs for three days on a single wind. The bracelet is a classic three-link steel design, updated with a new clasp that includes a micro-adjustment system—you can fine-tune the fit in six increments of 2.5 millimetres each by pressing buttons on the side. Seiko is making 4,000 of these watches, priced at 1,500 euros, arriving in June 2026.
The second model is the Prospex Samurai HBB001, built on the Samurai platform that Seiko also refreshed in 2024. The Samurai has always been known for its angular, sharp lines, and this version maintains that character while fitting into a more compact 41.7-millimetre case, 12.3 millimetres thick. The bezel is where the blue really shines: it's split into two tones, with silver covering the first fifteen minutes and Seiko Blue taking up the rest of the dial. The dial itself is a darker brushed silver than the Heritage model, with the Samurai's signature pointed hour markers and a blue seconds hand. The movement inside is the calibre 4R35, a workhorse automatic that beats at three hertz and holds about forty hours of power. The bracelet is three-link steel with a simple folding clasp. This one will be made in much larger numbers—9,999 pieces—and costs 650 euros, also arriving in June 2026.
Both watches are rooted in Seiko's diving heritage, but they represent different points in the brand's evolution. The Heritage Diver reaches back to the 1960s, when Seiko was proving itself as a serious maker of underwater instruments. The Samurai, by contrast, is a more recent invention, a modern design that has become a fixture in the brand's catalogue. What unites them is the colour choice: Seiko Blue is not arbitrary. It's a thread running through the company's history, a visual signature that connects these 2026 releases to the work Seiko was doing decades ago. For collectors, these watches offer a chance to own a piece of that lineage—refined engineering from 2024, wrapped in a colour that carries the weight of the brand's past.
Citações Notáveis
Seiko loves to celebrate anniversaries, which often results in fairly attractive limited edition models.— Monochrome Watches review
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does Seiko keep reaching back to the 1960s and earlier? Why not just make new designs?
Because the old designs worked. The 62MAS was a real dive watch that proved Seiko could compete with the Swiss. Going back to it isn't nostalgia—it's saying, "This thing was right then, and it's still right now."
But they've updated it. Smaller case, new movement. How much of the original is actually left?
The DNA is there. The proportions, the simplicity, the idea that a dive watch should be legible and reliable. The 2024 updates made it wearable for more people. That's not betrayal—that's respect.
What's the deal with Seiko Blue? Why is that colour so important?
It's their signature. They introduced it in the 1960s, and it's been part of their identity ever since. Using it on these anniversary watches is a way of saying, "This is who we are." It's consistent, recognizable, and it actually looks good.
The Heritage costs 1,500 euros. The Samurai is 650. That's a big gap for what seems like similar watches.
They're not similar. The Heritage is the more refined piece—smaller, more refined execution, better movement, better bracelet clasp. The Samurai is the entry point. You're paying for different levels of finishing and heritage.
Who is this for? Collectors? Divers?
Both. The Heritage appeals to people who care about Seiko's history and want something refined. The Samurai reaches a wider audience—it's more affordable, still capable, still carries the blue. Seiko is hedging its bets, which makes sense for an anniversary.
Will these actually be worn, or will they sit in boxes?
That depends on the person. But Seiko makes watches that work. These aren't jewellery. They're built to be used.