Naomi Uemura’s ascents of five famous mountains are commemorated with a 1970 diver’s watch modern re-interpretation with a dial depicting Mont Blanc.
Naomi Uemura 1941-1984
1970 Original model
The Backstory
Five years after making Japan’s first diver’s watch in 1965, Seiko introduced a new diver’s watch with a flowing case design and an asymmetrical extension that protected the crown at the four o’clock position.
This 1970 diver’s watch proved its reliability in extreme conditions when it was worn by Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura in the Arctic region.
Born in 1941, Naomi Uemura was a university student when he took on the challenge of his first mountain climb. By the age of 29, he had climbed Mont Blanc, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Mt. Aconcagua, and, in 1970, he became the first Japanese mountaineer to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Just three months later, he reached the top of Alaska’s Denali (then known as Mt. McKinley) and thus became the first adventurer in the world to reach the summits of all five of these peaks.
Today, Uemura’s ascents of these five mountains are commemorated with a 500-piece limited edition watch whose dial depicts Mont Blanc, the first of these climbs.
DESIGN
Dial
Mont blanc’s soaring summit as seen by Uemura.
The textured dial features an image of the distinctive silhouette and contours of Mont Blanc over a patterned backdrop that echoes the mountain’s rocky and snowy surface. Pressing and etching techniques are used to give the dial depth and bring the 4,807-meter peak to life. Mont Blanc is presented at the very same angle from which Uemura began his ascent.
All of the hour markers have a generous coating of Lumibrite, as do the hands, to maximize legibility in the dark. Thanks to the positioning of the date window between four and five o’clock, 12 luminous hour markers are possible.
Case
The case sides are carefully polished, and the watch is presented on a five-row steel bracelet to create a sharp, modern profile. The crown and surface around the bezel display evoke the blue shadows that surround Mont Blanc.
Case Back
The case back bears the words “The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition” and carries the individual watch’s serial number.
＊ In an actual product, the case back direction might be different from the photograph.
Movement
Caliber 8L35, Seiko’s leading mechanical movement
Developed especially for diver’s watches, the Caliber 8L35 is Seiko’s leading mechanical movement, crafted to the highest standards for performance and functional beauty. Every detail of its construction can be traced back to Seiko’s time-tested expertise in creating cutting-edge mechanical movements from the ground up.
Special Box
The watch is presented in a special box featuring a saying of Naomi Uemura.
“When one dream is realized,
other dreams will follow.”
Naomi Uemura
