Diving at night is quite the experience. What is, for example, a beautiful, colorful coral reef during the day has quite a different appearance at night. Other creatures come out, which are fascinating in their own right when caught by the beam of your flashlight. For Seiko, this was also the inspiration for The Black Series, a limited edition of four different Prospex watches based on some legendary predecessors.

The first three (references SPB253J1, SPB255J1, and SPB257Ji) are all powered by Seiko’s automatic caliber 6R35, a sophisticated and reliable movement with a power reserve of a rather generous 70-hours. Their black case, dial, and bezel are brightened up by orange accents and feature a generous coating of Lumibrite. That makes these watches so suitable for the activity they were inspired by: night diving.
They are all limited to 5.500 pieces and come on a brown fabric strap. The treads are braided using a Japanese technique called Seichu, making it supple and robust. While one wouldn’t expect it, the brown perfectly complements the design and color scheme of the watches. An additional black silicone strap is provided as well.

The fourth member of this collection (reference SLA061J1) is a slightly different creation. It is a modern re-interpretation of the 1970 mechanical diver’s and comes with a textured dial inspired by the sand patterns of a sea bed. Its typical asymmetrical bracelet is blackened as well, just as the five-l...