THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: SEIKO
MODEL: 6217-8001
YEAR: 1967
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 37MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: RUBBER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

For many collectors, the journey starts with a Seiko — few forget the first time they wore an SKX007. Yet Seiko divers are far more than entry-level pieces. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, the brand produced some of the most robust, innovative, and wearable tool watches of the era.

The grandfather of them all is the Seiko 62MAS, produced for a short run between 1965 and 1968. Housed in a modest 37mm case with no crown guards, its clean profile recalls early Submariner designs. The grey dial carries oversized lume plots on both markers and hands, prioritising clarity and functionality.

Nearly 60 years on, the 62MAS has become a cult classic. Its slim proportions — while modest by modern dive standards — give it exceptional presence on the wrist. There is also something undeniably compelling about owning the watch that laid the groundwork for some of the most celebrated and widely produced dive watches ever made.

This example has just undergone a full movement service and is performing strongly at +2 seconds per day, with 255° amplitude and a beat error of 0.3 ms. A new crystal was fitted during the service.