Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is a watch brand appreciated for making high-quality watches at prices that make them exceptional value for money. The brand has a wide collection of models available, and it is particularly its dive watches that are especially popular amongst enthusiasts as there are few better alternatives on the market.
Due to the popularity of its dive watches, Seiko’s collection of divers has only grown. This has also led to a number of dive watch designs becoming iconic for the Seiko brand. One of those is the Prospex Samurai.
The ”Samurai” name refers to the design of the case and is today synonymous with professional dive watches.
Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 Review
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
The Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 features a Samurai case which is very distinct. It has sharp edges and overall sporty and aggressive lines, which of course goes very well with a sporty watch like the SRPB49k1.
The first Samurai was released in 2004 but eventually disappeared from Seiko’s offerings. However, the Samurai was resurrected and is now available in many different iterations and versions. One of which is this one, which was presented in 2017.
If you want a robust and sporty dive watch with a distinct design that doesn’t look like your ordinary dive watch, then this might be a watch for you. In addition, it is relatively affordable and powered by a robust and reliable automatic movement.
Furthermore, the watch is also, as the name suggests, a ”Prospex” watch. This stands for ”Professional specifications” and simply means the watch is built according to the needs and wants of professionals, in this case, divers. If it is good enough for them, it should be good enough for you.
Without further ado, let’s begin the review of the Seiko Prospex SRPB49k1.
Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 case
Starting off with the most distinct feature of this watch, which is the case. The part that has given the watch its ”Samurai” name.
As mentioned, the case is very aggressive and masculine, with not only sharp lines but also a serious presence on the wrist. This already at first glance reveals itself as a tool watch, which it is. The case has a diameter of 43.8mm, but the feedback that the Samurai always gets is that it wears smaller than what you may think. This has a lot to do with the fact that the lugs are angled down towards the wrist. The case has a thickness of 13.4mm.
The whole case is satin-finished, which gives it a serious sporty appeal. Normally, many of Seiko’s divers are polished on the side as a contrast, but not this one, which contributes to an additional level of sportiness.
As a dive watch should, it has a unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduations. The bezel has a knurled edge for better grip and it sits somewhat tall on top of the case. The bezel is equipped with an aluminum bezel insert which is colored blue and greyish. The first 15 minutes on the bezel are grey-is and the rest are colored blue. The markers on the bezel are painted in silver, and to help with legibility in the dark, it has a luminous dot at 12 o’clock.
The watch is equipped with a crown at 3 o’clock which is also knurled, matching the bezel. For a dive watch, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the crown is screw-down too. To keep it protected, it sits between two crown guards. These are quite pointy and extend from the case.
Sitting on top of the case is Seiko’s proprietary Hardly crystal. Whilst it would have been nice to see a sapphire crystal, these are generally reserved for Seiko’s more premium watches.
Photo: Monochrome Watches
Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 dial
The watch is presented with a lovely dark blue with a nice textured ”waffle” effect, similar to Clou de Paris. As a dive watch should, it has large hour markers and large hands for optimum legibility, which is crucial.
To help you distinguish between the hands, the hour hand is arrow-shaped and the minutes hand is sword-shaped. The hour markers are applied and have polished metal frames around them with generous amounts of Lumibrite on them. They are broad and large and take up quite a bit of space on the dial. The great thing is that it means the legibility of this watch is excellent. The lime glows brightly and for a long time. It is rarely something people complain about when it comes to the Samurais.
Printed on the dial, we get some information about the watch’s specifications. This includes the Prospex logo, the Automatic designation, and the depth rating.
Around the outer edge of the dial, there is a chapter ring on which the split seconds are printed in white. The chapter ring adds some depth to the watch which is a small but nice detail.
At 3 o’clock, there is also a date window with a white background. There are always those who argue that date windows harm the symmetry of a watch, which you cannot really come around, but it is practical as it can come in handy. After all, most people will likely wear this watch as an everyday watch, and in those cases, a date display can be really convenient.
All in all, it’s just a beautiful dial with exceptional legibility.
Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 movement
The watch is powered by the in-house Seiko caliber 4R35. This movement was presented in 2011 and has, in the meantime, proven to be a reliable and durable workhorse.
This is therefore a good movement for the Prospex Samurai as it will continue to tick for years without needing any or much maintenance. In addition, it is also built to be sturdy and robust, which is a good thing for a diver’s watch.
The 4R35 is also an improvement from Seiko’s most affordable automatic movements seeing that this has both hacking seconds and manual winding functions, which the other one lacks.
It operates at a frequency of 21,600vph, has 24 jewels, and offers a power reserve of 41 hours. According to the specifications, the movement has an accuracy of -35/+45 seconds per day, but owners have reported a much better accuracy than that in practice.
Photo: Monochrome Watches
Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 bracelet
The watch is equipped with a stainless steel three-link style bracelet with a satin finish. The bracelet has a three-fold clasp with a secure lock, a push button, as well as a diver’s extension.
Considering the price, the bracelet is relatively good in terms of quality. On affordable watches, the bracelet is often the part that is compromised with the most, but this bracelet is alright. There are of course areas for improvement in terms of finish and build quality, but if you keep in mind the price, it’s definitely acceptable.
The good news is that if you don’t like the bracelet, the drilled lugs make it easy to remove and change the bracelet. Simply choose a rubber strap or a NATO and it will wear much slimmer on the wrist as opposed to a bulky stainless steel bracelet.
Specifications
- Diameter: 43.8mm
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet/20ATM
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Movement: Seiko Automatic caliber 4R35
- Thickness: 13.4 mm
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
Conclusion
At this price point, the SRPB49k1 is a really great value for the money. Most importantly, it is well-built, sturdy, and equipped with a reliable automatic movement.
But in addition to this, it is presented in an iconic design that is different from most other dive watches. It’s fun, it’s unique, and it’s sporty. It is packed with design traits that you will (likely) fall in love with, and which have started to become iconic recognizable parts of some Seiko watches. Namely the hands, Samurai case design, hour markers, bezel, etc. The performance won’t let you down either.
If you want a dive watch with a great performance at an affordable price, with quality that punches well above its own weight, the Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 is definitely a good choice.
In fact, with a price of generally less than 500 USD on Amazon, this watch is a real bargain.
The Seiko Prospex ”Samurai” SRPB49k1 is available to order on Amazon.
