Seiko Prospex GMT: Overpriced or Upmarket?

Just buy it pre-owned and cut that price in half

This is true, Seiko never has a good resale value because retailers keeps discounting them, but that really goes for all the mid-range brands. The boutique selling the Seikos in my area are doing 30% off RRP, so I’m picking up my SPB143J1 for just under $1300. Unless i can get 50% off that, I would buy new in the case for Seiko.

Thank you for doing the currency conversion in Kangaroo Dollars to American Eagle Bucks.

Bought one of these recently.

I have a 7 inch wrist. Fits me great, wheras a true marine master would be too big, but I have always liked the case shape. It did not dissapoint. The ceramic bezel is great. The bracelet works for me, its a seiko, but it fits the look and the feel of it. The accent on the seconds ticker works for legibility. Their is a mm out on the bezel (its a Seiko). All in all I am very happy with the purchase of it. I posted my pic earlier today of it. If you are looking for a seiko diver (or pehaps another one) I would pull the trigger and do it. Didnt pay ful retail, 10% off, but bouhgt from new.

I have the SPB381, picked it up lightly used for $1,200. For that price it’s easily worth the money in my opinion. The case finishing is very impressive, and it wears really nicely. Accuracy is good, and the bracelet is better than I expected. I’ve had it for around 6 months, and it’s still probably my favorite in my collection. I wouldn’t pay retail though

I think this is a fantastic watch. In the metal, these look spectacular. I would easily pay $1,300 for one and I almost have. But knowing you can get them for around $1,000 on the pre-owned market makes it even better.

I have never paid MRSP for any Seiko (or for any watch). There are sales and it's easy to find used ones in good shape at a fine price.

I am actually pretty surprised how well these have so far hold their value. Here in the US the retail price is $1500. I see one listed for sale used for $1150 and one sold recently for $1000 used. Maybe they are still too new to have saturated the second hand market. I’m hoping maybe next year I can pick one up used for closer to $800. At that price I think it is a steal

One of my favorites. No regrets.

I think these are solid watches. Sort of a downsized version of the MM300 (an all time favorite of mine, but admittedly a little thick). Now for my country "opinion" 😁 - Swiss is not > Japanese by definition. There are many Japanese watches that top there direct Swiss competition and vice versa. Now this is coming from someone who lived in Japan and had strong positive options on Japanese culture and work ethic. Below is the MM300 (SBDX001 from 2016) and a 6159-7000 from 1968 (the case shape Seiko is basing all these watches off of).

I understand they have a certain design language, but I would like something totally new. That's just me. Don't get me wrong, I would rock the "S" outta that watch... but, not for that price.

I recommend the SPB411. Fantastic reissue and it’s unique in Seiko’s current lineup. I’d ignore the resale warnings, many watches in 1-2k range experience significant depreciation.

Always let the greater fool take the depreciation hit, a rule I try to follow with cars and watches. I also don’t mind a little mystery in wondering what it’s previous owner was like, gives it a little more soul.

A, if it is Swiss, the price easily up by 50%, with the same case cut & finish.

Yeah, that’s also because most boutiques will discount mid range watches or else customers won’t buy. It hurts the resale value of the watch. We can only judge watches value after the maximum discounted price.

I would Swiss has more heritage but I wouldn’t say their watches are better, but heritage does play a big part in branding and prestige. The Swiss has that in the bag. I like both countries, and will plan to continue collecting watches from each respective country and brand. I’m getting a Seiko Prospex for myself and another Swiss watch, maybe a Longines Spirit, maybe a Baumé et Mercier, maybe a Sinn, we’ll see.

That seems overpriced to me. I always thought that Australian money was called either “down unddollars” or “dollarRoos”

Seiko has made watches continuously since 1881 (except for for a short period when their factory burned down and they need to rebuild). They are 100% in house, and that means everything: crystals, dials, bracelets, movements, everything. Innovations are also super impressive, first automatic chronograph 1969, first quartz 1969, first high beat diver 1968, first titanium diver 1976, invented spring drive 1999 etc. I would say no Swiss brand has the history plus innovation of Seiko, just sayin' 😁 (of course just one man's opinion). I also love my Swiss watches (many costing multiples of my Seiko's), but when push comes to shove I think Seiko is the world's most important / consequential watch manufacture. Sorry about getting on the Seiko soapbox 😁.

Did they regulate the thing or not?

If it is just to Seiko spec, then no, not worth it.

Sucky bracelets and the Miyota 9075 sunk Seiko GMTs to me. I love the look but I think other watches offer more.

My 2 cents - it depends entirely on how much you like the design of the watch and how it looks on your wrist. The biggest drawback of the MM200 GMT is the bracelet, which plagues all Prospex models. However, the reality is, once it's on your wrist, as long as it's not uncomfortable, you almost never think about the bracelet (at least I don't).

IMHO, it looks better than all the alternatives you mentioned, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The new Hydroconquest GMT looks great too, but the overall lug-to-lug, the choice of dial markers, and the lack of bevelled finishing gives the MM200 GMT the edge. I actually think the Ocean Star GMT looks really good too, but at 44mm, it's way too big for me. As another comparison, the Oris Diver 65 is basically half the watch for way more money (might be same as Aquis, in Canada), and I've never heard anyone really complain about that.

There's flaws for sure that are pretty annoying (bezel alignment and ill-fitting end-links), but they are almost imperceptible, so do not affect my enjoyment on a daily basis.

All that said, I think dealers are more than happy to give a discount on these models - I was able to get 30% off, and the watch basically hasn't left my wrist!

I think about that a lot man. I know we could all ask this question be because of the climb in #seiko watches’ prices. I picked (worth the price) for 2 reasons. 1- It’s a SEIKO and brands like hublot have Miyota’s in them and if not then we can look at overpriced brands simply for the name on the dial (example to many applications). 2- Micro brands can easily sell watches over $1000.

So I really think we aren’t appreciating SEIKOs as much as they really need to be.

That’s fair. I do love the watch a lot, and I really like the prospect I’m aiming for, it’s just quite a big step up in price. I do wish they make better bracelets so I don’t need to immediately swap them out for a uncle seiko bracelet.