Diving Overview – the Seiko Prospex PADI King Samurai SRPG21K1

It’s unattainable to have any dialog about dive watches with out Seiko inevitably arising. For the reason that launch of its first diver, the 62MAS, in 1965, the Japanese model has been inexorably linked with the underwater world. It has launched a whole lot, if not hundreds of dive watches within the years since, in each form, measurement and worth vary you possibly can think about. From the Captain Willard to the SKX007 and all the things in between, I daresay there’s not a watch fanatic on the market who hasn’t a minimum of examined the Seiko diver waters a minimum of a couple of times. And it’s precisely what I’ll be doing in the present day by taking the Seiko Prospex PADI King Samurai SRPG21K1 with me for a brand new underwater journey.

It was no shock again in 2016 when Seiko determined to hitch forces with PADI (the Skilled Affiliation of Diving Instructors), the world’s largest scuba certification organisation, which has issued a McDonalds-like quantity (28 million and counting) of scuba certifications through the years. That preliminary partnership resulted in two memorable watches, a kinetic-movement-powered GMT and the extra well-known automated PADI Turtle. The success of these first watches grew into an annual launch of PADI Seiko items and led to the watch we’re taking a look at in the present day: the King Samurai, or as Seiko lovingly calls it, the SRPG21K1. We’re taking it on a dive journey to Blue Grotto, an underwater cavern in Florida, to see the way it checks out in some real-world, darkish and chilly situations. Earlier than we take to the waters, let’s check out the specs.

Considered one of a pair of Seiko/PADI watches launched for 2021, the PADI King Samurai SRPG21K1 is a 43mm chrome steel sports activities watch. Nicknamed the Samurai by the watch neighborhood as a result of the unique, launched in 2004, had a pair of sword fingers (intelligent of us on Seiko boards again within the day), it additionally encompasses a very angular case design, which in case you look laborious sufficient, may be impressed by a samurai helmet, perhaps? Regardless, it’s a cool design and really becoming for a workhorse diver, for my part. The very first thing you’ll discover about these new PADI releases is the dearth of the tell-tale blue and purple color scheme that has been current in all releases till now. Traditionally they’ve had both matte black or PADI-blue dials and a few mixture of blue, purple and black on the bezels and fingers. This yr they’ve gone with a black dial embossed with the PADI globe brand and touches of sunshine blue on the bezel and fingers. It’s far more understated reference and a pleasant reset of the PADI theme. It’s additionally a present of Seiko’s company-wide love of a textured dial. 

The dial of the SRPG21K1 options giant, utilized markers each 5 minutes, full of Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite, and a date window at 3 o’clock minute hand is a samurai sword hand (clearly), and the hour hand is a brief, fats arrow, each additionally full of ample lume. The brand new King Samurai watches have been upgraded with a sapphire crystal over the earlier mannequin’s Hardlex, and this one features a cyclops over the date window for elevated legibility. The caseback is of the screw-in selection, with the traditional Seiko wave brand within the center. The screw-down crown helps preserve issues water-tight and is positioned on the conventional 3 o’clock place, versus Seiko’s penchant for all the time placing it at 4:30. Below the hood, you can find the Seiko 4R35 motion, an ordinary but dependable motion present in lots of the lower-cost fashions within the Prospex line. Providing a 40-hour energy reserve, this motion beats on the Seiko customary 21,600vph and presents hacking and hand-winding performance. The ceramic bezel supplies the one different pop of color, in an in any other case very stoic, black and white affair, with the primary fifteen minutes of indices being given the identical mild blue color because the minute hand. It’s a pleasant contact that provides simply the correct quantity of enjoyable.

On the wrist

On the wrist, the SRPG21K1 wears smaller than the practically 44mm would have you ever consider, in all probability because of the comparatively slim 12.8mm thickness. Coming in at 48.7mm lug-to-lug, the King Samurai continues Seiko’s custom of constructing giant watches however getting the size excellent to make them very wearable, even for a smaller-wristed fellow comparable to myself. It has a giant wrist presence with out ever feeling clunky or cumbersome, and that’s a win in my e book. The watch comes on a silicone strap that, whereas not being probably the most comfy materials on the earth, may be very purposeful for a diver. That’s to not say it’s UN-comfortable; I might put it firmly within the “simply tremendous” class. It’s waterproof, rugged and lengthy sufficient to suit comfortably over a wetsuit, so what else can we actually ask for from an reasonably priced dive watch?

Down beneath

With regards to Seiko divers, they fall into two classes for me. You’ve got the watches that take inspiration from Seiko’s early days in dive watches and have extra vintage-leaning aesthetics and designs, comparable to the Turtle and the Captain Willard and the just lately launched SPB line of 62MAS-inspired beauties. The second class is that of the trendy diver, that includes bigger sizes and extra trendy, generally harsh designs. The Samurai falls squarely within the latter class. When diving with a Captain Willard, you would possibly daydream about diving within the Nineteen Sixties, with only a metal tank, a hose, a pair of shorts and a dependable watch as your gear. Diving with the trendy King Samurai is kind of the alternative, and one may argue, the purer type of the 2. The SRPG21K1, like different trendy divers, is a device. One other merchandise on the guidelines, nothing extra, nothing much less. It’s there to time your dive, as a backup, in fact, and perhaps take a psychological notice of the time the Captain says you must be again to the boat or face being left behind.Typical captain humour. 

As I discussed earlier than, the silicone strap suits comfortably and securely over the wetsuit, and the subdued color scheme blends proper into the dive equipment like a very good piece of drugs ought to. As soon as within the water, setting the bezel is among the final issues I do earlier than submerging, and herein lies my one criticism concerning the Samurai. The bezel on this watch was fairly troublesome to show and never in a great way. Typically bezels really feel strong however nonetheless usable, which provides a sense of safety understanding they wowon’te straightforward to by accident flip. This one was merely laborious to show, and in between clicks, felt very mushy, prefer it was troublesome to seek out the following click on, and needed to go round a number of instances to get it in the correct place, which was no small feat. It’s not the tip of the world, and as soon as set, it stays firmly in place, however it’s price mentioning. I’m undecided if so on all Samurais, so undoubtedly do your personal analysis, however a fast Google search sees a number of comparable feedback on the boards.

Bezel woes apart, as soon as submerged, the PADI King Samurai SRPG21K1 performs precisely as I desire a dive watch to carry out. It feels sturdy and current and presents up its data with ease at a fast look. Regardless that I wouldn’t name mild blue a really excessive distinction color, it’s straightforward to pick from the black dial for a fast timing examine. The bezel additionally may be very legible, regardless of missing any lume aside from the 12 o’clock tip. Whereas everyone knows {that a} mechanical watch isn’t striclty needed underwater these days, it’s nonetheless very enjoyable to really use your watch the best way it was meant, and in a harmful endeavour comparable to scuba diving, you’ll be able to by no means actually have too many redundant items of equipment. And that’s precisely what this contemporary diver from Seiko is within the water, a reliable, utilitarian piece of equipment, and it suits that invoice to a T.

Availability & Worth

The Seiko and PADI partnership is a match made in heaven, each being giants of the dive world in their very own proper. These new fashions are a welcome refresh to the road and hopefully, an indication that this relationship will proceed for a few years to return. They’re a worth proposition of the very best order, and from Seiko, we actually shouldn’t count on something much less. The SRPG21K1 is accessible now from Seiko shops and retailers for USD 595 or EUR 640. For extra particulars, please go to seikowatches.com.