Seiko SRPA19 Limited Edition Zimbe "Turtle" Reissue

Here's one more Seiko "Turtle" reissue variant for your consideration - the limited edition Thailand Zimbe SRPA19:

SRPA19 "Zimbe" Limited Edition.

As far as dimensions and mechanicals are concerned, this is basically identical to all the other "Turtle" variants featured on this blog in the past (see past posts for other variants). What this version has going for it, is its unique appearance and presentation brought about by the following:

• Bead-blasted finish on the case, crown and bracelet giving it a gray, titanium-like matte appearance...inspired by the colors of the whale shark;
• Unique gray/slate dial and chapter ring with orange highlights;
• Orange second hand;
• Silver bezel with black markings;
• Use of a sapphire crystal instead of the typical Hardlex;
• Day/date magnifier;
• Extra rubber strap in matching shade of gray;
• Unique box with Prospex and Zimbe markings.

The word "Zimbe" comes from the Japanese term "jinbei-zame" (ジンベイザメ) which means "whale shark".

Only 1,299 units of this particular model will be made, all intended for release in Thailand. That, plus the material upgrades and additional finishing makes this piece more expensive than your typical standard "Turtle" reissue, assuming that you can still find one for sale.

I managed to snag this from an independent importer a few months ago for around 800 USD, which was actually a reasonable price at the time. Nowadays, given the limited release and still ever-present demand, prices can go up to 1,300 USD and up, at least locally.

All-in-all, its unique color scheme and rarity makes it stand out from the rest of the Seiko "Turtle" crowd. A must-have for the Seiko dive-watch collector.

Some photos:

Seiko SRPA21 Special Edition Pepsi "PADI Turtle" Reissue

It took it's own sweet time getting here, but the special edition PADI "Turtle" has finally arrived:

SRPA21 "PADI Turtle".

I won't be boring you with the specifications, dimensions, or other technical details of this watch considering that I have discussed this several times before in my reviews of the other "Turtle" reissue variants, starting with the SRP777 Black "Turtle", the review of which can be found here.

What this variant has going for it is it's unique color treatment and the PADI logo, a nod to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a renowned diving organization which teamed up with Seiko in promoting the project AWARE ocean protection program.

It features a blue sunburst dial, white-lumed indices with silver surrounds, a dark blue chapter ring with a white minute track and red hash marks every five seconds. The chapter ring in this particular sample, in typical Seiko fashion, is slightly misaligned, but not significantly so to be distracting. The bezel is predominantly blue with a red portion extending from the twelve o'clock position up to the 20 minute mark. The Prospex insignia, love it or hate it, has moved from below the center of the dial in the other Turtle variants, to above it, making way for the PADI logo prominently emblazoned in its own distinctive font. The minute hand sports a red border, making it stand out from the rest of the dial, enhancing what is already a very legible overall package. This variant comes with a stainless steel bracelet.

All-in-all, this is a far cry from the color scheme of the original Pepsi SRP779 (see review here) which shares its black dial with the SRP777, it's only claim to the "Pepsi" moniker being  a Pepsi bezel using a shade of blue darker than the one on the PADI variant. Honestly, of all the reissued Turtle variants I've seen in the metal, this is hands down the most visually appealing.

This watch has been hyped quite a bit ever since rumors of its existence first surfaced early in the year, and as a result there has been a lot of anticipation with regard to its release. This anticipation has caused launch prices here to rise way above the levels of the other variants when they first came out. Being a special edition, production will be continuous, though there have been reports that distribution will be limited both in numbers and availability in some areas.

Locally, the SRPA21 can be purchased, assuming you can find one, for the equivalent of anywhere from 280 to 430 USD for the "K" models, and even up to 640 USD for the "J" models. Good luck finding one though here, as most have been snatched up by Seiko aficionados and collectors in less than a day after being made available. Time will tell though if availability, and prices, will settle down.

What is certain though, is that this is bound to be a much sought after future classic.

More photos:

Note the slight misalignment of the chapter ring.

Seiko SRP789 Black/Red "Turtle" Reissue

Here's the other half of Seiko's recent release of new "Turtle" reissues, the black and red "Coke" SRP789. The details of this line of watches can be found in my earlier reviews of the SRP777 (see post here), and this model's launch sibling the SRP787 (see review here).

The key feature of this model is the adoption of a black and red ("Coke") color scheme, particularly the use of red with the unidirectional rotating dive bezel up to the 20 minute mark, and the outline of the minute hand. Almost everything else is black, except for some white and silver highlights here and there. The effect is pretty much minimalist, but the overall execution provides for a very legible package which is on the whole pleasing to the eye.

Some photos:

SRP789, AKA "Coke Turtle".

 

Seiko SRP787 Black/Blue "Turtle" Reissue

Seiko dive watch fans in this part of the world are fortunate again in that we have first dibs on new members of the "Turtle" reissue series, a few months before they are scheduled to be made available in other territories. Most Seiko aficionados recall that the initial release of the new series of SRP77x divers paying homage to the iconic Seiko 6306/6309 happened here in Southeast Asia around late November or early December last year, at least a full month before these were made available anywhere else. Now, at least two months before the announced official release date of May 2016, available for purchase from authorized dealers here are two new members of the reissued "Turtle" family, the SRP787, and the SRP789.

In case you're not yet familiar with this particular line of Seiko dive watches, the key details include a case and dial design harking back to the old cushion-style 6306/6309 divers produced from 1976-1988, ISO 6425 dive watch certification, 200m water resistance, use of Seiko's workhorse movement, the 24-jewel hacking/handwinding 4R36 which runs at 21,600 bph with a 41 hour power reserve, and hands reminiscent of the hands used in the iconic SKX007/009 line of divers. Dimensions are 45mm (excluding crown) x 14mm x 48mm, with a lug width of 22mm.

For more details on this particular range, you can refer to my review of the SRP777 Black "Turtle" reissue here, or my reviews of the other earlier released variants, the SRP773, SRP775 and the SRP779.

This post will be focusing on the black/blue variant, a color scheme often referred to as "Batman", based on the color scheme of that particular comic book character. The watch is predominantly black, similar to the SRP777, but with a solid end-link stainless steel bracelet with dive extension same as the SRP773 and SRP775. The bezel is blue up to the 20 minute mark, and black the rest of the way. The minute hand sports a blue outline, making it stand out more visually from the rest of the dial. I would expect these new models to be popular given that the changes would likely appeal to those into modding.

Locally they are priced anywhere from 260-310 USD. I would expect these to be priced a bit higher in other territories when they are made available there.

Some photos:

SRP787, AKA "Batman Turtle".

 

Certina DS Action Diver in Blue C013.407.11.041.00

For today I will be posting photos of the Certina DS Action Diver in blue. A review of this timepiece's black sibling is posted here, and virtually everything in that review applies to this model as well.

The only differences between the blue and black models are the colors of the dial, bezel insert and date wheel. While the black DS Action Diver has a glossy black dial and bezel insert, this model has a glossy blue sunburst dial and bezel insert instead. What's unique about this model's shade of blue is that it warms up depending on the lighting and angle you are looking at it, ranging from cobalt blue, to royal blue to almost violet. This is in contrast to the Blue Oris Aquis Date (reviewed earlier here) where the matte dial takes on a cooler shade, almost bordering on gray in certain angles.

The date wheel adopts a color scheme the reverse of that on the black DS Action Diver, with black numerals on a white background.

Here are some photos:

DS Action Diver.

Certina DS Action Diver in Black C013.407.11.051.00

Certina is a brand whose name doesn't come up often when discussing Swiss watches, unless you're in South America, Europe, or Asia, and perhaps not even then. It's lack of popularity notwithstanding, the name represents what may be one of the best sleeper watches to come out of Switzerland, with quality at least on par, and in several cases exceeding that of other Swiss brands.

Belonging to the Swatch group, its popularity is eclipsed by it's stablemates Tissot, Hamilton and Mido on the mid-tier segment, and Longines and Rado on the higher-range end. It compares favorably in terms of heritage, being founded in 1888 and its timepieces seeing action in various historical endeavors including mountain climbing, marine research, winter sports, sailing, various motorsports and exploration in general. Despite its storied history, the brand remains relatively obscure affording an atypical level of exclusivity among those who are  aware of the virtues of its watches.

Case in point is the watch featured in this review, the 200m water resistant Certina DS Action Diver. First introduced in Baselworld 2011, it stands toe-to-toe with its Swatch Group stablemates which include the Tissot Seastar 1000, the Hamilton Khaki Navy Sub, the Mido Ocean Star Captain, the Longines HydroConquest (reviewed earlier here) and the Rado D-Star 200. Outside the Swatch Group, it's peers include the Oris Aquis Date (reviewed earlier here) and perhaps the Victorinox Swiss Army Maverick Mechanical (which is only water resistant to 100m).

Despite the somewhat crowded mid-tier Swiss dive watch segment, the Certina DS Action Diver holds it own with notable scratch and water protection via its proprietary Double Security (DS) concept. The DS concept consists of number of technical features, which include a scratch-proof sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, O-ring gasket in the stem, two O-ring gaskets in the crown, a caseback gasket, and reinforced caseback. The DS concept is not limited in application to the Action Diver, but extends throughout Certina's entire watch line.

The DS Action Diver is the only one among it's peers with an ISO 6425 certification for dive watches, a distinction it proudly states on its dial. This means that aside from the aforementioned scratch and water resistance afforded to it by Certina's DS Concept, it also boasts notable condensation, thermal shock, magnetism, corrosion, and shock resistance, along with durable straps and bracelets as well as superior legibility. This watch is clearly a true dive watch, and not intended to be a mere desk diver.

The watch itself features a contemporary-sized 43.2mm brushed stainless steel case with mostly unchamfered edges (except for the top edges of the lugs and the crown guards) giving it a no-nonsense functional appearance, which is balanced out by a relatively slim 12.3mm case thickness allowing it to slip under most shirt cuffs. It possesses perhaps one of the best case finishing seen in a Swiss dive watch worth less than 1,000 USD with consistent brushing all throughout. Lug-to-lug length is a moderate 48mm, making it wear the right size for most wrists except exceedingly small ones. Lug width is 21mm, which is typical for this type of watch, though the odd-sized lug width will probably turn off those with a preference for aftermarket straps. The included Oyster-style double folding clasp with dive extension bracelet which is solid all throughout also features a brushed look, and matches the case perfectly. There are four half-links included, allowing for a more customized fit. In perhaps the only nod to cost-cutting, the links are secured with split pins, instead of pins and collars or screws.

Topping all of these is a rotating, 60-click unidirectional dive bezel with a glossy black insert finished in acrylic, instead of the usual aluminum or ceramic. Some may balk at the use of acrylic as bezel insert material given its lack of scratch resistance, but this is offset somehow by the fact that acrylic can easily be refinished using a scratch remover such as PolyWatch. The bezel edge features rectangular teeth for extra purchase, finished in polished steel. Bezel feel is robust, a bit on the stiff side, with little indication that it can rotate inadvertently.

The dial consists of a matching glossy black dial with applied hour indices with silver surrounds consisting of an inverted triangle at the 12 o'clock position, rectangles at the 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions and circles everywhere else. Despite the commonality of these dial elements with the Rolex Submariner, the DS Action Diver doesn't really come across as a Sub homage, especially when the rest of the elements of the watch are considered. The hour hand is arrow-shaped, while the minute hand is sword-shaped. The second hand is painted white near the center of dial and red towards the end, with a lume ball ("meatball" to some) a third of the way to the very tip. A date window is situated between the 4 and 5 o'clock indices and the date wheel is in a matching white text on black background. There is a total of six lines of text on the dial in varying font sizes (seven if you include the "SWISS MADE" inscription at 6 o'clock) which some may find distracting, but to me it doesn't really detract much from the overall appearance of the dial.  In low light conditions, the hands and indices emit a cool blue glow courtesy of the generous application of  Super-LumiNova® BW-G9.  Duration and intensity is just average though. The bezel also features lume from the 12 o'clock position up to the 20 minute mark.

Performing timekeeping duties is a Standard grade ETA 2824-2, a hacking/handwinding 25-jewel, 28,800 bph movement with a 38-40 hour power reserve. Screwing and unscrewing the signed crown is buttery smooth with little possibility of crossing or stripping the threads unless one is extremely ham-fisted or insists on using inordinate force. Action when pulling the crown to the first and second position is clean and deliberate, and setting the time and date is pretty much effortless. Handwinding, as with most other 2824-2 movement based watches, can be a bit stiff.

Caseback is solid, with a laser etching of Certina's turtle logo.

The Certina DS Action Diver is available at most authorized dealers here in the Philippines modestly discounted to around 730-750 USD. Online, they can be quite a steal at around 500 USD on either rubber or bracelet.  As far as Swiss divers is concerned, you'd be hard pressed to find something with better bang-for-the-buck.

Some photos:

DS Action Diver.

 

 

 

Seiko SRP779 Pepsi "Turtle" Reissue

Rounding off Seiko's quartet of new reissued "Turtles", here are some photos of the new SRP779 "Pepsi" "Turtle" on rubber:

SRP779.

 

Note that the dial is black, not blue, unlike the difference between the SKX007 and 009.

Red and blue "Pepsi" bezel.

The only difference between this particular model and the SRP777 is the bezel color combination, with this one sporting a red and blue "Pepsi" color scheme on the bezel insert, with the red portion extending up to the 20 minute mark, and the blue portion covering the rest.

For more information on this particular series of Seiko divers, you can refer to my earlier post of the SRP777 here. Based on all the interest hype on these particular models, it would seem like Seiko has another winner here, and if production is able to keep up, these may end up replacing the classic SKX007/009 as Seiko's definitive entry level mechanical diver.

Seiko SRP775 Black/Gold "Turtle" Reissue

I've posted about two variants of the "Turtle" reissue before, the black SRP777 on rubber and the blue SRP773 on stainless steel. You can check out an overview of the design of this particular series based on the black SRP777 here.

Today's post is about the black with gold highlights on stainless steel bracelet, the SRP775. It features a black dial with gold-colored surrounds on the hands and indices with a yellowish tinge on the generous application of Lumibrite luminous compound in well lit conditions. The yellowish tinge of the lume is either an attempt to match the yellow of the gold highlights, or to simulate a vintage vibe by giving the appearance of patina. Either way, it seems to work pretty well, and blends with the overall color scheme. Of course, in low light conditions the lume glows the typical shade of green with the intensity and duration we've come to expect from Seiko. The unidirectional 120-click bezel is black, with the markings also in gold to match the dial.

As mentioned before in a previous post, the 22mm stainless steel bracelet features solid end-links, a three-link brushed design with polished horizontal highlights on the center link, fold-over clasp with a diver's extension, and is put together using a pin and collar system. Overall, it is functionally similar to the stainless steel bracelets used on the Monster and Solar Chronograph series, though appearance-wise, they look different.

Note that my particular sample has a minor alignment issue with the chapter ring on the 12 o'clock position. It doesn't bother me all that much, but if you're particular about these quality issues, it may be better to see one in the metal before purchasing.

All other descriptions in the earlier post featuring the SRP777 apply.

Some photos:

SRP775.

Seiko SRP773 Blue "Turtle" Reissue

This post is about the blue version of Seiko's reissued "Turtle" series based on the cushion case aesthetic of the 1970s-1980s 6306/6309. This new series consists of the Prospex SRP773/775/777/779, and an overview of the design of the series based on the black SRP777 can be found here.

The SRP773 features a blue dial/blue bezel combo and silver surrounds on the hands and indices with light bluish Lumibrite luminous compound in well-lit conditions. In low light conditions, the lume glows green with the same hue, intensity and duration as most other modern day Seiko divers. It also comes with a brushed stainless steel bracelet with solid end-links and a three-link design featuring polished highlights on either side of the center link. It also comes with a diver extension and the bracelet itself utilizes a pin-and-collar system to keep the links together similar to that used in the Monsters and Solar Chronograph divers. Compared to the quality of Seiko stainless steel bracelets we've seen in the past, this particular bracelet gets an above average score, but I would imagine that a lot of owners will still end up going aftermarket for their strap/bracelet options.

In all other regards, the descriptions made in the earlier post on the SRP777 apply.

Some photos:

SRP773.