Paying tribute to Japan's most legendary polar explorer

Five years after making Japan’s first diver’s watch in 1965, Seiko introduced a new diver’s watch with a flowing case design and an asymmetrical extension that protected the crown at the four o’clock position. With its solid construction, 150-meter water resistance, and luminous hands and indexes, it was perfect for those who needed a timepiece with exceptional strength and legibility.

This 1970 diver’s watch proved its reliability in extreme conditions when it was worn by Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura in the Arctic region in the years 1974 to 1976. Born in 1941, Naomi Uemura was a university student when he took on the challenge of his first mountain climb. By the age of 29, he had climbed Mont Blanc, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Mt. Aconcagua, and, in 1970, he became the first Japanese mountaineer to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Just three months later, he reached the top of Alaska’s Denali (then known as Mt. McKinley) and thus became the first mountaineer in the world to reach the summits of all these five peaks.

Uemura’s ascents of these five mountains are commemorated with this new reference SLA069, a modern re-interpretation of the 1970 diver’s watch whose dial depicts Mont Blanc, the first of these climbs, which he summited at the age of 25. 

This commemorative watch echoes the design of the 1970 original but is thoroughly modern in execution. The textured dial features an image of the distinctive silhouette and contours of Mont Blanc over a patterned backdrop that echoes the mountain’s rocky and snowy surface. Pressing and etching techniques are used to give the dial depth and bring the 4,807-meter peak to life. Mont Blanc is presented at the very same angle from which Uemura began his ascent.

The case sides are carefully polished, and the watch is presented on a five-row steel bracelet to create a sharp, modern profile. Thanks to the positioning of the date window between four and five o’clock, all 12 of the hour markers are visible and all have a generous coating of Lumibrite, as do the hands, to maximize legibility in the dark. This reference is powered by Caliber 8L35, which was designed especially for diver’s watches by the watchmakers at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio in northern Japan.

Specifications:

• Case: Stainless steel with Seiko super-hard coating and mirror-polished accents
• Dimensions: 44mm by 13mm thick (49mm L2L)
• Caseback: Solid with 'Great Wave' engraving
• Dial: White with Mont Blanc relief
• Crystal: Domed, inner AR-coated sapphire
• Movement: High torque 8L35 caliber automatic movement, hand-assembled at the Shizukuishi Watch Studio to withstand high-intensity diving conditions
• Movement features: Time & date with manual and automatic winding capabilities
• Bezel: Unidirectional rotating with black 60 minute scale
• Power Reserve: 50 hours
• Water resistance: 200 meters
• Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with tri-fold push button release clasp and secure lock and extender. Includes additional silicone rubber strap