#Seiko Monster Automatic Divers

[machomasa11]

Vintage Seiko 7S26-0351 Stainless Steel Orange Monster 200M Automatic Diver Men's Watch #seikowatch #seikovintage #seikomonsterdiver #seikodiver #seikosqwatches #diverwatch https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm-MkrOrQYl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[misterwrister]

Window Shopper: Seiko 5

Checking Out The New Seiko 5 Display @ The Bay In Montreal

I thoroughly enjoy browsing the various display cabinets and windows of watch shops everywhere I go. I happened upon the display above, while taking in my fiancee’s Tissot to be fixed at The Bay in Montreal. While waiting for an estimate, my eye wandered over to the canyons of display cabinets winding through the center of the main floor. This path led me in front of the new Seiko 5 display, the colours and strap combinations immediately catching my attention.

I had recently purchased one of these Japanese treasures from the Bay online store, having seen a review of it on youtube and suddenly my virtual wallet had screamed “Take My Money!!”. The particular piece I had purchased was the Seiko 5 SRPD77K1, or as the online world is now calling “The Avocado”, due to its particular avocado peel-like dial.

In light of this purchase, the display above caught my attention because it provided me with the opportunity to see my new watches’ companions, in the metal. As some of you may know, the Seiko 5 lineup has been re-invented in various new straps/dial/colour combinations, offering a proverbial buffet for watch enthusiasts to indulge in. All of which come with automatic caliber 4R36 movements, 10 bar water resistance, a 42.5 mm case, and a stunning see-through case back.

A few key standout pieces from the display above are:

1) SRPD65K2

2) SRPD75K1

3) SRPD59K1

BONUS:

For the eagle-eyed watch enthusiast, see if you can spot one of the watches in the display case that IS NOT a Seiko 5. 

Hidden amongst the bevy of new Seiko’s is a hidden “Monster” lurking below the depths. At the very bottom of the picture, a Seiko Prospex Monster Diver can be seen, merchandised incorrectly in the Seiko 5 display briefcase. What A Catch!!

-Mister Wrist(er)

[nayanasri]

In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch? Pick up a Seiko Orange Monster. Looking for a piece with a little history? The Omega Speedmaster is your man. Looking for an entry-level Swiss diver that won’t break the bank? Tissot’s Seastar has always had you covered.

The latest version of the Seastar is an interesting catch. A few years ago – circa 2010 – the pieces were all black with bold hands and a more staid case style. Now Tissot, a Swatch Group brand, has turned the Seastar into a chunkier diver with massive bar hands and case that looks like a steel sandwich.

The $ 695 Seastar 1000 contains a Powermatic 80/ETA C07.111 movement with an eighty hour power reserve which means the watch contains a massive mainspring that keeps things going for most of three days without winding. The Seastar is also water resistant to 1000 feet thanks to a huge screw down crown and thick casing. The new model has an exhibition back where you can see the rotor spinning over and balance wheel. The watch also has a ceramic bezel, a fairly top-of-the-line feature in an entry level watch.

Tissot has a long and interesting history. Best known for their high-tech T-Touch watches which had touchable crystals, allowing you to activate a compass, barometer, or altimeter with a single tap, the mechanical pieces have always seemed like an afterthought. The company also produces the classic Tissot Le Locle as well as a chronograph that I absolutely loved, the T-Navigator, but that has been discontinued. The Seastar, then, is one of the few mechanical pieces they sell and at sub-$ 1,000 prices you’re basically getting a Swiss watch with solid power reserve and great looks.

Watch folks I’ve talked to over the past few months see a distinct upturn in the Swiss watch market. Their belief that the Apple Watch is driving sales of mechanical watches seems to be coming true, even if it means cheaper fashion watches are being decimated. Tissot sits in that sweet spot between luxury and fashion, a spot that also contains Tag Heuer and Longines. Ultimately this is an entry level watch for the beginning collector but it’s a beautiful and beefy piece and worth a look.

Gadgets – TechCrunch

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch?

[pkansa]

Today, we come to the end of the current trio of PADI special edition watches we had come in from Seiko.  They’re all dive watches, of course, but they approach things quite differently.  We had the purpose-driven mechanical and the solar-powered dressier option.  That then leaves us with the Seiko Prospex SUN065, which is unlike both of those that preceded it on our pages.

At first blush, you would say, no, the Seiko Prospex SUN065 is a purpose-built dive watch, meant for, and designed for, that task of diving.  And I’ve no doubt that it could serve in that task.  But then you notice there’s a fourth hand on the dial, and hey, look at that – a GMT complication has entered the mix! So, not just a dive watch, but a dive watch you can jet around the world in pursuit of sunken treasure or tropical fish, or whatever it is recreational divers go diving for.

Jamming a bit more into the dial of the Seiko Prospex SUN065 is ok by me, as it has plenty of real estate for it with the 47.5mm diameter case.  A good portion of that is due to the angled shroud that partially protects the diving bezel, and since my eye gets drawn to the bezel, this seems to wear smaller than the specs suggest (though not as tightly to the wrist as the Monster Tuna).  I also like what Seiko did with the sides of the case, giving cutouts to show some texture and color from the “inner” case.  When you’ve got a tall case profile, you might as well put some fun architecture in there, in my book.

A closer look at the dial reveals a lot of similarities to the SNE435 that we just reviewed, with a similar handset and applied indices, and of course the same blue dial we’ve seen on all of these PADI models.  Aside from design cues, there is one big thing that separates the Seiko Prospex SUN065 from the other two we reviewed – it’s movement.  Here, we’ve got the 5M85, which means it’s a kinetic movement.

On one hand, a kinetic movement is familiar – you move the wrist or shake the watch, and you hear a rotor spinning away.  Here, though, the rotor is not winding a mainspring.  Instead, we’re building up the juice to power the movement.  If things run low, you get the stutter-step in the seconds hand.  And if you want to know where your power reserve is, well, that’s what the screw-down pusher at 2 o’clock is to help you do (for me, this was a curiosity to play with at first, then quickly ignored).  So, while the Seiko Prospex SUN065 is not an automatic, in a pure sense, it is a watch you could put on the winder to keep it running if you’re not wearing it frequently.

This is the Seiko the me of, say, 6+ years ago would have gone for.  It’s a larger dive watch, plenty of blue to it, and the movement offers up something different than anything else I likely owned (then or now).  Current-day me also digs the GMT movement (though not the case proportions).  This is very much a casual watch, given it’s sizing and styling.  Sure, it’s a diver, but it doesn’t seem as “in your face” about it as the Monster Tuna does, at least to my way of thinking.  It’s just a few mm smaller, but that angled shroud sort of takes things down a notch, while giving it a hint of a vintage vibe.

For me, the smaller size of the Seiko Prospex SUN065 also helped the silicone strap (this time in black, but still with a metal keeper) to not have as much of a tongue hanging out to get caught on things – something worth considering if you’ve got smaller wrists.  Then again, if you’re considering the $750 Seiko Prospex SUN065 – and comparing it against the SRPA83, you’ve got your decision-making work cut out.  Pricing is similar, and capabilities are as well – styling is different, of course, and the movements are radically different as well.  Variety is the spice of life, no?

While I did not have anything against the Seiko Prospex SUN065 during my time with it, I ended up feeling it was, well, just too big for my own tastes as a desk diver.  I like the more compact Seiko divers, like my first-gen Monster, I suppose.  And of the three that I reviewed here recently, it’s the SNE435 that I’d opt for (of the three), it just fits my own tastes and use cases.  For the divers out there, though, I’m sure you have a totally different set of criteria, and I’m sure you could do well with either of them.  Here, with the Seiko Prospex SUN065, you get that Kinetic movement which sort of bridges the gap between mechanical and quartz movements, if you’re looking for something a bit different in your next diver. seikousa.com

Review Summary

Brand & Model: Seiko Prospex SUN065

Price:  $750

Who’s it for? You like the tactile feel of a mechanical rotor winding, but relish the accuracy a quartz brings to the table

Would I wear it?  No, this is not the Seiko diver I am looking for

What I would change: Shrink it on down

The best thing about it: The kinetic movement

Tech Specs from Seiko

PADI Special Edition

Powered by movement

Power reserve indicator function

GMT indicator

6-month power reserve

Date calendar

One-way rotating elapsed timing bezel

LumiBrite hands and markers

Screwdown crown and see-through caseback

Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating

47.5mm diameter

Water Resistance: Diver’s Watch to 200 meters (660 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.

Caliber 5M85

Silicone strap

[amazon_link asins=’B01JGY0G3G,B00MCB9FWY,B01MUBHC9G,B01HD7Y61G’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’wristwatchrev-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7e45faff-5aa1-11e8-a421-5738e8edcf4a’]

It's frenetic and kinetic, it's the @SeikoWatch X @PADI Prospex SUN065 #diver #divewatch #kinetic #seiko #under$1000 Today, we come to the end of the current trio of PADI special edition watches we had come in from Seiko.  

[menwatchmolo]

^@!^ Seiko 7S26-0350 Divers Day Date Black Monster Automatic Mens Watch Auth Works https://ift.tt/32pxTlU

[creationwatches-blog]

Buy grand Seiko diver watch, automatic, Prospex watch & black monster watch online at low price. Orange monster watch, sports Diver watches also available. For more please visit us at https://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-divers-60/

[blehzz]

Watch collections/brands

Swatch - Sistem51 ($150)

Seiko - SKX007 ($200), Mount Fuji SRP785K1 ($200), Orange Monster SKX781/SRP309 ($300), SRPA21 PADI Turtle ($350), Lord Marvel ($300+), Alpinist SARB017 ($480), Cocktail Time SARB065 ($500), Presage Starlight SRPC01 / Presage Sakura Hubuki SRPC03 ($600), SAGN015 ($1500+), Presage Enamel / Urushi ($1500+), Eichi ($60K)

Hamilton - Jazzmaster Chronograph ($1000), Ventura ($1100)

Glycine - Airman Base 22 ($800), Combat Sub 42 GL0089 ($1100)

Junghans - Max Bill Automatic ($1100)

Nomos - Tangente ($1300), Zürich Weltzeit ($5700)

Longines - Ultra Chron (~$1500), Legend Diver ($2000)

Ball - Engineer Hydrocarbon DM1036A Mad Cow ($2000)

Oris - Divers Sixty-Five ($2000)

Chopard - Mille Miglia ($3000+)

Tudor - Heritage Black Bay ($3500)

Omega - Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch hesalite with solid caseback 3570.50 ($5000) / 311.30.42.30.01.005 ($6000), Speedmaster Silver Snoopy 311.32.42.30.04.003 ($20K+), Speedmaster FOIS 2998 ($30K), Speedmaster 2915 ($100K+)

Hajime Asaoka - Kurono ($4500)

Sinn - U1 ($2000), EZM 1 ($5000)

Tag Heuer - Monza ($5000), Monaco Calibre 11 ($5700)

Ulysse Nardin - Marine Chronometer ($6000)

Cartier - Santos 100 ($6000)

Panerai - Luminor ($6000)

Grand Seiko - SBGJ001 / SBGJ201 GMT ($7000), SBGH001 / SBGH201 ($5000)

Breitling - Navitimer 01 ($8000)

Montblanc - Meisterstuck Heritage Perpetual Calendar ($10K)

JLC - Reverso Classic ($5000), Master Memovox International ($10K)

Zenith - El Primero 1969 ($10K)

IWC - Portuguese Chronograph ($8000), Big Pilot ($11K)

Hublot - Big Bang Evolution ($12K)

Blancpain - Fifty Fathoms No Radiation ($12K)

Rolex - Datejust 1601 ($2500), Explorer II ($7K), Submariner Hulk/Kermit ($20K), GMT Master II 16710 ($16K) / 126710 ($26K), Daytona ceramic 116500 ($35K) / 6263 Oyster Albino ($1M) / 6263 Oyster Paul Newman ($1M)

Glasshutte Original - Senator Chronometer ($25K)

H. Moser & Cie - Endeavour Perpetual Calendar ($30K)

F.P. Journe - Chronometre Souverain ($34K)

Breguet - Tradition GMT ($36K), Classique Chronometrie 7727 ($41K), 1160 ($30M)

Laurent Ferrier - Galet Square ($46K)

Roger Dubuis - Excalibur 42 Automatic Skeleton ($60K)

A. Lange & Söhne - Lange 1 ($26K), Datograph (~$60K), Zeitwerk ($86K)

Roger W Smith - Series 2 ($200K+)

Philippe Dufour - Simplicity Number 17 ($250K)

Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak 15400 / 15500 blue ($40K)

Patek Philippe - Aquanaut 5164 green ($80K) / 5168G green ($100K), Nautilus 5711 / 5712 ($90K), Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 1518 steel ($11M) / 2499 rose gold or double-signed ($7M)

Vacheron Constantin - Historiques Cornes de Vache ($80K)

Quirky Luxury - Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 ($2M+), Corum Golden Bridge ($18K), MB&F ($50K+), Urwerk ($60K+), De Bethune ($70K+), Richard Mille ($100K+)

Vintage - Raketa ($30), Cortebert ($50), GUB Glashütte Caliber 28 ($150+), Helbros Invincible Diver ($400+), Lanco Fon ($800), Universal Geneve Chronograph (~$2K), Universal Geneve Polerouter Gerald Genta (~$3K), Wittnauer Vintage Chronograph 7004A ($3K)

Misc. - Benrus Dial-O-Rama ($700), Le Régulateur Vianney Halter ($10K), Lang & Heyne ($30K+), Dornblüth & Sohn ($7K), Yema Rallye Mario Andretti ($500), Gerald Genta Arena Mickey Fantasy “Singapore F1″ ($20K+), Stefan Kudoke ($10K), Goldpfeil Vianney Halter ($70K+), Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire ($77K)

Watch Repair Shops

JW Horological Gallery - International Plaza, Tanjong Pagar

Chuan Watch - Golden Landmark, Bugis

Watch Concept - Lucky Plaza, Orchard

K2 Watch Company (for Seiko) - Tanjong Katong Complex, Geylang

[watchesideas]

Seiko Monster  SRP313K1

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/seiko-srp313k1-new-monster-dive-watch-review/

http://orologi.forumfree.it/?t=72467303

http://andywristwatches.blogspot.it/2013/04/seiko-monster-dracula-42mm-model-srp313.html

[kindlecomparedinfo]

In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch? Pick up a Seiko Orange Monster. Looking for a piece with a little history? The Omega Speedmaster is your man. Looking for an entry-level Swiss diver that won’t break the bank? Tissot’s Seastar has always had you covered.

The latest version of the Seastar is an interesting catch. A few years ago – circa 2010 – the pieces were all black with bold hands and a more staid case style. Now Tissot, a Swatch Group brand, has turned the Seastar into a chunkier diver with massive bar hands and case that looks like a steel sandwich.

The $695 Seastar 1000 contains a Powermatic 80/ETA C07.111 movement with an eighty hour power reserve which means the watch contains a massive mainspring that keeps things going for most of three days without winding. The Seastar is also water resistant to 1000 feet thanks to a huge screw down crown and thick casing. The new model has an exhibition back where you can see the rotor spinning over and balance wheel. The watch also has a ceramic bezel, a fairly top-of-the-line feature in an entry level watch.

Tissot has a long and interesting history. Best known for their high-tech T-Touch watches which had touchable crystals, allowing you to activate a compass, barometer, or altimeter with a single tap, the mechanical pieces have always seemed like an afterthought. The company also produces the classic Tissot Le Locle as well as a chronograph that I absolutely loved, the T-Navigator, but that has been discontinued. The Seastar, then, is one of the few mechanical pieces they sell and at sub-$1,000 prices you’re basically getting a Swiss watch with solid power reserve and great looks.

Watch folks I’ve talked to over the past few months see a distinct upturn in the Swiss watch market. Their belief that the Apple Watch is driving sales of mechanical watches seems to be coming true, even if it means cheaper fashion watches are being decimated. Tissot sits in that sweet spot between luxury and fashion, a spot that also contains Tag Heuer and Longines. Ultimately this is an entry level watch for the beginning collector but it’s a beautiful and beefy piece and worth a look.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8176395 https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/30/the-tissot-seastar-1000-is-a-low-cost-and-high-quality-swiss-diver/ via http://www.kindlecompared.com/kindle-comparison/

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch?

[machomasa11]

Seiko Orange Monster 7S26-0350 Diver 1st Generation Automatic Men's Watch #seikowatch #seikoorange #seikomonster #seikomonsterdiver #seikofirstgenmonster https://www.instagram.com/p/CMYmHIVp51q/?igshid=1n0tcq4dhy5sc

[livioacerbo]

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver

In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch? Pick up a Seiko Orange Monster. Looking for a piece with a little history? The Omega Speedmaster is your man. Looking for an entry-level Swiss diver that won’t break the bank? Tissot’s Seastar has always had you …

Continue reading “The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver”

[un-enfant-immature]

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is a low-cost and high-quality Swiss diver

In the pantheon of watches there are a few that stand out. Looking for your first automatic watch? Pick up a Seiko Orange Monster. Looking for a piece with a little history? The Omega Speedmaster is your man. Looking for an entry-level Swiss diver that won’t break the bank? Tissot’s Seastar has always had you covered.

The latest version of the Seastar is an interesting catch. A few years ago – circa 2010 – the pieces were all black with bold hands and a more staid case style. Now Tissot, a Swatch Group brand, has turned the Seastar into a chunkier diver with massive bar hands and case that looks like a steel sandwich.

The $695 Seastar 1000 contains a Powermatic 80/ETA C07.111 movement with an eighty hour power reserve which means the watch contains a massive mainspring that keeps things going for most of three days without winding. The Seastar is also water resistant to 1000 feet thanks to a huge screw down crown and thick casing. The new model has an exhibition back where you can see the rotor spinning over and balance wheel. The watch also has a ceramic bezel, a fairly top-of-the-line feature in an entry level watch.

Tissot has a long and interesting history. Best known for their high-tech T-Touch watches which had touchable crystals, allowing you to activate a compass, barometer, or altimeter with a single tap, the mechanical pieces have always seemed like an afterthought. The company also produces the classic Tissot Le Locle as well as a chronograph that I absolutely loved, the T-Navigator, but that has been discontinued. The Seastar, then, is one of the few mechanical pieces they sell and at sub-$1,000 prices you’re basically getting a Swiss watch with solid power reserve and great looks.

Watch folks I’ve talked to over the past few months see a distinct upturn in the Swiss watch market. Their belief that the Apple Watch is driving sales of mechanical watches seems to be coming true, even if it means cheaper fashion watches are being decimated. Tissot sits in that sweet spot between luxury and fashion, a spot that also contains Tag Heuer and Longines. Ultimately this is an entry level watch for the beginning collector but it’s a beautiful and beefy piece and worth a look.

[gallery ids="1739155,1739160"]

[pkansa]

We here at WWR have long been fans of Seiko.  In fact, our default recommendation, when someone asks for a watch suggestion, is to check out the Seiko Monster line.  It’s got classic looks, amazing lume, and the robustness that a dive watch brings to the table.  Now, if you ever wondered what would happen if the Monster got into body building, well, wonder no more, as the Seiko SRPA83 seems to answer that question.

Monster Tuna vs Monster

Yes, I know, the Seiko SRPA83 is more commonly referred to as the Tuna, or Tuna Can, given the shroud around the watch.  When I opened up the box, though, I could not help but to be reminded of my lowly first-gen Monster.  Sure, the dial and bezel aren’t exactly the same, but there’s enough of a similarity that I took to calling this watch the Monster Tuna.

Seiko, of course, doesn’t mess around with names like that, and sticks with the Seiko SRPA83.  What differentiates this model from other, similar, Tunas would be the logo signing the dial down there at 6 o’clock – PADI, which stands for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.  What this brings to the table is a rather lovely blue and red color scheme that matches the PADI logo, as well as the feeling that, well, I shouldn’t be the one wearing this watch.

You see, with most dive watches, I’m totally ok with wearing, as they are more of a tool watch that happens to have some amazing water resistance and legibility.  With this special-edition Seiko SRPA83, though, this one feels different.  With a 50mm case and the shroud around the case and bezel, this really seems like it’s meant for more than desk diving.  And add in the PADI association, and well, I’m just a poser flaunting this Monster Tuna.

As a non-diver, though, there’s still plenty to dig about the watch.  The dial is hard to describe, as it’s sort of a sunburst degrade dial, with lighter and darker shades of blue.  In fact, the blue is throughout this watch, from the dial to the polished ceramic bezel, the shroud, and even the silicone strap.  The strap is another indicator that this is a watch meant for diving.  I don’t feel I have particularly small wrists, by any means, but this is a giant strap.  Once fit so the watch wouldn’t slip around (and yeah, a 50mm steel case wants to move if it can) I had a decent tail sticking up.  If it were canvas, it’s enough you’d try to tuck it back into the keeper.  Which means, along with the ripples in the strap, this is meant to be placed over the sleeve of a wetsuit – not necessarily under a shirt cuff.

That said, you can fit the Seiko SRPA83 under a cuff, but just bear in mind it is a big watch, so you’ll need to choose your shirt wisely.  For it’s size, though, it fits to the wrist quite superbly, due to the curving on the case sides and the dishing on the caseback.  Even so, this is not one I tried to wear with a suit. Some divers you can, but this is not one for that.  Instead, this is an office and weekends sort of a watch.  At least for us desk divers. For the true divers out there, this is quite likely something that would be a nice backup to your dive computer.

If you can’t tell from this review, the Seiko SRPA83 is one I am conflicted about.  On one hand, I really dig the Seiko aesthetic – particularly in tool watches – and have long been a fan of their dive watches.  With the Monster Tuna, though, this is a watch I kind of feel bad wearing.  I mean, yes, it’s a watch, and it does it’s job keeping time and telling you the date.  At the end of the day, though, I feel that he Seiko SRPA83 is meant for something more than being an oversized statement piece for desk diving.  This is a watch that seems built for adventure in and around the waters.  So, if you do pick one up for $795, do us (and the watch) a solid, and take it out into the world.  seikousa.com

Review Summary

Brand & Model: Seiko SRPA83 (aka the Monster Tuna)

Price:  $795

Who’s it for? You’re a diver, and are looking for a way to fly your PADI association while adventuring around

Would I wear it? No – this is a watch meant for more than desk diving

What I would change: I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of a curve to that crystal

The best thing about it: For me, it’s the through-and-through blue

Tech Specs from Seiko

PADI Special Edition

Hand and automatic winding capabilities

21,600 vibrations per hour

Power reserve: approximately 41 hours

24 jewels

Day/Date calendar

Screwdown crown and caseback

One way rotating elapsed timing bezel

LumiBrite hands and markers

50.0mm diameter

Water Resistance: Diver’s Watch to 200 meters (660 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.

Caliber 4R36

Stainless steel and ceramic case

Silicone strap

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Monster Tuna vs Monster

Chasing the Monster Tuna with the @seikowatches X @PADI SRPA83 #diver #divewatch #under$1000 #specialedition #review We here at WWR have long been fans of Seiko.  In fact, our default recommendation, when someone asks for a watch suggestion, is to check out the Seiko Monster line.  

[seikooo]

[SALE!] $260.0 NEW SEIKO PROSPEX MONSTER AUTOMATIC DIVERS BRACELET 200M BLUE DIAL SRPD25 CLICK HERE!

[menwatchmolo]

^@!^ Seiko Superior SRP307K Black Monster Men's 200m Diver Automatic Watch 471897 https://ift.tt/2Zr9Csw

[wristwatchjournal]

Hands-on – The New Seiko ‘Monster’ PADI Edition SRPE27K1

Launched at Baselworld 2016, the association between PADI and Seiko has resulted in some of the brand’s coolest models. Think Turtle SRPA21 or Samurai SRPB99. Behind these special edition watches, with blue and red accents, often hide well-established models… And the latest in line to become a PADI is the ‘Monster’, one of the most recognizable designs of Seiko. So let’s have a look at the new PADI reference SRPE27K1.

Even though accessible and quite fashionable, these watches are built to last and to dive.

The Seiko Monster

Seiko fans love to give nicknames to their favourite models – some of them have even been accepted officially by the brand. Turtle, Captain Willard, Samurai, 62MAS, Sumo, Tuna… Among them is a watch that has been granted the name ‘Monster’, and if this might not be the sexiest patronym, it actually fits the watch quite well. If this name was certainly nothing but official when the watch was introduced in 2001 – with the references SKX779 (Black Monster) and SKX781 (Orange Monster) – it almost immediately became the way to name this watch among the collecting community.

The watch earned this name due to its sharp, unusual, almost integrated shape with a bold and aggressive design. Back in the days, it was certainly not a watch for the faint-hearted. Almost 180 grams, a diameter of 42mm, an oversized crown and a lot of exposed metal with its steel bezel over a steel case and bracelet. The watch was equipped with the relatively basic calibre 7S26 or 7R36 – which once equipped the reference of all accessible diver’s watches, the SKX007. It was followed by multiple limited/special editions, in blue, green, yellow or, as seen here, in white and blue.

The SKZ331, Seiko ‘Snow Monster’, limited to 2,555 pieces and launched in 2011.

Late 2012, Seiko updated its diver’s watch with a new generation of Monster models, with light visual evolutions and the integration of the more modern calibre 4R36, with stop-seconds and hand-wound capacity. If the overall look remained identical, most of the elements were differently shaped – crown, bezel, indexes, dial, hands…

The second-generation Monster, here a Seiko Diver’s 200m ‘Orange Monster’ SRP309.

In 2015, Seiko launched a new series of watches, this time under the ‘Prospex’ umbrella (see the X logo on the dial). The third-generation Monster plays in a different league, with more advanced features and an upgraded movement, the calibre 6R15, which was found in the Sumo models for example. Sadly, these models (also available in Orange and Blue) would remain Japanese Domestic Market watches. The dial also returned to the indexes found in the first generation, replacing the shark-tooth markers of the second generation.

The third-generation Seiko Monster, here a reference SBDC025 ‘Black Monster’.

Finally, in 2019 Seiko launched the fourth-generation Monster, which is now available worldwide and marked a strong evolution of the model, with a contrasting bezel, a return to the more accessible calibre 4R36 as well as the day-date complication. And this is the model used for the new PADI Edition SRPE27K1 that we’ll be looking at today.

The Seiko ‘Monster’ PADI Edition SRPE27K1

Rest assured that even though the Seiko Monster has been updated, it remains faithful to the original 2001 concept and doesn’t lose its aggressive, bold design. However, the overall watch feels more modern and a bit more compact than before, and looses its exaggerated ‘metallic’ aspect – a personal take, of course, as I’ve never been a huge fan of the steel bezel of the three previous generations.

What doesn’t change is the shape of the watch, with its integrated, ultra-robust case and bracelet with the typical lug modules that extend up to the bezel and serve as a protection device between 10:30-1:30 and 3:30-7:30 (the crown is also partially protected). The profile of the bezel itself is also identical, deeply notched with a complex profile. All in all, the new Seiko Monster is still a fully-fledged member of the Monster family.

If not a discreet or lightweight model, the fourth-generation Seiko Monster remains a very comfortable watch with relatively compact dimensions – it is smaller than a Turtle or a Samurai, for instance. The case is 42.4mm in diameter and 13.4mm in height, the latter being totally acceptable for an automatic diver. The case is well designed and ergonomic, with sloped lugs that sit nicely around the wrist. Another advantage of the Monster is its almost “integrated” shape where the case and bracelet can almost be seen as a whole, creating a uniform and pleasant feeling of robustness and quality.

The Seiko ‘Monster’ PADI Edition SRPE27K1 is almost entirely brushed with several discreet polished accents on the case and the bracelet, giving the watch some depth and contrast. The crown is classically positioned at 4 o’clock and has a new, notched profile that integrates better with the rest of the watch – and recalls the profile of the bezel. On top is a Hardlex mineral crystal, with a magnifier over the day-date window. Its presence will probably create debates in the collecting community but I personally like it. The caseback is solid steel and screwed, which combined with the screw-down crown allows for a comfortable 200m water-resistance – more than sufficient for most recreational divers.

One of the main novelty in this fourth-generation Seiko Monster is the presence of a contrasting bezel. It is still executed in circular-brushed metal but it has received a dark coating to make these models look more contemporary and visually lighter. The present PADI edition gets a metallic blue-grey coating, in line with the usual PADI theme and also coherent with the recent introductions of the brand that rely on this pleasant colour. The 60-minute scale on this 120-click unidirectional bezel is engraved and filled in white, making it easy to read.

Following previous PADI models, the SRPE27K1 features multiple red accents – the 12 o’clock triangle on the bezel with a luminous pearl and the minutes and seconds hands. The dial is matte black with oversized angular indexes, all filled with the super-efficient Lumibrite material. As such, the legibility of the SRPE27K1, day or night, is flawless.

Inside this robust block of stainless steel is Seiko’s entry-level automatic movement, the calibre 4R36. This 3Hz engine provides 41 hours of power reserve and drives central hours, minutes, seconds and a day-date complication. It has a stop-seconds and can be manually-wound.

The SRPE27K1 is worn on a stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with secure lock, push-button release and diving extension.

Price and availability

This very cool Seiko ‘Monster’ PADI Edition SRPE27K1, bearing the attractive blue and red colour scheme of the PADI editions, is now available in most markets (gradually coming to boutiques and retailers). This is a special (non-limited) edition and it will be priced at EUR 530 or USD 525.

More details at seikowatches.com.

The post Hands-on – The New Seiko ‘Monster’ PADI Edition SRPE27K1 appeared first on Wristwatch Journal.

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