Seiko Prospex Green Sumo SPB103J1 (similar to SPB101J1) - Continuing the Tradition with Further Improvement Possible, A Review (plus Video)

The third generation of the Seiko Sumo divers were recently released during Baselworld2019. The latest iteration has the two biggest changes in the design specification. First was the introduction of the new 6R35 movement to replace the workhorse 6R15 used in the previous two iterations. Second was the use of sapphire crystal instead of Hardlex crystal also used in the previous two iterations.

Unfortunately, this fact was not lost to fans and the demand for the watch went ballistic. Shops practically sold out even before they got the chance to display on their shelves (the pre-order market was just incredible). I tried to get one but I was not high enough on the order list to get one from even the first, second or third batches to be delivered. Not many watches have such a high level of demand upon launching. This could be an indication how this piece be acknowledged 30 years from now.

Sometimes it is good to have relationship with a few authorised dealers instead of just one or two. In this case, the many relationship I made over the years with a few vendors proved invaluable. One of them came through and got an allocation which was quickly set aside for me. Debra of Style Watch, Mid Valley Megamall, a big thank you!!!

Head-To-Head: Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster LOWERCASE SBEP001 "Digi Tuna" versus Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster LOWERCASE SBDJ029 "Field Tuna"

For old companies designing consumer products, there will come a time when a fresh injection of ideas is required to revitalise the design philosophy and thinking. Take for example brands such as Samsung, Volvo and many others. In the last few years, exciting designs by these brands have caught market interest which have translated to increased sales. The same is not lost to Seiko.

SBEP001 "Digi Tuna" (L) and SBDJ029 "Field Tuna" (R)

Orient Automatic King Master Reissue WV0021AA JDM (similar to WV0011AA and WV0031AA) - JDM Classic, A Review (plus Video)

In 2015 Orient created a re-issue of its iconic Three Star King Master watch of the 1960s. There were three models in the series but all have been classified as JDMs. As such, you are only able to source it from Japan. Official information on the series is only via Orient's Japanese website.

I have been eyeing the watch for a number of years now. I happen to find one listed on Amazon via one of its affiliate merchant for a reasonable price. Given the choice, I would have picked the blue dial version but the black with gold trimming does hold its own appeal. After a few key strokes, the WV00021AA was on its way from Japan to Malaysia.

Since it was first launched until the date of this review, there was not much written about this series. The lack of access was one of the contributing factor to the minimum coverage. I do believe reviews have been written in Japanese but since I and a lot of other people don't read the language, information remains sparse.

Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster LOWERCASE Special Edition Reference SBDJ029 (similar to SBDJ027 & SBDJ028) - The Perfect Tuna for the Masses, A Review (plus Video)

Seiko’s Prospex watches is subdivided into Sea, Land, Sky and Run. Although most would be familiar with the dive watches from the Sea collection, the Land collection is also interesting. In my collection is the Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster SBDC011 (click here for more). It has been given the nickname "Field Tuna" by Seiko fans. It is an automatic watch that features a compass bezel and a shroud similar to that on Seiko's Tuna divers.

Since the introduction of the SBDC011 under the Fieldmaster sub-line in 2010, nothing else of substance was launched by Seiko to carry on the namesake. In 2017, Seiko surprised us with new Prospex Fieldmaster LOWERCASE watches which is similar to past models yet different at the same time.

Made in collaboration with the Japanese design consultants LOWERCASE, Seiko is able to bring something fresh and exciting to its design styling. Lead by Mr. Yuki Kajiwara, creative director of LOWERCASE, the Fieldmaster has been given a radical change in the design department.

SEIKO Automatic Presage SARY055 (JDM reference)/SRP527 (International reference) - Value For Money Dress Watch, A Review (plus Video)

In the last few watch acquisitions, I was focused on getting the various standards of "Snowflakes" available within the broad repertoire of Seiko's timepieces. Through the various series and sub-lines, Seiko was able to provide designs of similar concept at different price ranges so as to fit  customers' affordability. While researching for the information on my "Snowflakes" project, I happened to notice watches that can be classified as "Baby GS". Instead of being too specific, I am more keen to focus of "white dial bracelet watches" as a collection criteria.

After going through my collection I realised that I have 9 of Seiko timepieces with such criteria. Today I added another into the pile; the Presage SARY055.

The Merchant

I sourced this example from SeiyaJapan. The MSRP is YEN41,040 (including taxes) but SeiyaJapan priced at USD294.00 which is equivalent to RM1,261.64 at the point of purchase. Unfortunately, Malaysian Customs will add another 5% plus some administrative fee for watch imports which in this case amounted to RM80.15 (of which RM19.10 was for the paperwork).

Seiko Presage Automatic "Baby GS Snowflake 2" Limited Edition International Ref. SJE073 or JDM Ref. SARA015, The Best Reinterpretation of an Icon - A Review (plus Video)

When the Seiko Presage Automatic "Baby GS Snowflake 2" Limited Edition Ref. SJE073 (International reference)/SARA015 (JDM reference) was showcased at Baselworld 2018, I was hooked. It immediately became another 'grail' watch for me. Why a 'grail' watch you might ask? The likelihood of me snaring one of the only 1,881 examples made is slim considering how beautiful it is.

In many reviews, the SJE073/SARA015 has been given the nickname "Baby GS Snowflake". This nickname was already given to the SARX055 last year. It is not fair to strip it from the incumbent just because this looks closer to the GS Snowflake. I prefer to give the nickname "Baby GS Snowflake 2" to the SJE073/SARA015. I will provide a justification on this later.

This new Presage introduced an all new Seiko caliber, the 6L35. The new caliber is thinner and more accurate compared to the commonly used base caliber for Presage, the 6R15. The dimensions of the watch also took advantage of the thinner movement to make for a much thinner watch casing.

The photos of the watch taken at Baselworld 2018 and via the press kit provided by Seiko wetted my appetite even more. When Gnomon Watches sent me a product update newsletter with the SJE073/SARA015 available at the store, I jumped at the opportunity to get one.

The MSRP in Japan is listed at YEN240,000 (before taxes). Gnomon Watches listed it at USD2,100 which is equivalent to RM8,994.75 at the point of purchase. The purchasing experience is smooth as silk and the watch was on my desk in 48 hours.

Seiko Prospex JDM Baby Marinemaster 200 Meter Diver SBDC061 (similar to SBDC063 or SPB077/SPB079) - Similar to a Seiko Sumo, A Review (plus Video)

My trip to Japan in June 2018 has been very memorable. I visited for the first time, Fukuoka, capital of Fukuoka Prefecture that sits on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island. To commemorate the occasion, I decided to get myself a Japanese watch. Inside the Yodobashi Camera superstore in Hakata, Fukuoka City, I found a Seiko that was launched in Baselworld 2018.

The watch is the Seiko Prospex JDM Diver SBDC061. This watch has the International reference SPB077 when sold outside Japan. Similar to SBDC063 (or SPB079), the watch has been dubbed 'Baby Marinemaster' by Seikonistas. I got the watch on 19 June 2018 for just YEN82,633 after taking into consideration store discounts.

The SBDC061 is the more affordable modern reinterpretation of the famous Seiko 6159-7001 diver. The reference 6159-7001  diver was the first Seiko Professional diver (where the PROSPEX line was born) first released 50 years ago in 1968. The 6159-7001 was the first Seiko diver to bear the marking “Professional” on the dial. Seiko did also issue a much closer reinterpretation of the Seiko 6159-7001, the SBEX007 (internationally known as the SLA025) but that particular model is a limited edition and the specifications (as well as the price!) is very high-end.

SEIKO Prospex Fieldmaster LOWERCASE SBEP001 "Digi Tuna" (similar to SBEP003, SBEP005, SBEP007 & SBEP009) - A Good Start by Seiko to Make a New Niche for Itself, A Review (plus Video)

Seiko is synonymous with the tuna-styled dive watches. It has become a genre on itself and a lot of people (especially professional divers) can vouch for their reliability and effectiveness to handle the extreme of situations. There have never been a fully digital Tuna before but this year, Seiko decided to spring five models under the new SBEP nomenclature.

Made in collaboration with the Japanese design consultants LOWERCASE, Seiko is able to bring something fresh and exciting to an otherwise  bland tuna styling that have not gone through much changes for decades. Lead by Mr. Yuki Kajiwara, creative director of LOWERCASE, the SBEP series amalgamate two important considerations by professional users - damage proof construction (the Tuna casing) and clear visual (digital display). This is not a breakthrough in concept though. There are other brands that already fulfilled this market space, for example Casio Protrek Frogman, but for Seikonstas, this is the first for Seiko.

The SBEP001 is also classified as a Fieldmaster. This nomenclature signifies the watch has been geared specifically for land explorers and adventurers. The ability to withstand 200 meters of water pressure also points to its flexibility to be used for recreational diving as well.

Since this is the first of the SBEP series, I decided to get the SBEP001 to grace the collection.

Casio G-Shock GW-M5610BC-1JF JDM Multi Band 6 with Bracelet - A Cornerstone for Any Collector, A Review (plus Video)

Casio produces a number of G-Shock watches only for sale to the Japanese domestic market (JDM). This list of JDM G-Shocks focuses on the 5000-series such as the common DW-5600 and the GW-M5610 models.

I currently have only one G-Shock in the collection (although I listed two on this blog, the G5600-1DR is technically my son's). That is the extra-large GX-56BB-1DR which has some drawbacks due primarily to its size. Although it is a serious tool watch, it does not have the flexibility like its smaller brother, the 5600 series. Its brute bulk is its call to fame.

I need to get a 5600 series model into the collection to experience the additional flexibility of the much smaller and practical classic G-Shock. After doing my research, I decided to get one with a composite bracelet instead of the traditional resin band (like my son's). This particular model I chose has the same style of display like the big brother i.e. a reverse display - white display with black background.

Seiko Prospex Watch Landmaster 25th Anniversary Limited Titanium Model SBEJ003 (similar to SBEJ001) - Design flaw & QC issues, A Review (plus Video)

For 2018, Seiko announced a release of a new model under the Landmaster icon, part of the Prospex series of watches. It was announced to the market just prior to Baselworld 2018. The release consists of two models, the SBEJ001 and SBEJ003. The former is the standard production model and the latter is a limited edition piece of just 500 examples. Both watches were designed to celebrate the silver jubilee or 25th anniversary of the first Landmaster.

The original Landmaster issued in 1993. It was first conceived by the legendary Seiko designer; Mr. Ikuo Tokunaga. That watch, the SBBW005 uses the AGS system (Caliber 5M23), a precursor of the Kinetic system (this system essentially converts kinetic movement into electrical energy). It had 3 days of power reserve with Day and Date as well as a power reserve indicator that doubles up as the seconds hand. Its uniqueness is having a set of emergency signal codes printed on the inner chapter ring. Apart from the compass bezel, the crown is located at the typical 3 o'clock position and a pusher at 2 o'clock to control the power reserve indicator. However, this iteration only lasted for a year before a new Landmaster, the SBCW001 was issued in 1994 that also included an additional GMT hand but minus the day function.

Seiko Spirit Automatic SARB035 JDM – The White Knights of Seiko, A Review (plus Video)

My interest in dress or formal watches continues unabated. Today I was able to get another of the famous White Knights of Seiko, the Seiko Spirit SARB035. This design is not new. It was first made available back in 2009 under Seiko’s Spirit line. This is a line of formal dress watches less complex than the Premier line. As opposed to other models in the Spirit line, the SARB035 is completely mechanical. This is also a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) model i.e. made in Japan and sold only for the Japanese market.

Seiko is one watch brand that is synonymous with value-for-money timepieces at every price range. I have to declare up-front that I am one of the many Seikonistas that follow the brand closely and with a passion. Having said that, I do try to be objective but I guess, the readers will be the judge of that.

The SARB035 is an in-house made timepiece that is priced at YEN45,000 (MSRP in Japan). Made out of polished and brushed stainless steel, the watch casing has a diameter of 38.0 mm. It has a thickness of 11.2 mm and its lug-to-lug width is 45.0 mm. Lug width is 20.0 mm. The watch casing is paired with a stainless steel bracelet that starts at 20.0 mm at the lugs and tapers to 18.0 mm at the clasp. The clasp is signed and secured with a button lock.

Seiko Presage Automatic Blue "Tuxedo" Ref. SARX045 - An Elegant Gentleman's Watch, A Review (plus Video)

I am really into dress watches now. Having tasted the quality and beauty of Seiko's classy dress watches from the Grand Seiko line right down to the level entry Seiko 5 line, my hunger for more is insatiable. While researching the Japanese Seiko website, I came across the SARX045, a watch under the Presage line. This particular model is a JDM hence information can only be found on the Japanese website, not on the global website.

Not a lot has been written and commented on the SARX045. As part of the Presage line under the Prestige sub-category, the SARX045 has a MSRP of YEN70,000 and has a contemporary dress watch design. Made out of stainless steel, the dial is protected by a flat sapphire crystal with inner AR coating. It has a screw-down display case-back with Hardly crystal. It's width is 39.5 mm (excluding the crown), lug width is 20.0 mm, lug-to-lug length is 48.0 mm and a height of 11.3 mm. Although the crown utilises a push-in style system, the watch is still water rated to 10 ATM or 100 meters. Powered by a Seiko automatic 6R15D movement with manual wind and seconds hand stop capabilities, the watch has a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.

SEIKO Prospex 200M Diver Automatic SBDC053 (SPB053) – A Dress Diving Watch, A Review (plus Video)

During Baselworld 2017, Seiko launched a few modern interpretation of its famous iconic dive watch, the 62MAS. The closest to the original, the SLA017 (SBDX019) uses Seiko’s top of the range movement and materials. Seikoholics and fans gave it a five star rating and practically all examples (only 2000 pieces were made available) have been taken up. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky one and the review on that piece can be found here (Review of my SLA017/SBDX019).

The only downside of the SLA017 (SBDX019) was the limited number available as well as the high price set for it. Nevertheless, as to not disappoint the legions of Seiko fans, the Company came out with two examples with more modern re-edition or interpretation of the 62MAS and sold at a more reasonable price range.

The all bracelet model with matte black dial is the SBDC051 (SPB051) and the silicon strap sunburst blue dial SBDC053 (SPB053) . The listed price in Japan is YEN378,000, YEN108,000 and YEN86,400, respectively (as at 1 November 2017). When compared to the price of the SLA017 (SBDX019), the other two models are much cheaper. Like the SLA017 (SBDX019), these two models are also flying off the shelves due to surge in demand. 

The Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017J1 or SBDX019 (homage to the 1965 Seiko 62MAS Ref. 6217-8000/1 Diver) – A Legend and an Excellent Get-And-Go Watch for any Occasions, A Review (plus Video)

I must say the Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017J1 has been one of the most, if not the most exciting release from Seiko in my opinion. As an ardent Seiko fan, the 1965 Seiko 62MAS (autoMAtic Selfdater) Ref. 6217-8000/1 Diver was the definitive Japanese dive watch to which all dive watches from Seiko (or even from other brands) owes their genesis to. To date, the Seiko 62MAS is a collector’s timepiece that has the least likelihood of being traded away once it is in a collection. As such, this vintage is very rare in the wild for collectors to hunt down. Those available are generally not in mint condition and have a lifetime of abuse heaped on them. Despite needing a lot of restoration work (a major headache not many collectors are willing to stomach), the prices of the ‘relics’ are still pretty high.

Do note that quite a number of “Seiko 62MAS” out on sale with ‘reasonable’ prices are not originals but Frankenstein models with newer movements, dials, bezels, crystals, hands, and even crowns.

Orient Manual Winding 21 Jewel Power Reserve Pocket Watch CDD00001W/DD00001W “Epoch” (similar to CDD00002W/DD00002W) – Traditional, A Review

I used to have a pocket watch a very long-time ago. I guess, I was just a pre-teen when I got it from a holiday trip in Europe. The thing I remembered about it was that it was gold plated and it had a cover for the dial. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember what happened to it. After more then 30 years has lapsed and I was in a position to rekindle the love affair I had with a pocket watch.



Nevertheless, I realized my taste in the style of pocket watches has changed. Instead of the garish gold-plated variety with ornate embossed images on the metal surfaces, I am now more into clean lines and plainness. I am also into quality and pedigree which is hard to come by when it comes to pocket watches.

Seiko 5 Sports "Fifty Five Fathoms" SNZH53J1 - The Perfect Beater Watch, A Review (plus Video)

My hunt for iconic watches continues.

People used to say, “Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery”. However, in the business world, it is shunned as it carries some negative implication to branding. The SNZH53J1 is one such product from Seiko that could fall into this trap but did not. This is its story….

Arguably, Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms is the first dedicated diving watch. It was designed to cater for the needs of the French military. First released in 1953, it preceded the famed Rolex Submariner by a few months. The various specifications were not unique on their own but collectively, have never been aggregated into one package. The requirements such as unidirectional rotating bezel to calculate diving time, bold large markers for easy of reading, illumination on the markers for underwater and low light condition usage, water resistant up to fifty fathoms (or 91 meters/100 yards), automatic movement and anti-magnetic frame to protect watch from disturbance with military equipment makes the Fifty Fathoms the first progeny of a new watch genre.

Orient Star Open Heart Tonneau DAAA004W or WZ0121DA (other options DAAA002T/WZ0131DA, DAAA003B/WZ0151DA & DAAA001W/WZ0141DA) – A Suave Timepiece, A Review (plus Video)

This is my first tonneau shaped wristwatch. The Orient Star Open Heart Tonneau with reference number DAAA004W (or WZ0121DA in Japan) has a vertical cross-section barrel shaped casing seldom used by watch manufacturers due to a number of reasons. It has the classical aura of a formal timepiece which I find very appealing. This particular model was released back in April 2014.

Age must be getting to me. During the start of my watch collection hobby I was keened on dive or sports watches. Formal or dress wristwatches were seldom in my radar. However, in recent times, my interest in dress watches started to grow and I have been shifting my focus towards that genre ever since.

The Orient Star Open Heart Tonneau is a stainless steel construction with polished and brushed surfaces. It has mirror finished top surface and a matte finished side. It has a curved sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflection coating protecting the dial and a flat crystal glass as a display case-back. The case-back panel is attached to the watch casing via four screws. The signed push-in crown is located at 3 o’clock and the watch comes with a power reserve complication. It is powered by an automatic engine that can be manually wound. The wristwatch is paired with a black matte calf leather strap with crocodile embossing and signed buckle.

SEIKO Prospex Transocean SBDC039 Dive Watch - A Chic Executive Watch With Elegance Yet Capable Of Extreme Adventure, A Review (and Video)

I did not come back empty handed when I went for a short business trip to Tokyo, Japan. I went with a purpose to get my hands on any SEIKO Presage watch with a white enamel dial. Within the small window of personal time, I was able to go to my favourite watch shop, BIC Camera in the Shibuya shopping district. Unfortunately, none of the models that I want was available.

Instead I focused on the Prospex series. One line of dive watch I am interested in was the Transocean series. This is a new class created earlier this year to fulfill a certain gap not filled by any existing model under the Perspex line. This gap is especially glaring under the diver class genre.

I bet you are wondering what gap I am alluding to. Well, it's the gap between the professional diver and the professional executive. One of the common feedback which SEIKO gets from its legion of enthusiasts (I too took the opportunity to give a similar feedback) is offering a dive watch that would look equally at ease in a boardroom as it is on a diving platform on the stern of an ocean going boat.

The Prospex class has always been a tool watch but in recent years the demand has been growing from the non-diving community. Quality and brand awareness has made the SEIKO Prospex series a collectable timepiece. The reputation has grown beyond the traditional Japanese and Asian markets as the collection becomes more assessable all over the world. This achievement can also be accorded to the growth of Seiko's distribution channels. The explosion in numbers of Prospex enthusiasts (especially after 2014 when SEIKO decided to globalise the Prospex segment which was until that moment was a JDM exclusive offering from SEIKO) has introduced a number of challenges to the brand.

Seiko Brightz Starwars Yoda LE SDGC013 - A Noticeable Watch, A Review

In 2012, in conjunction to the 35th anniversary of the Star Wars, Seiko, in collaboration with Lucas Film issued six limited edition models. Launched on October 12th, 2012, the models come in various form from mechanical to quartz/analog/radio control and quartz/active matrix EPD/radio control variants.

I got a thing with anything green and the Yoda version (SDGC013) was my obvious first choice. As the whole series is a limited edition production run, the price is high. The list price for this particular model is YEN136,500 yen or RM4,282 (@ 16 January 2014).

Like the name suggest, this particular model commemorates the character Yoda in the movie. This character is associated with the colour green. There is an engraving on the side of the case using the Star Wars universe "Aurebesh" language with the name of the character. Apart from that, a motif of the character is painted on the transparent case-back of the watch.