Latest Review
Earlier this year, I helped a close friend pick out her first mechanical watch: a beautiful blue Seiko Prospex “Save the Ocean” special edition. For me, it was an easy recommendation, given my love of Seiko, their position as the true global king of entry- to mid-level watch purchases, and the prestige of the Prospex diver line itself. For her, as a lover of all things to do with the natural world, it was meaningful thanks to the eco-benefitting twist and oceanic theming. That particular Prospex was not the first, nor the last Seiko to showcase an organization doing work for ocean conservation and education: new for 2026 is the Prospex HBB002, celebrating the Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) 60th anniversary.
Seiko’s connection with the world of diving goes far beyond the simple styling and function of many of their iconic diver timepieces. As the company points out, it released its first diver in 1965, just one year before the PADI itself was founded with the intention of raising training standards and expanding access to education on diving as a hobby and profession. Now operating in 183 countries, PADI also puts promoting ocean conservation at its forefront, a noble cause that Seiko themselves have championed with their Save the Ocean program. So, it makes sense that Seiko has supported PADI as a partner for ten years, and is celebrating that partnership and PADI’s sixtieth anniversary with the new HBB002 model.
The watch itself brings many hallmarks of other Prospex divers back, with a smooth, rounded stainless steel case measuring in at 45mm in diameter and 13.2mm of thickness—a proper chunky diver, carrying a capable 200 meters of water resistance. The sapphire crystal adds a magnifier over the day-date window at 3 o’clock and anti-reflective coating for legibility, and the screw-down crown at 4 adds to the classically-styled brawny appeal. Inside, a caliber 4R36 automatic movement provides a solid 41 hours of power reserve, and boasts a magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m. A silicone strap and stainless steel bracelet allow for dressing up and down, and like all Prospex models, the HBB002 should be an ideal tough-as-nails daily driver option.
The PADI partnership comes into play most visibly on the dial and bezel. A subtle longitude-latitude globe motif graces the dark blue dial, and the red seconds hand and “diver’s 200m” text detail above the 6 o’clock position pay homage to PADI’s logo. “Seiko” and the Prospex “X” are mirrored by PADI’s text logo and straddle the hands at 12 and 6, giving the dial a center-heavy feel that keeps the indexes free of distraction. The ceramic bezel insert matches the blue of the dial, with equally legible numerals and unidirectional rotation.
While the Prospex HBB002 PADI 60th Anniversary Edition doesn’t make any great strides in design or function, it does provide another entry in the Japanese giant’s longstanding relationship with ocean conservation and the diving community as a whole. Members of PADI will likely be the most excited about this release, but if you are in the market for a solid diver with a bold (but not abrasive) color scheme, the HB002 is a great bet.
The Seiko Prospex HBB002 PADI 60th Anniversary Edition will be available at select retail locations with a retail price of USD $750, and is limited to 8,000 models. Seiko
