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Rowing Blazers and Seiko have partnered on their fourth limited edition collection, and they’ve once again teamed up with vintage watch dealer Eric Wind on the design. This partnership has produced a number of hits since the first collaboration appeared in 2021, and it all comes down to an obvious synergy between the participants. Rowing Blazers, Seiko, and Wind each occupy distinct areas of watch and style culture, but they overlap in such a way that these watches make a ton of sense in context.
The new limited edition consists of two watches, each limited to 2,500 pieces, and harkens a return to the Rally Diver format the partnership began with five years ago. Available in both 38mm and 42mm diameters, the new Rally Divers are based on a Seiko 5 design from the 1960s that Wind says was both his first vintage watch purchase and a reminder of his father’s chosen daily wear watches from Wind’s childhood. It underscores something anyone who has chatted with Eric Wind for even a moment likely understands pretty intuitively, which is that while he is known professionally for dealing in blue chip vintage watches from Rolex, Patek, and others, he’s no snob when it comes to the watches he personally enjoys. His love for Seiko and accessible vintage is genuine, and this collaborative relationship has never felt forced.
The Rally Diver is defined by its checkerboard “rally” bezel, an idiosyncratic choice for a dive watch that doesn’t have an obvious connection to racing. But the design is playful and allows Seiko, Rowing Blazers, and Wind to have some fun with color, which is a through line between all of their work together. The new Rally Divers can be had in either green (in 38mm) or blue (42mm). And while each comes mounted to a matching steel bracelet, they really make the most sense when paired with the included nylon strap, which for this collection means a contrasting color out of the box. While individual taste and style might land you with a different color combo, this is the Rowing Blazers influence coming through loud and clear.
The technical specs for these watches line up with other watches in the Seiko 5 Sports collection, which means each has a 4R36 automatic movement and 100 meters of water resistance. While Seiko purists might critique the lack of screw down crowns on watches that present as divers and evoke, to some extent, classic tool watch references of the past, this new generation of Seiko 5 has always been more about serving as a canvas for a huge variety of design ideas and appealing to younger, less tool-focused consumers. The modern incarnation of Seiko 5 is really at its best when it leans into this, as opposed to making attempts to recreate the look and feel of your favorite SKX, for example.
The new Seiko x Rowing Blazers Rally Divers go on sale on Thursday via the Rowing Blazers and Seiko websites, with a limited number of watches also available at the Rowing Blazers flagship on Elizabeth Street in New York City. The retail price is set at $495. Seiko x Rowing Blazers
