62MAS — Seiko's first diver

In brief

Six decades of Seiko divers trace back to this one. The 6217 powered the 62MAS — collectors coined the name from the "6217-8000" reference and the year 1965 — Seiko's first professional dive watch, rated to 150 m. Unidirectional bezel, clean dial with large markers, crown at four o'clock: the template was set here, and Seiko has been repeating it ever since.

Short history

It was not the most technically advanced watch of its day, but it is where Seiko's dive line genuinely begins, a line that today runs from the SKX up to the high-end Prospex. A real 62MAS in good condition is one of the most sought-after pieces on the Japanese vintage market, and one of the most faked; a reprinted dial is the usual trick.

Watches that used it

• 62MAS 6217-8000/8001
• Direct ancestor of the 6105 and the 6309