Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is most known for making affordable automatic watches that offer great value for money in terms of finish and build quality. Amongst enthusiasts, the Seiko 5 sports collection is one of the most popular lines from the brand. Including, of course, Seiko’s many dive watches.
This is why it is fun when Seiko every now and then comes out with new and unique models which are something different and not made according to the standard design ideals. In other words, when brands dare to explore new directions and types of watches.
In this case, Seiko has presented a new and unique explorer’s watch for the adventurer and outdoors lover. This naturally means a sporty design, durable build quality, and of course great legibility with helpful functions.
The SRPD33k1 is a watch for someone who wants something different and unique for everyday wear, or for someone who is seriously going to wear it during adventures such as hiking. After all, that is what this watch is made for.
Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 Review
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First and foremost, this watch is a ”Prospex” watch, which is revealed by its name. What does this mean? It simply means that it is built according to professional specifications – for professionals. And with that said, if it is good enough for professionals, it is probably good enough for you.
Looking at this watch, you’ll see that it is not your ordinary timepiece in terms of design. It is sporty and has a robust presence both in terms of size but also in terms of look. This watch is built as a tool that is meant to be truly helpful for the wearer. But regardless if you’re planning to use it ”out in the field” or in the office, it’s still a great watch.
In this article, we are going to review and look closer at the Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 and what it has to offer.
Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 case
The first thing you will notice about this watch is probably its unique case design. What makes it stand out is the fact that it has almost no lugs. Or to be precise, they are extremely short and barely extend from the case. What is interesting about this is the fact that the diameter of 43mm is almost identical to the lug-to-lug, which is very uncommon in watches. With that said, all focus is put on the dial as the large case allows the dial to be big. Especially with the fact that the bezel/frame of the actual case is very thin.
The case has a thickness of 14.4mm. With all of these dimensions in mind, there’s no denying that it is a big watch with a great presence on the wrist. But for men with medium to large wrists, it doesn’t wear insanely big.
An issue when estimating watch sizes is that their dimensions on paper can be completely different from how they wear in reality. And this is such a watch that can be very misleading. The most common reason why watches tend to be too big is when the lugs point out from the sides of the wrist. But because of the practically non-existent lugs, it takes a substantial size before you reach that issue. Having said that, it is extremely wearable despite its diameter of 43mm on paper.
As is revealed, the case has two crowns on its right side. One crown is positioned at 2 o’clock and is protected by a large metal bridge. The second crown can be found at 4 o’clock, and this crown is almost hidden as it is flat and sits completely recessed (flushed) into the case. The benefit of this is of course that it is kept protected.
The whole case of the watch is satin-brushed, which makes sense for a sporty tool watch. The only exception is the lugs which are polished. But because the lugs are so short, they are barely noticeable.
The crown at 4 o’clock is the standard crown with which you set the time, wind the movement, and set the time. The crown at 2 o’clock, however, is different. In fact, this crown is made for adjusting the compass function inside the dial. We’ll go into detail about this further on.
If you turn the watch around, you’ll see a tinted glass case back on which the ground-to-air emergency signal codes are printed. The tinted glass allows you to see the movement inside somewhat well, but the main purpose of this glass is still printing on it. After all, it is still an explorer’s adventurer’s watch. And if you are ever lost in the wilderness, these signal codes can actually be life-changing.
Sitting on top of the case is a domed Hardlex crystal.
Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 dial
This watch is presented with a military/khaki/olive green dial that has a lovely matte finish which gives it more of a vintage/military look.
You’ll notice the large raised chapter ring around the edge of the dial, and it is this that is the compass of this watch. How does the compass function on this watch work? The chapter ring has the directions printed on it, with an orange triangle pointing north. On the inside of the compass chapter ring, Seiko has added a timing scale with Arabic numerals printed on it for the minutes.
How do you use the compass function?
The compass of this watch is used by checking the position of the sun. Firstly, you need to set the hour hand to the current time in your location. When you have done so, you rotate the compass ring using the large crown. Make sure you keep the dial leveled and with the hour hand in the direction of the sun. When you have done so, turn the crown to set “S” to the middle point of the arc between the 12 o’clock marker and the time scale indicated by the hour hand.
At 3 o’clock on the dial, the watch has a day and date function. This is iconic for many Seiko watches, and for an adventurer’s watch, it may just be a very handy function. To blend in better into the dial, the background of the window is made in black and the printing is white.
Legibility is of course crucial for this type of timepiece, and the SRPD33k1 does not lack it. In fact, around the dial, the watch has applied rectangular markers, and for the 12, 6, and 9 positions, Seiko has opted for Arabic numerals instead. The applied markers have Lumibrite applied to them in order to ensure good legibility even in the dark. This also goes for the hands…
Speaking of the hands, the SRPD33k1 has large minutes and hour hand with pointy tips and a sword-shaped style. They have a generous amount of Lumibrite applied to them, too.
The Lumibrite used for the dial on this watch is slightly brown/tropical which adds to the military feel, but also gives it more of a vintage look.
This dial certainly is quite busy with all its sprinting, numerals, markers, etc, but in a way, it doesn’t feel cluttered. In addition, we expect this type of watch to have a lot going on to add to its sporty look.
A sports watch also needs good water resistance, and the SRPD33k1 of course has one. The water resistance is 200m/660 feet which is very good for this type of watch considering the fact that it is not a dive watch but still has dive watch water resistance. Quite impressive.
Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 movement
Moving on to the movement, the SRPD33k1 is equipped with the Seiko in-house automatic caliber 4R36 which beats with a frequency of 21,600 BPH.
Being a sports watch, it of course has a sporty and durable movement. The 4R36 is a robust and durable workhorse movement that can take a beating. It has a specified accuracy of +45 to -35 seconds per day. The power reserve is about 41 hours, but owners have reported better accuracy from this movement in practice.
You don’t see the movement inside very well, but it’s not a big deal. The movement is not finished nor decorated, which is not to be expected in this price range for for this type of watch. The movement does, however, have both manual winding and hacking seconds functions.
Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 strap
The watch is presented on a dark green leather strap made of genuine calf leather. The strap has a width of 22mm but tapers down to 20mm for improved comfort and a better fit. The strap has a signed buckle.
The strap is quite robust and durable, but some may be surprised to see a field adventurer’s watch on a leather strap as it is not particularly water-resistant or suitable for water.
Specifications
- Movement: Seiko in-house caliber 4R36
- Accuracy:+45 to -35 seconds per day
- Crystal: Hardlex, domed
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet/20 ATM
- Diameter: 43mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Thickness: 14.4mm
- Power reserve: 41 hours
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 is a unique explorer’s watch made for adventures and exploring. For you, that may mean hiking, climbing, tenting, camping, and all kinds of outdoor activities that may or may not subject the watch to harsh conditions.
For the price, the watch offers exceptional value in terms of build quality, finish, and durability. It is a watch that is built for hardships, but due to its unique case design with short lugs, it can actually work quite well for everyday wear too.
The Seiko Prospex SRPD33k1 is available to order on Amazon.
