The Top 5 Current Seiko Prospex Divers

Another Friday, another list! This week, we pick our five favorite Seiko Prospex dive watches. Following yesterday’s article on the current Prospex collection, we wanted to highlight our favorite divers from it. As most of you will know, Seiko offers a wide range of Prospex divers at different price points. It starts at around €500 and goes up to almost €4,000 for the Marinemaster models. In the end, picking our favorites was a considerable task. Not because there aren’t enough great options, but because there is an abundance of them.

As always, we compiled our Top 5 by picking watches at different price levels. We wanted to make sure that our five picks are a good representation of the available models in the collection. As I explained yesterday in my article that goes deeper into the Prospex collection, there’s always a lot going on. Models enter the collection and, soon after, are replaced by updated versions, or they leave the collection indefinitely. It makes this Top 5 a very temporary overview of what is going on at this point in time. Then again, it still leaves us with many great options, as you will find out.

Seiko Prospex HBC001

We kick this list off with a watch that’s definitely not for everyone. The dive GMT category is not one where you will find many options. While many GMTs are based on the dive watch aesthetic of sometimes even dive watches with a different bezel and an extra GMT hand, the dive GMT is something different. And to be honest, a dive watch that also serves as a travel watch is not even a strange idea. To reach the best dive spots, travel is often involved. As such, the combination of complications makes sense. The second challenge is to crack the design code, as you have to make it work visually to display the local time, home time, date, and remaining dive time. That’s where the Seiko designers succeeded gracefully.

The HBC001 (green) and HBC002 (black) are based on the modern reinterpretation of the 1968 Diver. Seiko first introduced the series in 2023 with the SPB381 (black), SPB383 (green), and SPB385 (ice blue). Last year, the brand quietly updated the series by introducing two new models (SPB519 and SPB534) that increased water resistance from 200 to 300 meters and feature an updated clasp. Soon after, Seiko also updated the standard black (HBC002) and green (HBC001) models that are available in the current collection. We picked the green-dial version for this list because the dark green is a really nice shade and contrasts well with the gold GMT hand.

A very comfortable GMT diver

The watch features a 42mm stainless steel case that measures 13.3mm thick and 48.6mm from lug to lug. The angular case features a unidirectional bezel with a dark green ceramic bezel and a white diving scale. The dark green dial follows the design of the classic Marinemaster with large luminous hour markers and the signature hand set. The date is neatly tucked away between 4 and 5 o’clock, and the 24-hour GMT scale is located on the rehaut. This ensures a clean dial design, and thanks to the long gold GMT hand, reading the home time is easy. I think the Seiko designers did an amazing job making this work without making it overly busy.

Inside the case, you will find the Seiko caliber 6R54. This automatic movement operates at 21,600vph (3Hz) and offers a 72-hour power reserve. Unfortunately, it’s a caller-style caliber rather than the more practical flyer-style movement that so many watch fans prefer. Having said that, the 6R54 is easy to operate, making it an easy-to-use GMT diver. Finishing the look is the 20mm stainless steel bracelet, which comes with a clasp featuring a dive extension that also serves as a toolless micro-adjust system. At €1.900, the Seiko Prospex HBC001 is a great, stylish GMT diver and the perfect opener for our list.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE117

Our second pick is one of the current Marinemaster models, based on the famous Seiko 62 MAS, or the “1965 Diver,” as Seiko refers to it. This series currently consists of four different models. First, the SJE101 and the SJE119, which are the regular black and blue versions. The SJE099 is an ice-blue dial version with a darker blue bezel insert. Lastly, the SJE117, with a greenish-gray dial and black bezel insert, is our definitive pick. The color combination makes for a stylish version of this modern Marinemaster. The watch comes with a 39.5mm stainless steel case that is 12.3mm thick, measures 47.2mm from lug to lug, and is water-resistant to 200 meters.

The case features a unidirectional bezel with a black steel bezel insert. It matches the textured dial really nicely. Additionally, it features a 4:30 date, and the large hour markers are filled with Seiko’s LumiBrite. Inside the case, you will find the Seiko 6L37 caliber. The automatic Slimline movement operates at 28,800vph and offers a 45-hour power reserve.

Thanks to the sapphire display in the case back, you can see the caliber in action. Finishing the look is the five-row bracelet that comes with a hard coating, just like the case, for extra scratch resistance. The bracelet features a diver’s safety clasp and wetsuit extension in case you might take it out in the water. If not, the SJE117 makes for a great, stylish daily wearer inspired by the classic 62MAS and retails at €3,400.

Seiko Prospex SPB483

Our next pick is a personal favorite. When the series that the Seiko Prospex SPB483 is part of was unveiled, it definitely stood out thanks to its design. Of the three available models, I chose the SPB483 for its blue dial and bezel. The watch comes with a 41.3mm case that is 12.5mm thick and measures 48.2mm from lug to lug. The case has a depth rating of 300 meters and features an octagonal bezel with a glossy dark blue steel insert. It gives the watch character and instantly lends it an unusual look for a Seiko diver. The dark blue dial features a pattern inspired by the profile of flowing coastlines. It is matched with applied markers, white LumiBrite, and large lume-filled hands. Lastly, the small date aperture is tucked away between the markers at 4 and 5 o’clock.

Powering the watch is Seiko’s 6R55 caliber. This automatic caliber operates at 21,600vph and offers a 72-hour power reserve. Finishing the look is the steel three-row bracelet with push-button folding clasp and safety lock. It ensures the watch balances nicely on the wrist and wears super comfortably. On the wrist, I was also really impressed by the SPB483. The shades of blue used for the dial and bezel give the watch a proper, classy look. On top of that, the proportions of the case and the bracelet are spot on for my 18.5cm wrist. Lastly, the proportions of the case and the bracelet are spot on, generating a natural flow from the case to the bracelet. It creates a Seiko diver that is unlike any other in the Prospex collection, and at €1,200, it is probably my current favorite Seiko diver, along with our next pick.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster HBF001

Our next pick is the latest version of the classic Seiko Marinemaster. The lineage started with the popular SBDX001, and the HBF001 is the latest version, continuing that great legacy. The watch received some major updates compared to its predecessor, the SLA079. The HBF001 features a 42.6mm stainless steel case that is 14.1mm thick, measures 49mm from lug to lug, and has a 300-meter depth rating. The updated HBF001 now comes with a black ceramic insert with an updated font for the diving scale. The black dial features applied hour markers with LumiBrite, and compared to the previous version, the date moved from 4:30 to 3 o’clock. I prefer that placement as it keeps a nice, clean dial.

Inside the case, you will find the new Seiko 8L45 caliber, which is another important update compared to the 8L35 used in the SLA079. The movement is based on the Grand Seiko 9S65 caliber. To compare the two, the 8L45 movement increases the jewel count from 25 to 36 and improves the accuracy rating from -10/+15 seconds per day to -5/+10 seconds per day. Lastly, the power reserve is increased from 50 hours to a comfortable 72 hours.

Seiko’s most premium offering

The updated five-row bracelet comes with a new folding clasp featuring a toolless micro-adjustment system. This offers a 16mm extension adjustable in 2mm increments. A nice detail is that you can retract the extension even while wearing the watch by simply pushing it in. Both the case and the bracelet also boast super-hard coating for improved scratch resistance and worry-free daily wear. It makes the Seiko Prospex HBF001 Seiko’s most premium offering, available for €3,800. It makes this the most expensive Seiko diver out there. But once you put the watch on your wrist, you realize the updates make it so much better than its predecessor. On top of that, it easily beats most of the competition at this price point. It makes it an easy pick for our list.

Seiko Prospex SPB 453

Our last pick is the Seiko Prospex SPB453. It is the successor to the super-popular SPB143 and was introduced in 2024. As Thomas explained, the watch offered some neat refinements to an already great diver. The SPB453 comes with a 40mm stainless steel case that is 13mm thick, measures 46.4mm from lug to lug, and has a 300-meter depth rating. The case is slightly more refined than the SPB143’s, which was thicker and longer. Additionally, Seiko updated the dial from dark grey to deep black to match the black aluminum bezel insert. The dial was also redesigned, and the date window was moved from 3 o’clock to 4:30. Additionally, the date disc now matches the black dial with white printing. The SPB143 featured a white date disc with black printing to match the hour markers.

Inside the case, Seiko also updated the caliber to the 6R55. The automatic movement ticks at 21,600vph and offers a 72-hour power reserve, compared to 70 hours for the 6R35 that powered the SPB143. Lastly, Seiko updated the three-row bracelet by shortening the individual links and making the clasp smaller. It still features a wetsuit extension and two micro-adjustment positions that you switch between by using a tool. All in all, the Seiko Prospex SPB453 is one of the best dive watches that your money can buy at €1,400. It makes it the perfect closer for this list.

Final thoughts on the five best Seiko Prospex dive watches

There you have it, our five favorite Seiko Prospex divers that you can currently buy. The list could easily have been ten watches, but we feel these five picks represent the Prospex collection nicely. But after picking our five favorites, I would like to turn the question to you. What are your favorite Seiko Prospex dive models? Let us know in the comments section, and we will see you next week for another list!