Meet the Seiko Prospex King Turtle “Great Blue" Scuba PADI Watch

The new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch features a design inspired by the view experienced by a diver as sunlight hits the surface of the water and follows the faithful principles of the King Turtle with its beefier thickness, 200-meter water resistance and vibrantly coloured ceramic bezel

If you’re in the market for a quality dive watch, you should look no further than the world’s most prolific manufacturer of robust and rugged dive tools – Seiko. The Japanese watchmaker offers an extensive line of watches for underwater use – many of which follow in the footsteps of some of the brand’s most iconic and desirable vintage dive watches. Since the mid-1960s, Seiko has been making a name for itself in crafting expert diving watches, many of which have memorable nicknames like the Samurai, the Sumo, the Tuna, the Shogun and the Turtle. What is expected each year by many avid Seiko fans, however, is at least one special edition release in collaboration with PADI – the world’s leading scuba diving training organization. If you’re into diving, you may have even participated in PADI’s diving courses and scuba diving services, since the company has over 6,300 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts dotted around the world, not to mention more than 136,000 individual PADI Professionals who have issued more than 25 million certifications around the globe. The Seiko watches released in collaboration with PADI each year are designated as the “Great Blue” watches. This year, the brand has released a new King Samurai and new Sumo watch alongside the new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch, which we’re going to look at in more detail today.

The series of special edition watches released under the PADI reference by Seiko each year proves to be very popular with general Seiko collectors and fans of its dive watch range. The spec list of any PADI watch, true to Seiko’s traditions in crafting reliable dive tools, is full of solid features that constitute a great companion for exploring the underwater universe. Paired with an impressive spec list is an affordable price tag that cannot be grumbled at. Before we get into this new release, let’s take a look at the history of the Seiko Turtle watch and why it came to be such a popular collectable.

About the Seiko Turtle

The Seiko Turtle has often been associated with the 6105 model that was once seen on the wrist of Martin Sheen in the war film Apocalypse Now. It featured a cushion-shaped case that would later become a reference for the Seiko Turtle. It was a huge watch that stood out like a sore thumb in the market, with a 41mm diameter. The first official Seiko Turtle was the model reference Seiko 6306, yet it would not be until the release of the 6109 model that the watch acquired the nickname “Turtle”. It featured a different dial, with circular markers as opposed to trapezoid markers, a thicker case and a larger case diameter that grew from 41mm to 44mm. Seiko decided to reissue this much-loved model back in 2016, categorising it into the Prospex line and fitting it with high-grade materials. The closest resemblance to the original 6109 model was the reference SRP777 with a black dial and bezel. Black-gold and blue bezel models followed afterwards. To this day, one variant of Turtle series remains a popular one - the PADI SRPA21, which caught the attention of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. One of the admirable things about the “King” version of the Turtle sub-series, whether a PADI or not, is its undeniably superior design, with a textured dial, a ceramic bezel and a pepped-up selection of vivid dial colours that differ from the standard. A magnifier was also added to the date feature of the Turtle watch with the release of the King Turtle version.

The new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch reference SRPK01K1

The new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch reference SRPK01K1 boasts a sharper knurled bezel compared to the King Samuri and Sumo watches. It is also paired with the ceramic-filled centre and a sapphire crystal glass top to set it apart from previous models from the regular Turtle watch (as mentioned earlier). Crafted from stainless steel, the diameter of the case measures a broad 45mm and sits at a thickness on the wrist of 13.2mm. The shape of the case resembles the curved shell of a turtle and is topped with a piece of sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant properties.

The new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch also features a sealed stainless steel case engraved with special edition lettering on the back. Both the colour choice and design of this Seiko Turtle watch for 2023 have been inspired by a diver’s underwater view as the sun hits the surface of the blue water. Whilst exploring deep underwater depths, the bright blue minute hand can be aligned with the first 20 minutes of the 60-minute dive scale on the unidirectional rotating bezel, enabling you to keep track of elapsed time underwater. To enhance legibility further, the hands and hour markers on the dial, as well as the markings on the bezel have all been treated with Lumibrite so that you can reference the time in the dead of night or whilst venturing down to dark underwater depths. If doing the latter, of course, you are granted a useful 200-meter water-resistant case and a screw-down crown at 3 o’clock. The watch also features a bright white day-date function that stands out from the rich blue-black gradient dial.

Perfect for those who share a passion for adventure. The new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba watch is completed with a matching stainless steel bracelet with polished and brushed elements on the links and a folding clasp that is engraved with the authentic Seiko lettering. The watch is also powered by an automatic movement - the Calibre 4R36, with a power reserve to offer of 41 hours once fully wound.

If you’d like more information on the new Seiko Prospex “Great Blue” Turtle Scuba, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453.