Seiko’s quest to shift both their cachet and price point has taken another giant leap forward with the launch of the limited edition Seiko Prospex SNR045J1. Upon first glance, many will note similarities with the grossly overpriced Green Rolex Submariner – except this watch differs in many ways. Firstly, it costs less than half of what you’d pay for an aftermarket Hulk. Secondly, it’s made of titanium and has a wonderfully textured dial. Third and finally, it’s limited to just 500 pieces – so you can be certain there won’t be 15 other dudes wearing it at The Bot on a Friday night.
With a 44.8mm x 15.7mm titanium case, the SNR045J1 comes with a shitload of heft. But never fear, as it also happens to be “shockingly light” according to James Robinson of Time & Tide. So much so that with closed eyes, you’d apparently think it was no larger than a standard 40mm timepiece. Those who do take issue with its dimensions will quickly find the forgiveness in their heart once they lay eyes on that striking unidirectional rotating bezel, the forest green dial, and gorgeous finish.
Powered by Seiko’s 5R65 Spring calibre movement, one can expect 72 hours of power reserved with both a date and power reserve function. Water-resistant at depths of up to 300 metre/1,000ft for saturation diving, visibility won’t exactly be an issue for those plunging into aquatic exploration. The dial, hands, indices, and bezel are all coated with Seiko’s LumiBrite – a “long-lasting” luminous substance which claims to be “completely free of radioactive materials”.
Of course, this certainly isn’t the first time Seiko borrowed some design cues from Rolex. You may recall a certain Daytona-inspired timepiece released in collaboration with nano universe just a few months prior – a hot little number priced at an incredibly affordable AU$400… which we were unfortunate enough to miss out on. Full disclosure, this one hurt. A lot.
The Seiko Prospex SNR045J1 is currently priced at $9,400 and limited to just 500 pieces.
