Messages: 4378 Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Registered: April 2004
Seiko SPB071 / SBDC055: The Cure for the Common Dive Watch
Wed, 21 February 2018 06:29
Greetings all.
I had been wanting to pick up one of these PADI MAS models since the first flat, lifeless Seiko product images emerged on the web. That desire only increased when the first owner pics started making their way onto the forums hinting at an impressively vibrant dial. By the time I saw the first YouTube videos on this watch truly revealing its visual impact I already had one inbound.
Now, that kind of anxious anticipation is a classic recipe for an underwhelming result. Set your expectations too high and you leave little room for anything but disappointment. Been / done / t-shirt. Not in this case, though. From the moment I opened the box, the promise of an exceptionally striking dive watch was more than fulfilled.
I'll dispense with the stats first I know some people get anxious if they don't get that info right away:
Diameter: 42.6mm
Lug to Lug: 49mm
Thickness: 13.8mm
Lug width: 20mm
Case and bracelet: Stainless steel with DiaShield coating
Lume: LumiBright in bicolour green and blue
Water resistance: 200m
Now about the watch....
It's all about the dial. For me, anyway. That's what had my wallet opening quite spontaneously. This series of Seiko dive watches the ones that are inspired by the legendary 62 MAS but aren't the high dollar SLA017 rendition, and are still in search of a cool nickname from the Seiko community have been around for a bit.
I had nearly pulled the trigger on a few occasions, but literally could not decide between the traditional black dial (SBDC051) and the beautiful blue dial (SBDC053). I'm glad I waited, because as nice as those are, THIS is the watch for me.
The first and most prominent feature is the blue-to-black gradient dial. The upper half of the dial is an iridescent indigo blue, with colour saturation so deep you'd swear it was a photoshop trick if you weren't seeing it with your own eyes. This transitions into a deep black for the lower half of the dial almost a visual representation of diminishing light as one descends the ocean depths. The wave texture of the dial, combined with a slightly reflective finish, really make the whole combination pop in a way I have not seen on any other watch. The way light dances over this dial is something that no still photograph can capture as it is but one frame in a visually arresting motion picture.
But wait there's more! The red hour hand is a PADI tradition, but it is complimented here by vibrant red hash marks at the compass points. And the bezel carries forward the bi-colour theme of the dial: a glossy back center chapter with a thin, bright blue coin edge. And as mentioned in the stats, the lume is also bi-coloured. While lume appears uniform in the daytime, in low light the glow blue at the compass points and for the hour hand and green everywhere else. Look for a pic at the end of this review. And fear not the end is near!
From the standpoints of design and execution, this upsized *MAS case is a winner. A very solid blend of curves and angles which impart a look of solidity and strength without excessive bulk. The traditional Seiko combination of brushed and polished finishes are flawlessly executed. The downward curving lugs essentially a sweeping and unbroken ellipse from lug to lug help seat the watch very comfortably on the wrist.
If there is one point of annoyance, it is that Seiko has decided to randomly include a fitted DiaShield bracelet with some models from this series, but not with others. To my eyes, ALL of the watches in this series look better on the bracelet than they do on the bulky silicon OE dive strap. Even allowing for differing subjective preferences on this point, why not just include both for all of the watches? Regrettably, Seiko looked upon this PADI version and scowled "No bracelet for you!". As such, the bracelet you see pictured here was purchased separately and at additional cost.
That gripe aside, I have to tip my hat to Seiko for a job well done. While monochromatic black / white combinations will always be the touchstone of the dive watch category (like my beloved SBDC027), a splash of colour is a welcome relief. This watch offers a unique and beautiful splash indeed.
Thanks for looking and reading.
PS I wasn't able to get a decent lume shot, but found this one posted by user "Redng" elsewhere on the web:
Messages: 4378 Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Registered: April 2004
Cheers. I don't believe it's a limited edition...
Wed, 21 February 2018 17:02
... and it's certainly not a numbered edition. Seiko does tend to toss the "limited edition" phrase around quite readily, but if it's not numbered I tend to simply ignore that factor.
Messages: 4378 Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Registered: April 2004
Apparently, I'm not permitted to say where I sourced the bracelet.
Sun, 25 February 2018 13:04
Have I ever mentioned one of my favorite musical artists - Otis Redding? He had a song called Sittin' on the Dock of...... Hmm. I seem to have forgotten where that dock was at where he was sitting.
Re: Seiko SPB071 / SBDC055: The Cure for the Common Dive Watch
Sat, 24 March 2018 13:54
This review is amazing and actually pushed me over the edge to purchasing my own. I like you also really liked the black dial sbdc051, and almost had buyer's remorse after seeing some beautiful shots of the sbdc051 on instagram! But when the 055 came in all that went away.
Where did you purchase your bracelet?? I've been looking online and can't seem to find that exact type, and that's the one I want, as it's most similar to the one that's included on the 051.
