There is always a first time for everything..... first time I dated a girl; first time I kissed..... The thing is, first time is always memorable, either in a cherish manner or horrific circumstance.... It is still the first time. I won't be posting a Dolphin photo or an under the sea scene for this very first Seiko diver, as I already done it HERE and HERE! Let me share with you a more innocent type of mood photo to stimulate your first love...... Perhaps I should have posted this in Valentine day.
In 1965, Seiko had built Japan's first diver's watch, which was water resistant to an impressive 150 meters. Seiko´s first diver, the (62MAS) was retailing for 13,000 Yen back then. That is equivalent to a Japanese university graduate's half month wages. In other words, it wasn't cheap 50 years ago and it is certainly not cheap now. A good condition used 62MAS can easily set you back USD 1000 to 1500 or even more.
Comparing to other subsequent Seiko divers, this iconic vintage diver is relative small in size. It is measuring 37mm in diameter, with a thickness of 13.5mm. The distance between its lugs is 19mm. The case is with brushed finishing on the top. The 62MAS is the first Seiko featuring the external rotating bezel. The bi- directional rotating bezel with non clicking sound has a black background with white markings.
Like most 1960's watches, this Seiko diver has the classic domed acrylic crystal. This watch also has an unconventional oversized crown for the 1960's. Contradict with later diver, the crown is pull and wind type. It is non screw down and non locking crown. It is signed with raised Seiko wording. The 62MAS does not have crown guards.
Another distinctive feature of this watch is the four holes at its lugs.
This watch has a metallic black dial with rectangle shaped baton hour markers that were heavily lumed. The hour and minute hands are also baton shaped and heavily lumed. The minute and hour hands are simple, bevelled and lumed baton hands, The elongated seconds hand has a lumed box tip.
There is a date window highlighted with silver colour frame at 3 o'clock position. The date can be quickset. There are two types of caseback for 62MAS: The Dolphin logo or the Seiko wording type. My 62MAS is of Seiko wording and the caseback is screw down. From the serial number this diver is dated to April 1967.
Below is a caseback I saw while google for the 62MAS caseback..... Hmmmmm it makes me wonder whether that is a dolphin or a whale? Looks more like a whale to me.
The 62MAS is powered by the same 6217A that was used in Seiko Worldtime. Below is a beautiful 6217A movement picture that I copied from http://thewatchspotblog.com.
6217A is a 17 Jewels date-only automatic movement, beating at a slow pace of 18000bph. This movement is non-hacking and cannot handwind. The robustness of a Seiko movement is never in doubt.
In order to prove its reliability and ruggedness, the 62MAS was successfully used by the 8th Japanese Antarctic Wintering Team in 1966.
62MAS is consider rare as it was only produced from 1965 until 1968. Seiko Diver 6105 replaced 62MAS in 1968. No matter what, 62MAS marked a new milestone in watches production and signaled a great beginning for Japanese driving watches.
Do you know where this bezel comes from? I don't think it is the original Seiko bezel, do you know what watch it has been taken from? Thank you
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