With so much been said on the Seiko Proxpex, we missed out on a crucial part and that is: Why Seiko Prospex? IMHO, a Seiko Prospex makes the best dive watch that you will really wear in the water and will never worry on its wellness. You have to agree wearing a $5000 watch while surfing or diving – unless you are a millionnaire – does give creeps. It’s beside the point if they can hold to the hardships of the salty water; even if it does, your psychological bent shall stop you from taking it to the seas. With a Prospex, you don’t have to fear that. Even if you lose one during the fun and frolic (which is highly impossible, given the band and clasp it has), it’s easier to shell out a fraction of a few thousand dollars than the few thousand dollars itself. I find the Seiko Prospex very comforting that way.
Now, the best part is, you can’t pigeonhole the PROSPEX! They are not limited just to dive watches; look into the lineup and you’ll find a wide variety of precision instruments dedicated to a large number of professions. Not just automatics, but plain and solar quartz movements and Spring Drive as well; you can choose between analog and digital displays and that complicates matters even more, but in a rather pleasant way.
The vast range and its diversities got PROSPEX favorable responses from the enthusiasts and there are more hits for Seiko in this category than misses, primarily because Seiko’s accumulated knowledge on dive watches and their technical advancementments in the realm freed it from the stereotype of being just a divers-line from Seiko. The Landmasters, the Fieldmasters and the aviation lines are bright examples of the Prospex diversity!
However, the most popular to stay till date is the the Marine Master Professional; nicknamed Tuna, due to its Tuna Can shape. This fondness for naming a Prospex piece shows the overal fondness of people into the range and Tuna is a collectors item.
Alternatively, the Tuna is also known as the Hockey Puck Watch and its simplicity is amazing! The Seiko Tunas come with different specs – mostly on the depth rating and the movement – so if you want to go for the maximum, go for the Emperor Tuna, the grand daddy of them all! Meant for saturation diving, it has a h-u-g-e wrist-presence and fit to go down till 1,000m under the waters. But that aside, you also get an in-house movement from Seiko (the caliber 8L35), an undecorated movement derived from the 9S55, the movement Grand Seiko line uses. The 8L35 beats at 28,800 vph and stores power worth 50 hours; there’s a date indicator and its supports hacking. Expect a fluctuation of no more than +/- 15 sec a day, which can be further calibrated adjusted and it shall hold even in the most extreme of environments.
But all that aside: Why a Seiko Prospex? For me, it’s because it has no frills or gimmicks attached; it’s just like the old wife that doesn’t look good but has excellent cooking skills. That keeps you alive, isn’t it?
See some of the best Prospex watches here.
