From the Manufacturer:
The 1968 Automatic Diver’s Re-creation Limited Edition
In 1968, just three years after Seiko’s first diver’s watch was made, Seiko’s engineers raised the bar with a Hi-Beat diver’s watch with 300 meter water resistance that was one of the foundation stones on which Seiko’s future diver’s watch development was based. It had a 10-beat high precision automatic caliber, a one-piece structure, screw-down protection crown and unidirectional rotating bezel.
The 1968 original was for air diving while this new re-creation is specified for saturation diving. Like the original, it features a one piece case construction and a flat case back. It incorporates Caliber 8L55 which was specially designed for diver’s use and is made by Seiko’s skilled craftsmen and women in the Shizukuishi Watch Studio in Morioka in Northern Japan. Every detail is of the highest quality; Zaratsu polishing gives the lug sharpness and beauty, a dual curved sapphire crystal ensures high legibility, and the strap is made of the latest high strength silicone. The markers have polished edges and those at 12, 6 and 9 are also different in design to ensure that time is read without error even 300 meters down.
The same professional specifications are also to be found in a second new creation that commemorates the 1968 diver’s watch. Its signature feature is the deep green color of the dial and bezel. This rich shade of green reflects the lush tones of the ancient cedar trees on the island of Yakushima at the southern end of the Japanese archipelago. As well as being a World Natural Heritage Site because of its forests, Yakushima is a much loved destination for the diving community, thanks to its crystal clear waters, coral reefs and abundant marine life. Durability and strength are the watchwords; the zirconia ceramic bezel is highly resistant to scratches and shocks, the stainless steel case has a super-hard coating and the sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating both inside and out. The 5, 10, 15 and 20 minute markers on the bezel are painted with a specially powerful LumiBrite to increase the legibility of the rotating bezel and, thereby, the diver’s safety. In addition to the steel bracelet, a high strength silicone strap also accompanies the watch.
