There are many vintage Seiko divers popular with Seiko enthusiasts, and the 1980s Seiko 5H25 series – like the sparsely-designed 1989 Seiko 5H23-7060 Chronos sport diver here, with an original Seiko 5H23 instructions manual – is one of the much lesser known of these divers.
The Seiko Cronos line was launched by the Japanese watchmaker in 1958 as the first three-hand men's watch made at the Daini-Seikosha Kameido factory - thinner than most conventional watches at the time, it delivered high performance with a sparse dial design. This thin, basic design was later inherited by the King Seiko collection and the 44GS of 1967. Continued into Seiko quartz-powered watch era, the Chronos models are characterized by its delicate, thin bezel, slender hands, and long, clean, three-dimensional indexes. The typeface of the logo is also quite elegant.
1969 was one of the most spectacular years in Seiko’s storied history. That year, it released the world’s first automatic chronograph, the Calibre 6139 and, separately, the V.F.A. (Very Fine Adjusted) movement – which delivered Seiko’s highest yet level of precision for a mechanical movement.
But Seiko wasn’t finished – it would also release another first upon the world, the first quartz wristwatch. Seiko’s proprietary technology went on to change the way the world told time, and severely tested the dominance of the Swiss, bringing high technology within the reach of all.
Seiko released its 5Hxx calibre beginning in late 1980s and the Japanese company would cease production in the circa late 1990s. The design of this 5H23 quartz diver, like the similarly-sized 6458 that preceded it, is classically simple and naturally features a screw-down crown. And it features a tough and reliable Seiko movement, at that. The full package!
There are many vintage Seiko divers popular with Seiko enthusiasts, and for good reason - Seiko found an original, great looking formula for its divers, and stuck with it. And the sport diver here is a great example of Seiko's successful sport diver formula.
This late 1980s Seiko 5H23 sport diver comes on a leather strap, and with nylon strap, spingbar tool, and rugged travel case.
1989 Seiko 5H23-7060 Chronos Sport Diver Watch
DIAL: Crisp white Seiko and Chronos-signed dial, no imperfections; day / date function at the 3 o'clock position works correctly as designed. Correct handset - with its characteristic Chronos design, featuring slender hands, and long, clean, three-dimensional minute indexes - and lume on dial and handset shines brightly.
CASE: Stainless-steel case measures 36.5mm (38mm including crown) x 40mm, with matching caseback; 18mm lug width. The Seiko 5H23’s case size places it nicely alongside other Seiko divers of the era, in particular the mid-sized Seiko 6458 diver. Caseback features nicely legible engravings, to include the iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa inscription.
CRYSTAL: Hardlex crystal, no cracks or scratches.
BAND: This Seiko 5H23 diver comes on a leather strap; it also comes black, red, and grey nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Seiko 5H23 calibre hacking quartz movement, manufactured in March 1989.
CROWN: Screw-down unsigned stainless-steel crown.
Of note, this Seiko Chronos sport diver comes with an original Seiko 5H23 instructions manual.