BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
The Prospex model from Seiko is one of many sporting models that they produce, it’s also one of their most popular and most recognisable, perhaps no model in the Seiko lineup is more recognisable than the Prospex Turtle. This unique case shape came about in the 1970s and has remained an icon of the era ever since, but the Prospex name goes back even further than that. It was in 1965 that Seiko released its first Prospex watch, it was water resistant to 150m and suited the era.
Today, the Prospex still serves as a watch of function, but its form hasn’t been thrown to the wayside. The King Turtle Black Series SRPK43 is a matte black sports diving watch with a robust yet stylish look. I like the appearance here, though I think the matte black finish will lend itself to scratching more easily, but only time will tell on that one.
What I do know is that its case measures 45mm x 13.2mm, and the lug-to-lug distance is 47.7mm making this watch one that isn’t for the faint-hearted. You do get 200m of water resistance from it, along with a unidirectional rotating dive bezel and a black dial with white-ish markers on it. The hands and markers are coated in green LumiBrite for long-lasting luminescence after dark. There’s also a magnifier over the day and date windows.
Inside this watch is the calibre 4R36, a self-winding movement made by Seiko and running at 3Hz for 41 hours in total. As well as the day/date function, there’s also a hacking seconds feature which stops the second hand when the crown is fully pulled out, making for more accurate time setting.
This new tool watch looks good; I hope it lasts and looks good throughout its life, although Seiko’s reputation for reliable, well-made watches is extremely strong. Although this is a special edition watch coming to stores in February, it’s not a limited edition piece. The price will be US$725.
