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SEIKO PROSPEX
1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation
The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition

SEIKO PROSPEX 1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition SEIKO PROSPEX 1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition SEIKO PROSPEX 1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition SEIKO PROSPEX 1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition SEIKO PROSPEX 1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition

Naomi Uemura’s ascents of five famous mountains are commemorated with a 1970 diver’s watch modern re-interpretation with a dial depicting Mont Blanc.

Photo of Naomi Uemura 1941-1984
© BUNGEISHUNJU

Naomi Uemura 1941-1984

Photo of 1970 Original model

1970 Original model

The Backstory

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.

This 1970 diver’s watch proved its reliability in extreme conditions when it was worn by Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura in the Arctic region.

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 adventurer in the world to reach the summits of all five of these peaks.

Today, Uemura’s ascents of these five mountains are commemorated with a 500-piece limited edition watch whose dial depicts Mont Blanc, the first of these climbs.

DESIGN

Photo of Mont Blanc
Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Dial
Photo of Mont Blanc
Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Dial

Dial

Mont blanc’s soaring summit as seen by Uemura.

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-metre peak to life. Mont Blanc is presented at the very same angle from which Uemura began his ascent.
All of the hour markers have a generous coating of Lumibrite, as do the hands, to maximise legibility in the dark. Thanks to the positioning of the date window between four and five o’clock, 12 luminous hour markers are possible.

Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Case

Case

The case sides are carefully polished, and the watch is presented on a five-row steel bracelet to create a sharp, modern profile. The crown and surface around the bezel display evoke the blue shadows that surround Mont Blanc.

Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Case back

Case Back

The case back bears the words “The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition” and carries the individual watch's serial number.

＊ In an actual product, the case back direction might be different from the photograph.

Movement

Photo of Calibre 8L35

Calibre 8L35, Seiko’s leading mechanical movement

Developed especially for diver’s watches, the Calibre 8L35 is Seiko’s leading mechanical movement, crafted to the highest standards for performance and functional beauty. Every detail of its construction can be traced back to Seiko’s time-tested expertise in creating cutting-edge mechanical movements from the ground up.

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Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Special Box Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Special Box

Special Box

The watch is presented in a special box featuring a saying of Naomi Uemura.

“When one dream is realised,
other dreams will follow.”

Naomi Uemura

SEIKO PROSPEX
1970 Diver's Modern Re-interpretation
The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition

Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX Photo of SLA069 SEIKO PROSPEX

SLA069

[ Calibre 8L35 ]

Limited edition of 500

Available in May 2023

Specifications