Get to da choppah... Needing little in the way of an introduction, Seiko’s H558-5000, or “Arnie” as it’s more commonly referred to, is one of the few pieces that have me throw my “no quartz” rule right out of the shop window. Introduced in 1982, it was the first ever diver to have an analog and digital display with a chronograph and an alarm. It is a beast of a watch at nearly 46mm including the shroud, and so it seems fitting that it would eventually become synonymous with it’s biggest fan, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnie, with a fairly well documented collection of great watches already, rode out most of the 80’s with his favorite Seiko strapped to his wrist. It even saw significant screen time in the movies “Predator” and “Commando.” Considered by collectors to be a fringe member of the “Tuna” family of Seiko divers, an honest, fully working example can be a bit hard to come by these days as they were often worn hard by those for whom it was designed. The shroud is plastic and can become brittle with age, and moisture intrusion or a dead battery left sitting can destroy the movement. But, for those willing to be patient, a good example is certainly worth waiting for. This example from July of 1983 came with some strings attached, but was certainly worth the time and effort. The dial is practically perfect, as is the depth meter (not gauge), and minute chapter. The hands are the original and in good condition. I had to patch a small hole in the luminous material on the minute hand, but took great care to match the color and reinforce the existing lume. The bezel insert shows some moderate wear, but is in nice shape overall. The shroud is the original, though i did repair two cracks at either end, rather than opt for an aftermarket replacement. The shroud screws are original, however, one of the three collars is missing. When it arrived, the analog portion began ticking straight away upon installing a new battery, but the digital portion wasn’t working properly. Some portions of the numbers weren’t showing in the display, and the light and alarm functions were not working. I was able to source a replacement lcd block and PCB, and serviced the analog portion as well. All of the functions now work properly including the incandescent bulb and the alarm and hourly chime. The bezel was free spinning, so I installed a new spring, bearing, and bezel gasket. The crystal is also a replacement mineral. The case is unpolished, but at some point, a previous owner had the lugs drilled to more easily access the spring bars. I contemplated having them filled, but ultimately chose to leave this “mod.” It doesn’t look terrible, and I didn’t want to have the case polished after the fill. The crown screws down tightly, and all setting functions work as designed. As it is quite involved, setting instructions can be found at the link below. It is currently attached to a newer Z-22 flat vent strap, but with the original buckle installed. With the caveat of the repairs mentioned, it is a knock out example with 100% genuine Seiko parts, and will be reliable for many years to come. Don’t miss this opportunity to own a true piece of Seiko diver history.

Setting Instructions: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/620725/Seiko-H558.html

Genuine Seiko Z-22 Flat Vent Rubber Strap with Stainless Steel Buckle

Serviced 1/1/19

Diameter- 46mm

Lugs- 22mm