Seiko Prospex SBDC053 Review & Complete Guide
If you are looking for a serious dive watch that can follow you deep down into the ocean, handle harsh conditions, and continue to tick year after year regardless of what you subject it to, and at a reasonable price, the Seiko Prospex SBDC053 may the watch for you.
Seiko is considered one of the best brands in the world when it comes to affordable and great-value-for-money timepieces. Seiko has a wide array of professional and serious dive watches in a wide array of prices, from less than 100 USD, up to the thousands.
The Seiko Prospex SBDC053 is a beautiful sporty timepiece that punches well above its weight and is built to last. It has a sturdy and reliable automatic movement, an iconic design, and is built to last.
Seiko Prospex SBDC053 Review
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The Seiko SBDC053 is part of Seiko’s ”Prospex” collection which stands for professional specifications. With that said, this watch is built according to the standards, made to handle tough conditions, and built to last.
And what better testament to a robust dive watch than the fact that it meets the requirements and needs of professional divers. And if it is good enough for professionals, it should be good enough for you.
This model is also available as a black dial version with reference SPB051 and fitted on a. bracelet. But for those who want something more fun and bright, and less monochrome, the blue dial ref SPB053 is the better alternative.
Seiko Prospex SBDC053 case
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 42.5mm. The thickness measures 14mm.
The catch is that with a lug-to-lug measurement of 50mm, the case is quite long.
The case has Seiko’s Diashield protection which prevents scratches and keeps it looking beautiful for longer.
Seiko enthusiasts will recognize the similarity of this case design with the limited edition SLA017 released in 2017. The SLA017 is a reissue of the original Seiko “62MAS,”. With that said, the similarity between the SLA017 and the SBDC053 is evident. This means that it has a clear vintage-inspired look. This is a case design that Seiko enthusiasts have come to love, and which has proven itself able to stand the test of time.
The watch has a water resistance of 200 meters which is more than enough for most people from a dive watch. With this watch, you can go diving, swimming, and do all kinds of water sports. Bear in mind that this watch is made according to professional specifications.
The case has drilled lugs which makes strap changes a breeze. The lug width is 20mm which is the industry standard, meaning you have a lot of different straps to choose from.
It’s safe to say that this case design is rather unique. It’s refreshing to see a dive watch that doesn’t look like a Rolex Submariner and the fact that is original is the reason why many Seiko enthusiasts find it appealing.
The lugs have a satin-brush finish which is executed in a circular motion. To enhance its finish, the case has flanks that are polished which creates a nice contrast against the brushed finish. Seiko calls this the Zaratsu polished line. In terms of the overall finish of the case, this watch is exceptionally done. It certainly gives the impression of being much more premium than it actually is. And it is things like this that make us say that this watch punches well above its own weight.
And of course, to ensure its water resistance, the watch has a screw-down crown.
The lugs end abruptly which gives the watch a rectangular look and a distinct shape.
Sitting on top of the case is a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside. This is a huge improvement from the Seiko Hardlex crystal which is used for Seiko’s more affordable watches. In fact, Seiko even uses Hardlex crystals for watches very close to this price range. The crystal is slightly domed
In true dive watch fashion, this watch has a unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel is made of steel and has a coin edge which allows for better grip and easier operation. The bezel has a blue stainless steel insert which is not completely flat but a touch sloped. Unlike many other dive watches, the bezel is shiny and not matte which gives it a more modern and ”luxurious” look. The fact that it is polished also means that the blue changes look and hue depending on how the light hits it. The bezel insert has a luminous pip at 12 and minute markers.
Overall, the bezel is easy and smooth to operate and gives a reaffirming feeling.
Seiko Prospex SBDC053 dial
The watch has a striking dark blue sunburst dial which reflects the light beautifully. As you know, sunburst dials reflect the light beautifully and create a stunning show when hit by the sunlight.
The sunburst dial creates a very vibrant look at the Seiko Prospex SBDC053. As a diving watch should, it has large indices, in these cases applied metal markers with a generous amount of Lumibrite applied. The minute hand is sword-shaped and the hour hand is short and has an arrow tip. The lume, as we expect on a watch light this, glow bright and long.
Positioned at 3 o’clock, we have the date window which has a white background and black printing. To fit the date window, one of the markers have been omitted.
On the dial, we have the Prospex logo, the Seiko logo, the text ”Automatic”, and ”Diver’s 200M” printed. All are printed in white. The Prospex logo is a nice touch as it reminds us of the serious and robust build quality of this timepiece.
Seiko Prospex SBDC053 movement
The Seiko Prospex SBDC053 is equipped with the in-house Seiko caliber 6R15. This is an automatic movement operating with a frequency of 21,600 BPH. The movement uses 23 jewels.
It has both hacking seconds and manual winding functions, which are two features that Seiko’s more affordable automatic movements lack. It uses a Spron 510 mainspring which enables a 50-hour power reserve.
The movement is certainly not the most beautiful in terms of decoration and finish, but it is not supposed to be, either. Instead, the movement is built to last and be robust. And that is exactly what this movement offers. It is from time to time called a workhorse.
Seiko Prospex SBDC053 strap
The watch is presented on a black silicone strap. To hold the end, it has a stainless steel keeper with the Seiko logo. The strap is soft and relatively sticky. Due to its nature, it has some stretch.
The strap does look good with the watch, but shall you want to change it, its pierced lugs and 20mm lug width makes changing and finding straps easy.
Something that some people would like to see is a stainless steel bracelet on this watch, just like on the black version.
Specifications
- Case: Diashield protection
- Movement: Seiko 6R15
- Crown: Screw-down
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside.
- Water-resistance: silicone
- Water resistance: 200m/330 feet/30ATM
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Lug-to-lug: 50mm
- Thickness: 14mm
- Lug with: 20mm
- Frequency: 21,600
- Weight: 124 grams
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko Prospex SBDC053 is a watch that offers great value for money and has everything you may want in a dive watch, It has a sporty and robust build quality and finish, is powered by a robust and reliable workhorse movement, and of course, looks great.
It has obvious vintage-inspired design aesthetics which is something Seiko enthusiasts will love. Some people find the watch a bit too large and bulky, but again, that’s what we expect a dive watch to be.
This watch certainly offers great value for money and punches well above its weight. Considering all of its specifications and great performance, there are not many better alternatives for a dive watch in this price range.
The Seiko Prospex SBDC053 is available to order on Amazon.
