It's a style of strap that's iconic and particularly associated with Seiko divers, and touches like nicely finished Seiko-branded hardware and the embossed Prospex logo at the end give it a premium feel. You can get it on a steel bracelet, and that's usually my preference in watches, but in this case the Prospex silicone strap is recommended. It's also worth mentioning the great Seiko silicone strap it comes on. Part of that surely has to do with its soft curves and relatively short lug-to-lug distance.

I remember seeing the watch before trying it on and thinking it looked huge, only to be shocked at how it fit and formed to my wrist when I put it on. It's surprisingly comfortable and ergonomicĪ diameter of 45mm sounds big, but watches like the Turtle are case studies in how measurements don't tell the whole story. No, the Turtle isn't so much a 'flex,' but it's got a badass look and will get noticed in the right way by those who know and appreciate watches in general. There's a lot of value to a carefree-wearing experience.

A few hundred bucks ain't nothing, but if you scratch it or ding it or even break it (not easy to do), you won't be out a family heirloom. Watches like the Seiko Turtle have none of that baggage. And finally, at least where I'm from, it can even be a security concern. They further feel a bit weird in a world rife with inequality, and you've got to worry about damaging this precious thing as you swing your wrist around. Maybe I've got issues, but high-end watches can come off like you're trying too hard. What's Good About the Seiko Turtle? It's eminently unpretentiousĪs much as I enjoy 'nice' watches, there's a psychological weight to expensive ones. Having worn a Seiko Prospex Turtle for years now, here's what I've found. Today, it represents the essence of Seiko's dive watches and Prospex collection. This means branding and positioning within the sport-oriented Prospex collection, an upgraded automatic movement, increased water resistance (from 150m to 200m) and other little tweaks. Having faded from production in favor of watches like the also legendary SKX, it returned in 2016 as a reissued, fully modern Seiko. Like other famous dive watches, it was a product of the 1970s and the era of diving with watches as critical tools. It was a case shape (sometimes called 'cushion-shaped') not unknown to the watch world when the original Turtle was launched in Japan under the name 6306 in 1976 (a 6309 international version soon followed). Seiko doesn't officially use the name 'Turtle.' Fans began calling it that based on its curvaceous, chelonian shape, obviously.

Hardlex crystal isn't as strong as sapphireĮven if you're already familiar with the Turtle, as many people are, here's some background.

My appreciation of these qualities has only grown as I've worn it - and I've become one of those annoying people that just won't shut up about Seiko dive watches.Īnd, to me, the Turtle sums up exactly what makes Seiko unique in the watch world. The comfort, the character, the value and the charm smacked me in the face and turned my perceptions upside down. All the fanboy excitement was a bit tiresome but made me curious, and when I first saw the Turtle in person, I still wasn't convinced: it looked too big and had a quirky, almost ugly design - not handsome like a Rolex Submariner, or something.īut then, I put it on my wrist and a complete transformation occurred: I got it. And if any watch in Seiko's current catalog best embodies that spirit, it's the famous 'Turtle.'Īdmittedly, there was a time when I just didn't get it. It ain't particularly pretty, but somehow, this seemingly basic tool has charmed the world and even snooty watch collectors. The unromantic image of a Seiko dive watch is that of a capable, affordable instrument.

Seiko automatic submariner