Diving Deep Into Seiko – Why the Turtle is a Masterpiece

Seiko is known to be the best introduction to the world of diver’s watches. In fact, many people associate it with “the rabbit” that is chased down the hole of more expensive dive timepieces. Its inexpensive nature, which is on top of its unparalleled build quality and high-class features, is simply too hard to beat. Many of the true horological enthusiasts at least acknowledge the greatness of Seiko in the world of watches—and for a good reason, too!

Watch collectors are going to almost always have a Seiko in their collection. If they don’t, then they have likely had one at some point in their life! With all the amazing pieces ever released by the Japanese watchmaker, they have garnered some interesting nomenclature over the years with the community. You have the Monster, the Sumo, the Tuna, and of course, the Turtle.

With a history that traces back to the mid-1970s, the Turtle has definitely become an iconic dive watch that’s befitting of the esteemed watchmaker’s repute.

Fast Facts: A Quick Historical Breakdown Of The Turtle

Known as the “SRP” model of today’s world, the Seiko Turtle came in different colorways: black, a black and gold mix, the Pepsi, and the blue bezel.

This watch is closely compared to the Seiko 6105 dive watch, which is the grandfather of all the Seiko dive timepieces. It was so popular back in the day that it was placed on Martin Sheen’s wrist on Apocalypse Now.

The 6105 was one of the first watches in the market that stood out because of its large shape in a market that was previously filled with smaller ones. This made it a hit among those with larger wrists.

The Seiko Turtle

The first Turtle model is the 6306, but it only caught the signature nickname when the 6309 was released. The main differences between the two were the dial, band thickness, and the case diameter. The movements on the latter were improved, as well, particularly with the use of 17 jewels for a more accurate timekeeping functionality.

Seiko did another run of the Turtle in 2016 and quickly got swept up by fans who followed the greatness of the Japanese watchmaker’s products. The Turtle was released under the Prospex collection and included professional-grade materials and functionality at the price of an entry-level piece. The 2016 model was known as the SRP line that added more flair to the original design of the Turtle.

Seiko Released Many Turtle Models

Every single release done by Seiko sold out for months, giving their manufacturing plant a lot of work to do to provide people with the amazing Turtle.

The Japanese watchmaker introduced a PADI version of the Turtle, which was extremely popular with the diving community. The Batman model, on the other hand, has a black and blue color mix that makes it reminiscent of a certain Swiss luxury watch model.

There was even the Mini Turtle, built for those who had smaller wrists and wanted a Turtle nonetheless. The crown was moved from the 4 o’clock position to the 3 o’clock area and measured at a little over 42mm in diameter. This smaller-framed watch had the 4R36 movement powering it.

Seiko also released the King Turtle in early 2020, which sported an elegant and powerful look that beckons you even with a glance. Because of the higher-grade materials used to build it, this one had a price point of over $500. Whether it is worth it or not, it looks absolutely amazing, serving as the perfect dress watch that can set you for life.

Conclusion

The Seiko watchmaking legacy just never stops. After over a century of top-notch watch manufacturing, they continue to be ambitious, releasing god-tier dive watches for the public to consume and crave over. The Turtle, in particular, is something that will strike certain chords in anyone’s heart, and owning one would be a pleasure that will have you checking the time more often than you should be.

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