This particular version has an attractive gradient blue dial which goes from black on the periphery of the dial to a metallic blue in the middle. It’s not only clean and functional, but has a handsome Seiko brand DNA to it that I enjoy. I really like the dial design of this particular Seiko Prospex series based on their 1968 watch a lot. In general, the LumiBrite luminant application on the dial is excellent, offering very bright visibility after being charged in the light. Bezel action is nice, and there is a prominent lume-painted pip at the 60-hour mark. It looks a bit like ceramic, but Seiko doesn’t mention it as such, which is the case for its other diver’s watches that do have ceramic bezels. Finally, and this is very important, Seiko claims that the steel cases are fortified with its “hard coating.” That’s a transparent coating that increases the scratch resistance of the cases and something that will prove very valuable over time as the watches will wear much more gracefully than uncoated steel watch cases.Īround the dial is a uni-directional rotating bezel with a black and silver insert. Practically speaking, I’d say that the durability of any of these high-end Seiko dive watches is about the same for 99% of practical applications. Generally speaking Seiko Prospex LX watches have water resistance ratings in the 200 – 1000m range. Over the dial is an AR-coated sapphire crystal. Lug-to-lug distance is 51mm, and the case is water resistant to 200 meters. ![]() If anything, the SPB083 wears a bit smaller than its 44mm-wide, 13.1mm-thick dimensions might suggest. The case also blends a hefty size with wearability. ![]() The finishing on the steel case is a marked improvement over most of the $500 and under Seiko dive watches that many enthusiasts are familiar with, and I like the mixture of round dial with tonneau-style case shape. The SPB083 Prospex case is one of my favorite parts of this watch. The SPB083 is certainly more in the heritage camp and is a strong contender for those who like a more classic look in their daily-wear sports watches. Seiko now has a number of dive watch case styles to choose from that blend both its heritage and modern history. We see a blend of elements, such as Seiko’s own take on shape-based hour markers inspired from the Rolex Submariner (such a design allows for large amounts of luminant paint to be applied on each marker), as well as fun-looking arrow-style hour hands that make up a key component of the SPB083’s visual personality. Far from retro in aesthetics, such straight-forward tool watches from that era often appear timeless today, if not classic and conservative. This is where much of the style ranging from the dial to the case design come in. Offered in a few color variations, this collection is inspired by an original automatic mechanical diver’s watch produced by Seiko in 1968. This watch is the Seiko Prospex reference SPB008. Today, I review not Seiko’s most expensive diver’s watches but rather a mid-range Prospex diver’s watch that offers a lot of value for the just over $1,000 price point. Most enthusiasts will have to handle some of Seiko’s newer Prospex and LX pieces to see and feel the impressive nature of these products. Blink and you might not realize that Seiko has markedly upgraded its products because, in large part, the watches of today are inspired by the watches of yesterday. ![]() Indeed, Seiko will always play an extremely important role in the entry-level mechanical and sport watch market, but the Japanese brand of today’s era is much broader in its scope with a lot of emphasis on higher-end products. You can purchase the Prospex SPB317J1 Turtle Re-Interpretation from their website here.īuy the Seiko Prospex SPB317J1 at Goldsmiths.Gone are the days when Seiko dive watches were largely low-end sports watches meant for the mainstream and budget-minded timepiece enthusiasts. Thanks once again to Francis & Gaye for loaning the watch to us. But, besides those small issues, I think the SPB317J1 is a solid dive watch that makes for a great daily beater. However, it seems that Seiko has realised the value of its history and factored that into the price of these Prospex reinterpretations. I’m also conscious that with a retail price of £810, the SPB317J1 is hardly cheap. It’s just a pity that the usual Seiko issues of bezel alignment and movement accuracy continue to rear their ugly heads. It’s hardly a revolutionary watch, but rather the SPB317J1 is a tasteful evolution of an iconic Seiko design that’s a classic for a reason. All of which makes the SPB317J1 the quintessential Seiko dive watch in my opinion. Everything is functional and to the point, and as this is a reissue of the 6105, the design is packed with Seiko DNA. It’s a watch that’s not concerned with fancy finishing and over-the-top design elements. As I said earlier, I think of the SPB317J1 as a no-frills diver.
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