Seiko Prospex Marine Master SLA077 and SLA079

Does Seiko’s famous Marinemaster name apply to two completely different watches in the Prospex line? If the new smaller Marinemaster introduced last year wasn’t enough to accept, the brand has thrown us another surprise. Seiko has added two new Marinemasters to its catalog, which stand out from last year’s 62MAS-inspired Marinemaster watches. The new Seiko Prospex 1968 Divers Modern Reinterpretation SLA077 and SLA079 also have “Marinemaster” written on the dial. Is this a confusing step into the future or a logical one? Let’s take a closer look and find out the answer.

For many watch enthusiasts, the Marinemaster name is synonymous with a line of luxury diver’s watches that began with the popular Seiko SBDX001. That watch and its successors follow the famous 6159-7001 from 1968. Over time, Seiko has updated the design, but it’s always been essentially the same watch that fans have come to love. The stunning SBDX001 showed its popularity last year when it won the Seiko World Cup. But last November, Seiko unveiled a new line of Marinemaster models, as reported by Thomas. The SJE series presented a new aesthetic based on the popular 62MAS from 1965, Seiko’s first diver’s watch. Last year’s models offered a completely different interpretation of the Marinemaster, with a smaller case and slimmer profile.

New Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA077 and SLA079

Then earlier this year, the brand added two more colorways to its lineup, solidifying the idea that this design would be the Marine Master going forward. But to our surprise, the brand has now given us two completely different Marine Master models. The Seiko Prospex Marine Master SLA077 and SLA079 are new additions to the 1968 Divers Modern Reinterpretation series. As such, they are similar to the 6159-7001, which also inspired the popular Marine Master SBDX001. However, these two modern divers are closely related to the SLA073 that I reviewed last year. Still, there are some notable differences, so let’s take a closer look.

The new SLA077 and SLA079 feature a stainless steel case that is 42.6mm in diameter, 49.6mm lug-to-lug, and 13.1mm thick. The watch is water resistant to 300 meters, which is 100 meters longer than last year’s SLA073. The case shape is inspired by the 6159-7001 and also calls back to the aesthetics of the beloved Marinemaster SBDX001. I love the case design with its sharp angles and distinctive lugs. It’s hard to believe that this case has its roots in the late 60s, it still looks timeless and performs well.

Two different dial designs for the new Marinemaster models

As seen in the similar model of the 1968 Diver’s Modern Reinterpretation Watch, the crown is located exactly at the 4 o’clock position. It’s a slightly unusual placement, but it doesn’t bother you when wearing it on your wrist. Zooming in on the latest release, we can see that the SLA079 comes with a black textured dial and a black bezel insert made from hard-coated steel. The applied indexes are filled with light green Lumibrite, and the color-matched date window is neatly placed between 4 and 5 o’clock. The second model is the SLA077, which features a white textured dial with black applied markers filled with the same light green Lumibrite. This watch also has the same black bezel insert as the black dial version.

Both watches come with a five-row stainless steel bracelet. The design is similar to the three-row bracelets found on many dive watches, but the thin polished sections are actually separate links. Judging from other Seiko models, this bracelet is well made and should balance the watch perfectly on your wrist. The fold-over clasp comes with a security lock, micro-adjustment holes, and a dive extension. It will be interesting to see if this is the same bracelet as the SLA073. I was impressed with the bracelet, but the quality could be improved, especially the clasp and dive extension.

Final Thoughts on the New Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA077 and SLA079

Priced at €3,000, the two new watches appear to be the legitimate successors of the Marinemaster SBDX001. Essentially, the two new models are modern versions of that watch, with a similar design inspired by the classic 6159-7001 and powered by the same 8L35 movement. The whole Fratello team, and I, are eager to find out more.

With the announcement of the Marinemaster series based on the 62MAS last year, everyone assumed that Seiko was going down a different path. But as it turns out, that was completely wrong. It looks like the Marinemaster name will be used for the most premium Prospex diver’s watches based on the brand’s classic models.

Overall, this is not a bad idea, as it highlights Seiko’s great history of diver’s watches. The only problem is that hardcore Seiko fans will need to get used to this new approach a bit. Putting the Marinemaster name on multiple designs at once feels a bit odd, unlike what the brand has done before. But these new watches are impressive, and we can’t wait to try them out. Continuing down the classic Seiko fan path, are these true successors to the fan-favorite Marinemaster SBDX001? Judging by the looks of it, it very well could be.

For more information, check out Seiko’s official website , and let us know what you think of these two new Marinemaster models in the comments section.

Watch Specifications