Partnership with PADI^®

Since 2016, Seiko Prospex has proudly partnered with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), the world’s largest diving network and a leader in diving education. Through the partnership, Seiko Prospex and PADI have collaborated on Save the Ocean activities, and numerous Seiko diver’s watches have included the PADI logo on their dials.

The mid-‘60s coincided with the rising popularity of recreational scuba, as more and more enthusiasts donned fins, tanks, and masks to explore a mysterious undersea world. Seiko and PADI were there amid the burgeoning dive culture. In 1965, Seiko created its very first diver’s watch, the 150-meter water-resistant 62MAS. Thanks to its rotating bezel, high legibility, and ample water resistance, divers could use Seiko’s new watch to track their time under water and monitor their air supply. PADI, formed the very next year, greatly expanded access to diving education. It has played a vital role in the growth of scuba. More than a half-century and millions of certifications later, diving has reached astounding levels of interest around the globe.

Japan’s first diver’s watch, the 62MAS, was released in 1965.

PADI model variations

Seiko Prospex has offered various iconic timepieces through its partnership with PADI.
These special diver’s watches have been double signed, meaning they bear both the Seiko and PADI names on the dial.
All feature designs that echo the world of PADI.

In some PADI models, the color scheme of the diving organization’s logo is reflected throughout the whole design. Here, for example, is a watch with a red and blue bezel, a red minute hand, and a blue silicone strap.
In other models, the PADI logo’s color scheme influenced certain elements of the watch’s design. Here are two PADI models, each featuring a red and blue bezel and a red seconds hand.
Some of the watches have a blue bezel and are accented with a red minute hand, enhancing contrast and legibility.
Other, more recent models have a patterned dial inspired by the PADI logo, with accents in turquoise blue. Underwater, this light blue color is highly legible, an important quality for any diver’s watch.

Field test with PADI team

In October 2021, PADI instructors tested a new Seiko Prospex diver’s watch featuring Caliber H855, taking it diving from both boat and beach. The instructors’ valuable feedback helped determine the final specifications of the new watch, resulting in a digital display that is easier to see and an alarm that is easier to hear underwater.