Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko’s dive watches have a loyal following of fans and enthusiasts. This is perhaps no surprise considering the fact that Seiko dive watches tick many of the boxes that people are looking for in a dive watch. In addition, they tend to offer exceptional value for money and tend to punch well above many of their competitors in terms of finish and build quality.

Seiko’s dive watches are durable, long-lasting, and well-finished for their price, and they are usually affordable.

Due to the immense popularity of the Seiko dive watches, the brand’s collection of this type of timepiece has grown over the years. Today, it’s safe to say that there is a Seiko diver for everyone, regardless of budget, wrist size, and taste.

One of those watches is the Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498, and this is exactly the watch we are going to look closer at in this article.

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 review

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The name Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 reveals that it is both a Solar and Tuna, but what does this mean?

Well, to begin with, the name Tuna comes from its case design. The case of this watch is reminiscent of the shape of a tuna can, with its round case and virtually non-existent lugs. This not only gives the watch a unique and distinct look but also immediately makes it recognized as a professional dive watch, as this is what it has come to be known as.

The Tuna watches are built with scuba and professional diving in mind and are therefore true divers. They are built to last and to be able to withstand the most demanding water-related environments.

In addition to this, the watch is also a ”Solar” watch. This means it uses Seiko’s clever quartz technology which charges the battery of the watch via solar power. Quite a clever thing considering you’ll never have to change batteries, but more on this further on.

The Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 is unique, sporty, robust, and built to last. If you are looking for a watch that ticks all of these boxes and does so at an affordable price, this is definitely a great candidate. To get a better grip on what this watch is about, we are reviewing the SNE498.

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 case

As mentioned, this watch is presented with a so-called Tuna case. Not only does this give it a very unique look, but it is also very practical for the purpose. This watch is seriously tough and can take a beating.

The Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 features a stainless steel case with a diameter of a staggering 47mm. This may sound like a lot, but it is worth keeping in mind that it wears a lot differently from what the dimensions may indicate. This has to do with the fact that it has extremely short angled lugs, with the lug-to-lug measuring about 44mm, which barely extends from the case. Normally, what makes a watch wear too big is when the lugs stick out from the sides of the wrist, but this won’t be an issue for medium to large wrists despite its large diameter.

The thickness measures 12.4mm and the lug width is 22mm.

In Seiko tuna fashion, the case has a shroud around it which gives it a sporty and distinct look. In addition to this, the shroud of course has a practical benefit which is to keep the case protected.

In traditional dive watch fashion, it of course a unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduations. The bezel is gold-colored which goes exceptionally well against the black. The shroud also has slight ”openings” in order to make it possible to operate it, whilst still keeping it protected. This makes the bezel slightly more difficult to operate, but the protection it has is worth it for this type of timepiece. In addition, the bezel markers from 0 to 15 minutes have lume.

Positioned at 4 o’clock, we have a gold-colored screw-down crown. Sitting on top of the case, we have Seiko’s proprietary Hardly crystal. This is completely acceptable for a watch in this price range, although it is always nice with sapphire crystal.

All of these case design elements make for a very rugged and sporty watch. Speaking of which, this is a dive watch, which of course also needs serious water resistance. The SNE498 has a water resistance of 200m/660 feet.

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 movement & solar

The watch is powered by Seiko’s in-house V157 solar-quartz movement. The fact that it is quartz may scare away the most devoted watch nerds, but it does of course have a number of practical benefits. Firstly, there’s the fact that quartz watches are more accurate than mechanical watches. They are also cheaper to maintain. And with its solar technology, Seiko has removed the most ”annoying” part of quartz watches which is that you have to change the battery. This is good both from a practical standpoint and also good for the environment.

Plus, the movement has a power reserve of 10 months when fully charged, if it is not charged in the meantime.

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 dial

The watch features a lovely matte black dial and is designed just like you would expect a dive watch to be. The hour markers are large and painted onto the dial. They provide excellent contrast against the black background and thus ensure great legibility. In addition, the hour markers have applied Lumibrite to ensure legibility even in low-lit conditions.

Around the edge of the dial, Seiko has added a slightly raised chapter ring on which the seconds markers are printed in white.

At 4 o’clock, Seiko has also decided to add a date window with a white painted frame around it. To make it blend in, Seiko has replaced the 4 o’clock hour marker with this date window.

The hands of the watch are also big and legible. They have a brushed metal finish and generous amounts of Lumibrite applied to them. The seconds hand has a luminous dot on the opposite end.

Overall, this is exactly what you expect a dive watch dial to be.

Printed on the dial, we have the Prospex logo, which is because this watch is in fact a Prospex watch. This stands for ”Professional specifications” and simply means that it is built according to the needs and wants of professional divers. Did we mention this watch is tough?

Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 strap

The watch is presented with a black silicone strap. Silicone straps always go very well with the design of dive watches, and they also have the benefit of being able to be worn either on the wrist or outside a wetsuit without having to use a diver’s extensions, etc. They also have great water-resistant properties.

The silicone strap feels high quality, comfortable, and very flexible. If you don’t like the silicone strap, however, this watch also looks great on NATO straps. Putting it on a NATO strap also allows it to wear slightly slimmer which is good for comfort.

Specifications

• Diameter: 47mm
• Water resistance: 200m/660 feet/20ATM
• Lug width: 22mm
• Thickness: 12.4 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 44mm
• Movement: Seiko in-house caliber V157 Solar Quartz

Conclusion

The black colors combined with gold accents contribute to the sporty and distinct look of the Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498. Its Tuna case design is of course what particularly stands out about this timepiece as there are few dive watches on the market like it. This is a watch for someone who enjoys a sporty dive watch and is looking for something distinct, unique, durable, and robust.

Together with clever solar technology and water resistance, this is a watch that has a lot to offer, and at its price point, it is now also safe to say that it offers exceptional value for money.

It may not be the most suitable watch to pair with a suit and formal occasions, but it works great as a weekend watch or for casual occasions.

The Seiko Solar Tuna SNE498 is available to order on Amazon.