Zach Brass
When Tool Watches first launched, they were expensive items, but at prices they could justify for professional use. These days, sports, tools, or professional watches have become gorgeous items and are priced far higher than mere accounts for inflation. So, what is a diving watch that is of high quality but low price? While it may seem like you’re struggling for your choice, for $975, this new Seiko Prospex SRPL53 PADI Special Edition might be something you should take a closer look.
Paddy, the world’s largest and most famous scuba diving training organization, was founded in 1966, just a year after Seiko introduced the world’s first Japanese dive watch. So, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first Seiko Dive Watch, one of the new Seiko Prospex Divers is a special edition of Paddy.
case
The SRPL53 is packaged in a faceted stainless steel case with a diameter of 41.7mm, thickness of 12.3mm, and lagtoe 49.5mm. Certainly, for my approximately 6.5 inch wrist, the 49.5mm lagtoo lug is a little longer than I would like, but it’s by no means long. A thickness of 12.3mm is reasonable for the case. More affordable diving watches tend to be thicker, but 12.3mm is great and thinner for diving watches. It has a 200m water resistance and a under-screw crown stitched. In other words, it’s a powerful and robust dive watch.
Dial
Dial matching green bezel inserts inside a single-way naar steel bezel frame with the dial underneath the Hardlex crystal. While many people may want to be sapphire, Seiko’s Hardlex Glass allows you to make your watch cheaper while offering solid scratching and grinding resistance. Now, the dial itself is not a basic green dial, but instead a smoky green motif dial that creates a photo that looks up at the surface from under the sea. As you know, Seiko and Nature hold hands on language design…
The large spear-shaped hands, the wide-minute hands, and the running-second hands at the tip of the triangle are all filled with enough Lumibrite coating for visibility in the dark, and the same can be said about their shape. There is a complete set of applied time indexes and a date window placed at the controversial 4:30 position, but Seiko tastes it on the color match date disc and dial. At 6 o’clock, some people may have preferred the date window instead, but Padi branding is proudly printed in that position.
bracelet
According to Seiko, the bracelet has been upgraded from its predecessor (using pressed integral links) to a newly shaped solid band, giving it a luxurious feel and boasts a cut surface on the links that match the linearity of the case. In plain English, it feels much more solid. This is a three-link bracelet that starts at 20mm wide and subtly tapered to the folding fasteners and four drill holes, providing a traditional fine-tuning feel.
Movement
Inside, there is an in-house automatic 4R35 movement with a 41-hour power reserve. On the one hand, it is very impressive that Seiko is one of the very few manufacturers that can offer watches at this price with a completely in-house caliber. That said, at least on paper, the regulation of exercise is that reminders in the price range you’re playing a little too strong. It is said that the 4R35 has a limit range of +45 seconds to -35 seconds. This does not mean that you cannot regulate movements to perform more accurately, but this is a pledged window. So unfortunately, you cannot expect to get the accuracy of COSC-Adjacents out of the box. Fortunately, it becomes clear that routine Google searches often work well within parameters.
verdict
For watches for sale under US$1,000 and under $1,000, I think it’s safe to say that the SRPL53K, like most Seiko watches, will be delivered. It’s not necessarily an excessive difference, but it will be delivered. Perhaps Seiko is an in-house sense of pedigree with price, a rich dial aesthetic, and a 4R diver of this generation, a sophisticated wearable case ratio and a more powerful, high-quality bracelet.
The key difference is that the less quality diving watch options at this price, the best case scenario is a collage of components from suppliers, and ultimately generally provides the same movement experience. Where Seiko has edges, there is production of internal and external watches, ensuring high quality in terms of case and bracelet quality, as well as movements designed and manufactured in-house. Everything about this watch is proudly made by a manufacturer branded on the dial. This is a rare feat for under $1,000.
Seiko Prospex SRPL53 PADI Special Edition Pricing and Availability
The Seiko Prospex SRPL53 PADI Special Edition will begin shipping around July/August 2025. Price: USD 620, USD 975
Brand Seiko Model Prospex Seapa Diss Special Edition Case Dimensions 41.7mm(d) x 12.3mm(T) x 49.5mm(LTL) Case Stainless Steel Resistance 200m, Screw Down Crown Crystal (S) Front Dialer Green, Gradient Strap Stainless Steel Bracelet, 3x Class, Expand Button, Expert, Push Lock, Push Krys 41 Hour Function Time, Minutes, Seconds, Date, Unidirectional Diving Bezel Availability Price from July/August 2025 US $620
$975
