Earlier today, as part of a host of new 2020 releases, Japan’s Seiko unveiled four new watches celebrating the 55th anniversary of the brand?s first dive watch. The first three of these are a trilogy of vintage re-issues, using the 1970s ?Tuna? 6159, the 1960s Hi-Beat 6215 and 62MAS 6217 as base designs (vintage models pictured below), with each new model featuring a brand new steel alloy material produced by the brand dubbed ?Ever-Bright Steel.? These three historical references have been some of the most popular designs produced by Seiko in its history, with each having been re-issued in its own right at different points over the past few years, so it?s no surprise the brand is using them again now to celebrate another anniversary as well as to showcase a new material.
?Ever-Bright Steel,? according to the brand, is even more corrosive resistant than the 316L surgical-grade steel alloy most commonly used in luxury watches today ? which is itself remarkably corrosion resistant. To support this claim, Seiko has cited the ?extensive? use of the material ?in the surfaces, linings, bolts and other components of marine structures and vessels so as to avoid corrosion in a chloride-rich environment such as sea water.? The brand has also discussed the higher PREN (Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number) value of the alloy being 1.7 times higher than 316L steel, PREN being a ?widely accepted standard used to measure corrosion resistance.?

According to Seiko, the new alloy is ...