SEIKO SPB 147 SKIN
While the simple skin diver case style and oversized unguarded screw-down crown might feel straight from the ’60s, Seiko sets these models apart with thoroughly modern attention to detail. As with so many modern Seiko cases, however, these numbers can be deceiving, as clever case geometry helps this one to feel old-school compact on the wrist and far slimmer than the 15mm thickness would imply. At a 40.5mm diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug, on paper this watch seems like a rather standard midsize diver. Right off the bat, the stainless steel cases of these new 62MAS style models feel like a departure from previous interpretations on this design. These four new watches - the gilt-dial Seiko Prospex SPB147, the gray-dial Seiko Prospex SPB143, the boutique special-edition Seiko Prospex SPB145, and the limited-edition Seiko Prospex SPB149 - represent some of the handsomest additions to the current Prospex dive watch lineup.
SEIKO SPB 147 SERIES
While the brand has produced high-end reissues and even a series of dramatically restyled versions of the core 62MAS design, this new series of four models might be the first (with the possible exception of the Turtle series) to break the mold of Seiko’s reissue structure and deliver a faithful and affordable recreation for the masses. As part of this year’s novelties, the Japanese giant announced a series of four modern re-imaginings of its first ever dive watch, the 1965 62MAS.
![seiko spb 147 seiko spb 147](https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/1587603467293-b1u3ynwzmt-aafb8acfe8aee1f5dbb2b967c4674d06/Seiko-spb-2020-spb14x-3.jpg)
![seiko spb 147 seiko spb 147](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZeE43ATCNb8/maxresdefault.jpg)
2020 seems to be the year when Seiko has recognized and broken that cycle for good.
![seiko spb 147 seiko spb 147](https://timeandtidewatches.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image00008-2.jpeg)
About a year later, the brand will unveil a more modestly priced general-production “re-imagining” of the same watch, with some dramatic alteration that disrupts the flow of the original design, be it a completely different handset, new markers, a changed bezel design, or another stylistic change. First, the brand will release an extremely faithful limited-edition reissue of a given classic timepiece, priced near the top of the model range. S eiko has wholeheartedly embraced the idea of reviving classic models from its back catalog in recent years, especially its classic dive watches but, as a general rule, these releases follow a pattern.