Seiko Watch Corporation director Atsushi Kaneko accepts the award.
KUCHING: Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) which is the watch industry’s most coveted annual award took place at the Théatre du Léman in Geneva on Nov 9.
Twelve prizes for specific categories and five other prizes were also awarded for a range of other horological achievements.
Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Re-creation was judged the best sports watch of the year by a panel of 29 watch and luxury experts.
Seiko created its first diver’s watch in 1965 and has many innovations in the most demanding of watch specialties since.
From its first titanium case to the accordion-style strap, and one-piece case structure with outer protector, Seiko has always been a pioneer in the field.
In 1968, Seiko made its first hi-beat diver’s watch with 300-metre water resistance, laying the foundation for its future diver’s watch development.
It had a 10-beat, high precision automatic caliber, a one-piece structure, a screw-down crown and a uni-directional rotating bezel.
The new recreation with all these characteristics has been updated with a caliber, 8L55, specially designed for diver’s use.
It is handcrafted in Shizukuishi Watch Studio in Morioka at the north of Japan.
Seiko Watch Corporation is deeply honoured to receive its fourth award at GPHG; the second it has received for its mechanical watches and the first for its diver’s watch.
“I am very grateful to GPHG for its decision to give Seiko this award.
“We are very proud of our long tradition in diver’s watches and in hi-beat watchmaking. It is a great honor to see our achievements recognised on this most prestigious stage,” said Seiko Watch Corporation Chairman cum CEO Shinji Hattori.