Seiko SNR043 Review
Enjoyed my watch for about six weeks so far: the honeymoon phase is over and I've even managed to scratch that ‘super hard‘ DLC (the scratch pro that I am).
Speaking of moons - this model is the 'Moonlit Ocean' theme. - or as the marketing department phrases things: "The flickering reflections on the sea from the light of the moon floating in the night sky..." (camping pic below had me directly comparing it to a moonlit ocean about 60 minutes later!)
The basics: 45mm diameter, 50mm lug tip to tip (but just 44mm from drilled lug hole to lug hole) , 15mm tall. Titanium on a rubber strap for 116grams.
First impressions: very wowed by it when I took it out of the packaging and box. I think they box it up on a level that matches any GS (an assumption - I'm still a GS virgin)
Of course, it looks stunning when you first get that piano black box open. All black with tons of angles and reflections. High polish bevels and brushed sides - all in DLC. The bezel is crazy reflective. It's called cermet but it comes off quite literally as being a darkly shaded mirror. I think this is where theme of the ocean at night comes in.
For me, the gold second hand works. The black sunray dial is slightly... 'warm' in coloration, so the gold hand works well with it. The main hands have brushed tops with large lume plots and high polished beveled sides to the hands. Tried to capture that in a couple of the pix. Great detail to enjoy with a loupe.
It's a spring drive - my first - and I love it. I still like to gaze lovingly at that smooth flow of time. Over a several weeks it gained about 5 seconds, so close enough to perfection for me.
The daily wearing experience: it fits smaller than I'd anticipated. My Oris Aquis looks way bigger on me, despite being a smaller watch. I was braced for a horological hockey puck, but it feels more like a comfy Oreo cookie on my marathon runner / prison camp 6 inch wrist.
Due to its length, the strap was a fail for me. Very nice feeling rubber strap that is just way way way, way, too long. I know - it's for diving and thus wearing over a wetsuit - but even with a 5mm wetsuit on its still way too long for me. It's long enough to wear over a ski jacket. I will cut the length of the factory strap so I can live with it better. So long to the cute little Prospex logo at the terminus of the band!
Another problem - It's height has been an issue for me. I tend to whack the watch against stuff I'm moving past. I tend to walk around quickly and I think my arms swing about like salamis. So it smashes into anything in my vicinity. Happily, despite the abuse - only one scratch so far.
In a towering bit of irony: it was at an Omega store when I was walking between glass and steel display case it cracked it against a corner. I knew the hit was bad but dared not look at the damage till I got home and could cry in peace. Silver lining - watch is so black and relfect-y, it's actually quite hard to find the scratch.
The upside of it's absurd height - there is a depth to the dial that’s striking. It keeps with that ocean theme of the watch: it’s deep down to the black sunray dial. It's unlike any of my other watches in this regard. It is possible that it's an incredibly thick crystal, but I can’t tell. The AR is fantastic and on the inside only.
Bezel turn, like folgers crystals, is thick, rich and luxurious. Very different from my other divers. Heavy and dampened feeling. The click sounds are more subtle, but it feels good. Lume crushes every other watch I own, as does nighttime or underwater legibility.
Last important point - it will never be noticed by others, except if they happen to be essentially a Seiko expert. All others will assume it's a 500 buck black dive watch unless you explain it (and bore them)
I’m still building confidence enough to take it into the ocean - did a kayak rolling class a couple days ago and opted for an old orange monster instead out of risking my new(ish) baby!
EDIT : now wear routinely in the ocean - watch and me both love being on the ocean!
Seiko SNR043 Review
Yes
No
- Tough and beautiful spring drive
- Reflective bezel and case look amazing
- It’s an utterly anonymous luxury tool watch
- It’s utterly anonymous
- It’s really tall
- Wearing it in the ocean still scares me as it’s so expensive
@fieldwalker.watch/ on Instagram. 一期一会 Treasure the unrepeatable nature of a moment. Zen Zaratsu state of mind. ~6” wrist. Explore the ocean and the mountains in my free time.
That SNR043 is amazing!
That SNR043 is amazing!
You, my friend, are one of the extremely rare birds that would recognize it as not just a routine black Seiko diver
Beautiful watch!!! I have been thinking about an LX for months. The crown seems super long. Please let me know if it's an issue. I have an MM300 I love but I want Spring Drive and Titanium . I have a GS Snowflake. Not sure if an LX is too close to my MM300 . I also think about a new GS diver
I have seen a number of "sleeper" dive watches from Seiko, usually limited editions or JDM watches, but this one pretty much takes the cake. Unless you really knew what to look for, you'd have no idea. I also like that it is unapologetically an actual dive watch.
than you for the review, very informative!
Beautiful watch!!! I have been thinking about an LX for months. The crown seems super long. Please let me know if it's an issue. I have an MM300 I love but I want Spring Drive and Titanium . I have a GS Snowflake. Not sure if an LX is too close to my MM300 . I also think about a new GS diver
I can say from firsthand experience that the GS diver - spring drive and titanium - is amazing! But, you gotta be into weird. Like, GS use cathedral hands in their divers.
It's gonna be one of those things where you either love it, or hate it!
I can say from firsthand experience that the GS diver - spring drive and titanium - is amazing! But, you gotta be into weird. Like, GS use cathedral hands in their divers.
It's gonna be one of those things where you either love it, or hate it!
Wondering, do I work on a great price with my AD for an SBGA463 or hold of for a SLGA015? Weirdly it started a few years back when I was thinking about a Prospex LX. I have an MM300 so chunky wasn't a problem. I started looking at the price point. Why not go GS? I have a Snowflake and love it . (I did aee your post that you are looking toove on from your White Birch - love it but the Spring Drive model is awesome) IMO no other brand can work with Titanium like GS. I know the polish points are different on their divers. The hands are very cool to me on GS divers. Although chunky doesn't bother me, I have set the MM300 down for a while and enjoy thinner cases. So.... is there that much of a difference in the designs that I will regret saving thousands $? Any suggestions on my rambling is always greatly appreciated 😊
Wondering, do I work on a great price with my AD for an SBGA463 or hold of for a SLGA015? Weirdly it started a few years back when I was thinking about a Prospex LX. I have an MM300 so chunky wasn't a problem. I started looking at the price point. Why not go GS? I have a Snowflake and love it . (I did aee your post that you are looking toove on from your White Birch - love it but the Spring Drive model is awesome) IMO no other brand can work with Titanium like GS. I know the polish points are different on their divers. The hands are very cool to me on GS divers. Although chunky doesn't bother me, I have set the MM300 down for a while and enjoy thinner cases. So.... is there that much of a difference in the designs that I will regret saving thousands $? Any suggestions on my rambling is always greatly appreciated 😊
My friend! As always, "Opinions are like a$$holes... everybody's got one." Here's one a$$hole's opinion:
"Oh, it's also got the Kuroshio Current / Black Stream dial? That's an amazing bonus. Oh, it's also got the new 9RA5 movement with 5-day power reserve. Also a bonus. Evolution 9 case and bracelet design? Eh, okay. Cool, I guess."
What I didn't realize, though, was that the SBGA463 already existed. I had no idea that GS had released it back in December 2021. No clue! I went into an AD here in San Diego one day, just to goof off, and saw it under the display case!
So, SLGA015 is $11,600 MSRP and SBGA463 is $7,300 MSRP. For $4,300 more, you're getting a) Kuroshio dial, b) 120-hour power reserve instead of 72-hour, and c) Evolution 9 design. Are those 3 things worth $4,300 to you?
In my own case, no way!
So... this is all a long way of saying that I got the SBGA463 and love it!
Beautiful watch!!! I have been thinking about an LX for months. The crown seems super long. Please let me know if it's an issue. I have an MM300 I love but I want Spring Drive and Titanium . I have a GS Snowflake. Not sure if an LX is too close to my MM300 . I also think about a new GS diver
An MM300 and a Snowflake! Sweet watches.
For me, I never really loved the looks of the GS divers, so going to an LX was the only way I was getting a spring drive dive watch. Also given the size of this watch - Ti seemed essential.
The crown is indeed big and beefy. But being Ti and at 4 oclock it's never bothered me in any way. Have never felt it on my wrist. When I'm synching the watch perfectly to the second (a fun project once every couple weeks) the crown is easy to grab and very solid to hold, best of any of my watches.
The MM330 is very similar at a glance. Up close, or on your own wrist, you notice the SD, cermet bezel and Ti weight difference.
I have seen a number of "sleeper" dive watches from Seiko, usually limited editions or JDM watches, but this one pretty much takes the cake. Unless you really knew what to look for, you'd have no idea. I also like that it is unapologetically an actual dive watch.
Even my watch nerd colleagues, who rock a Ro-flexes at work, thought it was completely generic (until I put it in their hands). So it impresses nobody, but myself.
Re it's tool and dive watch bona fides: my understanding is that the spring drive has the additional perk of making the movement practically bombproof. I occasionally bang watches against fiberglass, steel or aluminum so having a lux watch that can take abuse makes me happy.
I can say from firsthand experience that the GS diver - spring drive and titanium - is amazing! But, you gotta be into weird. Like, GS use cathedral hands in their divers.
It's gonna be one of those things where you either love it, or hate it!
Yes - you nailed it - I can't get over those freaking weird GS diver hands!!! Why Seiko? Why? 🤷♂️
Also, since I'd want the Ti version - it would be outta my league pricewise. 💸
Wondering, do I work on a great price with my AD for an SBGA463 or hold of for a SLGA015? Weirdly it started a few years back when I was thinking about a Prospex LX. I have an MM300 so chunky wasn't a problem. I started looking at the price point. Why not go GS? I have a Snowflake and love it . (I did aee your post that you are looking toove on from your White Birch - love it but the Spring Drive model is awesome) IMO no other brand can work with Titanium like GS. I know the polish points are different on their divers. The hands are very cool to me on GS divers. Although chunky doesn't bother me, I have set the MM300 down for a while and enjoy thinner cases. So.... is there that much of a difference in the designs that I will regret saving thousands $? Any suggestions on my rambling is always greatly appreciated 😊
The dial on the SLGA015 is awesome. But those hands - . Cathedral hour and a... phallic? minute hand. 😬
I'll try to see some GS divers on on my wrist soon and see if my opinion changes in person.