The Manual Wind: Seiko Re-Craft Mechanical

By Ian Schwam Published December 17, 2014

The watch world has been bringing back the 60s and 70s with a vengeance, and heritage can be costly. The brands with the history and designs of the past are not often affordable. Omega, Longines, and Jaeger LeCoultre are just a few examples of some brands that have brought back the classics but may also be out of reach. One name as recognizable as the aforementioned yet more known for its Quartz movement has entered the affordable mechanical arena. With redesign and 70s style, Seiko introduces the Re-Craft.

At a sizable 43.5mm, the Re-craft mechanicals still have some modern attributes. To start, there is an exhibition caseback revealing the Seiko 40 hour power reserve mechanical movement. A screw down crown offers water resistance to 5atm, which is plenty for the average watch wearer. Offered in many variations, Seiko has designed a piece in this line for just about everyone. The cases are offered in steel, gold tone, as well as black coating. The dials match well and give each of the pieces unique personality. Vintage style in modern cases.

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Offered on straps and metal bracelets, Seiko has designed a mechanical line with versatility, style, and most importantly around holiday time, affordability. The ability to manufacture aesthetically pleasing mechanical timepieces at affordable pricing looks to be becoming more commonplace. With the introduction of the Swatch Sistem51 also, this trend is starting to prove itself. Everyone should be able to afford a nice mechanical watch and big movement manufacturers such as Swatch Group and Seiko are helping make that happen. Take a look at the complete line of Seiko Re-Craft Mechanical! Great looking pieces for $300 and under.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Contributing writer and watch enthusiast Ian Schwam dons an expert knowledge of all things watches. Having spent a decade in…

Fashion & Style

Seiko asks fans to choose next 1965 Diver colorway

Seiko celebrates 62MAS 60th anniversary by letting fans choose next dive watch color

Seiko diver range in different colourways

Seiko has launched an unprecedented fan engagement initiative, allowing enthusiasts to vote on the next colorway for its beloved 1965 Diver throughout July 2025. This marks the first time the Japanese manufacturer has directly solicited fan input for a new watch design.
The poll features four ocean-inspired color schemes based on the limited edition 60th Anniversary Dive Watch released earlier this year, which introduced the distinctive 3D ocean wave textured dial. All options maintain the same technical specifications while offering dramatically different aesthetic approaches.
The four colorways represent different times of day and their interaction with ocean light. "Sunrise Orange" features a yellow-orange dial with burnt orange bezel and dark gray hands. "Daytime Blue" showcases a crystal blue dial with light blue bezel and steel hands. "Late Afternoon Green" presents an emerald dial with dark green bezel and gold hands, while "Sunset Red" displays a fire-engine red dial and bezel with gold hands.
Early social media reactions suggest "Afternoon Green" as the front-runner, though Seiko recently released a similar green variant through its ongoing PADI collaboration. The fan poll represents part of a year-long celebration honoring the 60th anniversary of the 62MAS, Seiko's first professional-grade dive watch.
Originally introduced in 1965, the 62MAS marked Seiko's entry into serious diving timepieces. While the company produced waterproof watches before 1965, none possessed true SCUBA diving capabilities. The design established fundamental elements that continue influencing modern dive watch aesthetics.
Seiko revived the 62MAS design in 2020 under its Prospex collection of sport and tool watches. Since then, over a dozen references beginning with SPB have been released, making it one of Seiko's most successful modern dive watch lines.
The contemporary 1965 Diver features 300-meter water resistance and classic styling that rivals established competitors like the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster. This combination of heritage design and modern capabilities has made it highly sought after among collectors and dive watch enthusiasts.
The winning colorway will launch sometime in 2026, though Seiko has not provided specific timing. The democratic approach to product development represents an unusual strategy for the traditionally conservative manufacturer, demonstrating confidence in its community engagement.
For collectors unable to wait for the poll results, the white-dialed 60th Anniversary Diver remains available as a 6,000-piece limited edition priced at $1,400. This version features the same 3D ocean wave dial texture that will appear on the fan-selected colorway.
The poll continues through July 2025, with results expected to influence not only the winning design but potentially future fan engagement strategies across Seiko's product lines.

Fashion & Style

The Seiko Prospex 60th edition is a collector’s holy grail

This limited edition Seiko Prospex honors 60 Years of dive watch dominance

The Seiko limited edition Prospex 60th edition up clse

Seiko is a brand long respected for its precision engineering and dive watch legacy, and this year it commemorates a historic milestone with the Prospex Diver’s Watch 60th Anniversary Limited Edition. The release celebrates six decades of Seiko’s pioneering underwater technology, combining exceptional design with state-of-the-art functionality for both collectors and professional divers alike. Limited to only 1,100 pieces, this watch stands as a testament to Seiko’s ongoing commitment to innovation.

Iconic design and unmatched durability

Fashion & Style

Killer tribute: Seiko’s Jaws Turtle honors Spielberg’s masterpiece

Seiko celebrates cinema's greatest shark with commemorative Turtle diver watch

Seiko jaws watch promopic

Seiko has unveiled a special tribute to one of cinema's most influential films with the Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary Limited Edition, marking half a century since Steven Spielberg's masterpiece revolutionized Hollywood and invented the summer blockbuster.
The collaboration with Universal Pictures transforms Seiko's beloved "Turtle" diver into a sophisticated homage to the 1975 film that terrified audiences and changed the movie industry forever. Limited to 5,000 pieces, the commemorative timepiece (ref. SRPL81) will be available in July 2025 for $795.
First introduced in 1976 as reference 6306, just one year after Jaws terrorized audiences, Seiko's "Turtle" earned its nickname from the distinctive cushion case that resembled a turtle shell. The watch established Seiko's reputation in the dive watch space during the brand's golden era of the 1970s.
This commemorative interpretation maintains the Turtle's fundamental DNA while incorporating subtle dial graphics to honor the film. The 45mm stainless steel case features a 47.7mm lug-to-lug measurement and 13.2mm thickness, staying true to the modern Turtle's proportions.
Within its ceramic bezel insert, the dial showcases bold graphics with a gradient effect that transitions from silver to blue, representing the ocean's surface. An embossed shark silhouette lurks beneath, visible at certain angles but not immediately obvious. Like Spielberg's approach, the diver suggests the threat rather than showing it outright.
The blood-red Jaws logo at 6 o'clock, matching the red second hand tip, provides the only direct movie reference on the dial face. Positioned where it won't interfere with legibility, it maintains the watch's status as a functional tool. Chunky indices and hands coated in LumiBrite ensure visibility underwater, while the day-date display at 3 o'clock features Seiko's signature cyclops lens magnification.
Powering this commemorative piece is Seiko's 4R36 caliber, an automatic movement with hand-winding capability that's become a fan favorite in the enthusiast community. With 24 jewels, 41-hour power reserve, and hacking seconds function, it represents solid middle-tier Japanese engineering.
The real treat appears on the caseback, where a laser-engraved image of Quint's boat, the Orca, pays homage to one of cinema's most memorable characters, portrayed by Robert Shaw. Each watch features its specific edition number out of 5,000 pieces engraved on the caseback.
The watch arrives on a dark blue silicone strap and comes in a commemorative collector's box featuring the movie's iconic poster. The 200-meter water resistance and screw-down crown ensure this tribute piece can handle real diving duties.
The Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary Limited Edition will be available through authorized Seiko dealers starting July 2025.