When you think of Seiko, there's a good chance it's one of the brand's iconic dive watches that comes to mind — which one, however, is anybody's guess. From vintage and out-of-production models to new releases at every price point, the Japanese juggernaut makes compelling dive watches for nearly every type of buyer. If you want the Seiko diver experience, you simply need to ask yourself: how much am I looking to spend?
At almost every hundred-dollar increment, there's going to be something cool — whether you want your first mechanical watch or weekend beater for a couple hundred dollars, or a truly high-end luxury diver with bells, whistles and zaratsu polishing. Among Seiko dive watches at all levels, you'l find some common traits and design features as well as the brand's famous bang-for-buck value.
What Seiko offers at different price points can also help clarify the brand's positioning (though some no-longer produced watches like the SKX series can complicate the picture). Even at the entry point of around $300, Seiko's automatic watches offer robust in-house movements with hacking and hand-winding capabilities (unlike many older models), and at just about every level, you can expect impressive quality for the price and serious diving specs.
The following rundown doesn't include every dive watch family or collection Seiko makes, but it illustrates the range and features you can typically expect — and shows how many of 'em are just so damn good.
Seiko 5 Sports
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Water Resistance: 100mm
- Movement: 4R36 automatic
The design of the Seiko 5 Sports flagship model, based on the famous SKX series of dive watches, only offers 100m of water resistance. But hear us out: while that 100m rating will make it a "dive-style" watch rather than a true diver for many, we feel it merits inclusion here — it's perfectly appropriate for most occasions where dive watches are worn. With solid automatic movements and a staggering number of variants, the modern Seiko 5 Sports collection has us thoroughly impressed with its quality and comfort for the price.
Seiko Prospex "Samurai"
- Diameter: 44mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 4R35 automatic
The "Samurai" is one of Seiko's famous nicknamed models. In its current form it represents the entry level tier of Seiko Prospex dive watches well: at this price point one can expect things like Hardlex crystal, 200m of water resistance and some quirky designs. This price range is also where you'll also find icons like the "Turtle" and "Monster."
Seiko Prospex "King Turtle"
- Diameter: 45mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 4R36 automatic
The "King" nicknames have been applied to Turtle and Samurai (see above) dive watches that are fitted with premium features. In addition to the sapphire crystal with a cyclops — a magnifier over the day and date windows — it features a ceramic bezel and waffle-textured dial that together make its price premium over the "regular" Turtle seem more than reasonable. This right here might be the sweet spot and the strongest value you'll find in modern Seiko divers.
Read our full review of the Prospex Turtle.
Seiko Prospex 62MAS Re-Interpretation
- Diameter: 42.6mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R15 automatic
This is just one way in which Seiko's first dive watch, known as the "62MAS," has been reinterpreted in recent years. It was announced alongside a more faithful but high-end version, but the relatively affordable SPB053 (and similar models) offers a clear link to the past while being sized up (to 42.6mm) and tweaked with contemporary cues. It's also got familiar Prospex features and a unique, rugged look.
Seiko Prospex SPB317
- Diameter: 41mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R35 automatic
Though unfortunately lacking a catchy nickname, the SPB317 is quite possibly the ideal watch for those digging the Turtle shape but not its size. It's got a more retro, conservative look, with only a date display (no day of the week), a higher-end movement and a significantly smaller diameter. Seiko says that it's also got the thinnest case yet of any dive watch from the brand at a pretty reasonable 12.3mm. All those elements together, along with its beloved case shape, made it an instant hit upon release.
Seiko Prospex SPB077
- Diameter: 44mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R15 automatic
A modern reinterpretation of a Seiko dive watch from 1968 (ref. 6159), the SPB077 is just another great example of what Seiko does well. It also represents the brand's ascent into more competitive territory, with commensurate details and finishing. Though not as budget-friendly as, say, the King Turtle, it's another demonstration of Seiko's expertise in case design and ergonomics, as its large-sounding 44mm case is, in fact, more wearable than might be expected even for slimmer wrists. You'll find the bracelet has a finer, more substantial clasp than lower-end models do.
Seiko Prospex SPB143
- Diameter: 40.5mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R35 automatic
After a couple shots at reinterpreting the hugely popular "62MAS" dive watch of 1965, Seiko really got it right with this offering. It nails the proportions (40.5mm case) and luxury features you'd expect (sapphire crystal) mixed with a contemporary feel that still seems satisfyingly consistent with the classic design of the 62MAS. It comes in multiple variants, but our favorite is the gray dialed 143, which is apparently so popular the brand has a hard time keeping it in stock.
Seiko Prospex "Willard"
- Diameter: 40.5mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R35 automatic
The 6105 is one of Seiko's most iconic dive watches and has influenced the brand's design DNA in a number of ways, visible not least in the famous Turtle. The 6105 has a quirky protruding case shape that functions as a crown protector but also lends it a distinctive utilitarian look. (It owes its nickname to Martin Sheen's character Captain Willard wearing it in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.) Like other reissues, Seiko has taken multiple stabs at how to reintroduce the Willard, but many Seiko fans will be quite satisfied with the 40.5mm proportions and relatively affordable price of this variation.
Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver's Modern Re-Interpretation GMT
- Diameter: 42mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: automatic
You're here for dive watches not GMTs. But, hey, this will time your decompression stops and manage your jetlag as you get to that clearwater destination. And who doesn't love a GMT, especially when it's from a new crop coming from Seiko and other brands that are pushing the complication into ever more affordable territories. Consider it a bonus on an awesome dive watch, and the brand even managed to keep the case relatively thin despite the extra complication and necessary water resistance.
Seiko Prospex "Shogun" SPB189
- Diameter: 43.5mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: 6R35 automatic
The "Shogun," as this particular design is nicknamed, has been around for a while. Though its design isn't as distinctive as some Seiko divers, it's long existed as a more upscale option that still feels very Seiko. With a lot of the higher-end features expected from the brand at over $1,000, a fully titanium case, bezel and bracelet elevate this watch to another level within the Seiko catalog.
High-End Seiko Divers
There's a separation point within Seiko's catalog where the budget end of the spectrum ends. That's right around $1,500, with some special editions being the exception. From there, prices jump well into four figures and, though still in the Prospex line, you're suddenly in the deep end, as it were, beyond the $3,000 mark. They're often special editions and high-end interpretations of other Seiko dive watches, but aimed at collectors with elevated movements, construction, details and materials.
Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver "Marinemaster" SLA021
- Diameter: 44.3mm
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Movement: 8L35 automatic
Seiko no longer uses the name "Marinemaster," but fans know this watch's lineage. It's more or less a modern version of one of the brand's most serious divers, hitting the sweet spot between those entry-level models meant for real use and abuse and the no-compromise specs of Grand Seiko's dive watches. It's got a higher-end movement that's nicely finished and you'll see that the details of other elements from the hands to the case keep right up.
Seiko Prospex "Tuna" SLA042
- Diameter: 52.4mm
- Water Resistance: 1,000m
- Movement: 8L35 automatic
No treatment of Seiko dive watches would be complete without an example of the utterly funky but famous "Tuna"-style case, so called due to its stout shape and proportions that are reminiscent of a store-bought can of tunafish. The strap attaches directly under the case (without protruding lugs) and there's a protective outer shroud that makes it appear utterly unconcerned with aesthetics — and yet it's somehow cool-looking. The original 1975 design is said to be the response to a request from a professional diver, and many such uncompromisingly serious watches have followed.
Seiko Prospex LX SNR031
- Diameter: 44.8mm
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Movement: 5R65 automatic
What you have here is a dive watch that couldn't be more illustrative of the term "overbuilt." Despite being made of lightweight titanium, the large 44.8mm case is a beast on the wrist, yet its refinement shows through at the same time. Yes, it's got the brand's famous zaratsu polishing and the innovative Spring Drive movement tech, as well as luxury fit and finish, but it still feels like it's meant to be used as a genuine tool (or possibly a bludgeoning weapon).
BONUS: Grand Seiko Sport Diver SBGA463
- Diameter: 44.2mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: automatic
Though the Grand Seiko dive watches are most certainly tough and capable, they seem to emphasize the versatile, luxury diver experience over the pure tool persona found in Prospex. Here, again, you'll find features like titanium and a Spring Drive movement, but the Grand Seiko difference shows in the details and finishing. This is true even of the movement, but it's unfortunately hidden from view behind a solid caseback.
