CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS

Seiko Prospex watches reflect Seiko expertise in diving and sports watches, since launching Japan's first diver's watch in 1965. The Prospex collection is engineered for practicality, reliability and durability in extreme environments, with ISO standard diver's watches, in-house mechanical calibres and LumiBrite used across the range.

Prospex sits in Seiko's sports watch category, with designs influenced by the brand's heritage in sports - as Official Timekeeper for the World Athletics Championships and the creators of Japan's first ever diving watch. The Prospex collection includes high-specification models with in-house mechanical calibres, sapphire crystal and ISO Diving Standards.

These are Seiko fan-given nicknames for distinctive Prospex diver's watch case shapes. The Turtle takes its name as its silhouette and case back resemble a turtle's curved shell and the Samurai has an angular case said to look sliced by a Japanese Samurai sword. The Sumo is recognised by its substantial size and distinctive 12 o'clock marker whilst the Tuna is known for its bold, tin-can like cylindrical case shape, released in 1975 and loved by fans ever since.

The Seiko Prospex PADI collection is the only global watch partnership with PADI (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the world's leading scuba diving training organisation. Proceeds from the sale of each watch support the PADI Ocean Cleanup campaign, uniting divers worldwide in ocean conservation.

Both automatic and solar watches are available within the Seiko Prospex collection. Prospex features automatic mechanical calibres, solar-powered movements and hybrid analogue/digital models. Prospex Solar Divers and some Speedtimer models recharge in natural and artificial light with a 6-10 month power reserve and accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month, while mechanical models like the Marinemaster and Re-Interpretation references are powered by dedicated in-house calibres.

To wind a Seiko Prospex automatic watch, first unscrew the crown if the model has a screw-down crown, then turn it clockwise around 20 to 30 times to build an initial charge. After that, normal wrist movement keeps the watch running. If the watch has stopped, it should be re-wound before setting the time and date.

Seiko Prospex diver's watches meet ISO Diving Standards, with most models rated to 20 bar (200m) for recreational surface diving, snorkelling, swimming, and high-impact water sports plus higher ratings on 300m and 1000m saturation-diving models. Water resistance figures are printed on the case back of each watch.

Most Seiko Prospex diver's watches use spring bars at the lugs. Use a spring bar tool to compress the bar and release the strap, then fit the replacement and check it is fully in place before wearing. To add a new look to your watch or simply for a refresh, the Official Seiko Straps range includes silicone, NATO, leather and sports options in widths from 19mm to 22mm. You can access our video guides here: https://www.seikoboutique.co.uk/how-to-videos/

The Seiko Alpinist was first launched in 1959 for Japanese 'Yama-otoko' mountain men, built to be reliable in treacherous terrain. Current Alpinist models sit within the Prospex Land collection and retain design cues from the original, with upgrades including a power reserve of up to 72 hours and sapphire crystal. Some references feature an internal rotating compass bezel operated by a second crown at the 4 o'clock position.

On a Seiko diving watch, the unidirectional rotating bezel is a diver's tool for tracking elapsed time underwater. Before a dive, the bezel's zero marker is aligned with the minute hand, allowing elapsed time to be read against the scale. It's designed to only turn one way - anti-clockwise, so any accidental knock shortens the reading rather than extending it and the diver would cut short a dive safely, rather than extend the time and run out of air.

LumiBrite is Seiko's proprietary luminous material, applied to the hour markers and hands for visibility in low light. It absorbs light from natural or artificial sources and glows in darkness without any radioactive content.

Seiko recommends a full service every three to four years for mechanical and automatic Prospex watches, and roughly every three years for solar and quartz models when a gasket or battery change is due. Servicing keeps water resistance, accuracy and power reserve within specification. Services can be booked through Seiko's UK Official Service Centre.

Case sizes across the Prospex collection range from a compact 34mm in the women's Marine Sports designs, through the 40mm to 45mm range on most Diver's and Land references, up to 47mm or more on professional saturation-diving Tuna models. Full case dimensions are listed in the specifications on each specific watch web page.

The Prospex Speedtimer collection is inspired by Seiko's 1969 world-first automatic chronograph, Calibre 6139, which was the first to combine a column wheel and vertical clutch in a self-winding movement. The collection also draws on Seiko's professional timekeeping heritage for high profile sporting events - starting with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and most recently as Official Timekeeper of the World Athletics Championships.

The Prospex Speedtimer collection includes both automatic mechanical and solar-powered chronograph references, with solar movements being the majority of the current range. Automatic models continue the legacy of the 1969 Calibre 6139, while solar versions recharge from natural and electric light. The movement type is listed in the specifications on each watch specific web page.

The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer chronograph is operated by using the two pushers on the side of the case. The pusher above the crown starts and stops the chronograph, and the pusher below resets the seconds hand to zero once the chronograph is stopped. On solar models, do make sure the watch is sufficiently charged before use.

The Prospex Land collection brings together watches built for sports, adventure and everyday wear on solid ground, as distinct from the Prospex Diver's range. It includes the Alpinist, first launched in 1959 for Japanese mountain men, alongside field and adventure references. Each design carries the Prospex commitment to practicality and durability, engineered for performance.