I can tell you that I ordered this watch on January 25, 2018 from Amazon Marketplace and what I received was a SRPB53 watch with no J1 or K1 designation on it anywhere. Hang tags were in English and the face reads "Mvm't Japan" indicating it is not a JDM watch. I liked it so well that I ordered another one with blue dial and full blue bezel which was listed as a J1. It arrived on a stainless steel bracelet, Japanese language hang tags with Yen pricing and a J1 suffix, and the dial says "Made in Japan". Other than those things I can find absolutely no difference between the watches.
I've been wearing this one from Amazon daily since it arrived and so far it has been fantastic. The new style Seiko rubber strap is soft and supple unlike those of the past, and the watch is incredibly well made. It is a real ISO certified dive watch, which matters if you actually dive, and so far it is keeping better time (+2 seconds per day) than my friend's Rolex Submariner. The bezel action is smooth and the lume is bright and long lasting.
To address a few comments and or questions I've read on this watch, first of all, the crown is in fact offset a bit within the crown guard on both of my examples of this watch, and is clearly designed that way. It does seem to help a right handed user to lock down the screw-down crown more easily and to wind the watch quickly. It just looks a little odd when you first see it. Next I was pleasantly surprised to find the chapter rings on both of my watches to be perfectly aligned.
In the little more than a week that I have been wearing the Red/Blue diver on the rubber strap, more than one person each day has commented on how good it looks. It has a unique "tool watch" look that is enhanced by the knurled crown and bezel edge. I really like that this Seiko has its own design and look and I enjoy the fact that when you wear this watch, nobody comes up and asks you if it is the 'real thing" or a "fake".. I think at the price this is a very hard watch to beat.
One more good point. Seiko tells me that if this watch is outside of its warranty period, a routine service on the movement costs less than $150. This beats the hell out of having to take out a loan to get your Rolex fixed.
UPDATE: After wearing this watch daily for 21 months, I still like it very much. However, having said that, its accuracy has slipped a bit recently. It is now running about 45-50 seconds slow per day, which is outside of the already rather loose specification for the Seiko 4R35 movement it contains, which is -35/+45 seconds per day. This indicates a need for regulation of the movement, which is a simple job for a local watch repair person. Since my watch is supposedly still under warranty, I'm in contact with Seiko about whether or not they will address this. Be aware that the Seiko USA Service Center is not at all easy to deal with.
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Reviews with images
Very high quality at a unmatched price point
Had this new version samurai for about a week. I own a Breiling Superocean and Tag Carrera, and i must say, this thing at a fraction of the price holds its own against the other true 'luxury'watches. Time keeping seems to be spot on as advertised. Fit and finish, at any price point, this is fantastic, nevermind at this price of under $300. Absolutely love the waffle pattern dial and the attention to detail that went into this watch. The combination of brushed and polished metal meets that of some $2,000 pieces. The lum is unreal. Perfectly applied and super bright, better than my Breitling lum. As for the band, its the most comfortable rubber band i have ever felt. Very high quality and soft.One area that doesnt feel the best is the crown. just felt "loose" when pulled out to poistion 1 or 2. Still able to change date and time with no problem, but I wish i had another to comapre that to. Not sure if this is a one off or if this is the way they are.I have not tested it water resistance yet. Will update on that at some point.One month update:Have worn this watch a few days each week for a little over a month, including an all day trip to the water park and pool. I was in the water for hours, uncluding diving and tubing. Absolutely no issues. One review mentions fogging, i made it a point to look for fogging. None at all. In fact, clear as day under water with goggles on. Make sure the crown is screwed down and snug whenever wearing about, especially in the water. Keeps very accurate time and hasn't lost a beat. I do keep this in a winder along with a few others.Also, many reviews comment on the missaligned chapter ring, i must have gotten lucky, mine is dead on balls spot on. I keep checking too, just in case its me.Lastly, i splurged and ordered the Navy and red rubber strap by Crafter Blue. Little expensive at $75, but custom made for this specific model (as well as many other popular models). worth it to me since i suspect i will have this watch for years to come. Perfect match and really compliments this watch with the pepsi bezel and navy dial.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2018
Had this new version samurai for about a week. I own a Breiling Superocean and Tag Carrera, and i must say, this thing at a fraction of the price holds its own against the other true 'luxury'watches. Time keeping seems to be spot on as advertised. Fit and finish, at any price point, this is fantastic, nevermind at this price of under $300. Absolutely love the waffle pattern dial and the attention to detail that went into this watch. The combination of brushed and polished metal meets that of some $2,000 pieces. The lum is unreal. Perfectly applied and super bright, better than my Breitling lum. As for the band, its the most comfortable rubber band i have ever felt. Very high quality and soft.
One area that doesnt feel the best is the crown. just felt "loose" when pulled out to poistion 1 or 2. Still able to change date and time with no problem, but I wish i had another to comapre that to. Not sure if this is a one off or if this is the way they are.
I have not tested it water resistance yet. Will update on that at some point.
One month update:
Have worn this watch a few days each week for a little over a month, including an all day trip to the water park and pool. I was in the water for hours, uncluding diving and tubing. Absolutely no issues. One review mentions fogging, i made it a point to look for fogging. None at all. In fact, clear as day under water with goggles on. Make sure the crown is screwed down and snug whenever wearing about, especially in the water. Keeps very accurate time and hasn't lost a beat. I do keep this in a winder along with a few others.
Also, many reviews comment on the missaligned chapter ring, i must have gotten lucky, mine is dead on balls spot on. I keep checking too, just in case its me.
Lastly, i splurged and ordered the Navy and red rubber strap by Crafter Blue. Little expensive at $75, but custom made for this specific model (as well as many other popular models). worth it to me since i suspect i will have this watch for years to come. Perfect match and really compliments this watch with the pepsi bezel and navy dial.
One area that doesnt feel the best is the crown. just felt "loose" when pulled out to poistion 1 or 2. Still able to change date and time with no problem, but I wish i had another to comapre that to. Not sure if this is a one off or if this is the way they are.
I have not tested it water resistance yet. Will update on that at some point.
One month update:
Have worn this watch a few days each week for a little over a month, including an all day trip to the water park and pool. I was in the water for hours, uncluding diving and tubing. Absolutely no issues. One review mentions fogging, i made it a point to look for fogging. None at all. In fact, clear as day under water with goggles on. Make sure the crown is screwed down and snug whenever wearing about, especially in the water. Keeps very accurate time and hasn't lost a beat. I do keep this in a winder along with a few others.
Also, many reviews comment on the missaligned chapter ring, i must have gotten lucky, mine is dead on balls spot on. I keep checking too, just in case its me.
Lastly, i splurged and ordered the Navy and red rubber strap by Crafter Blue. Little expensive at $75, but custom made for this specific model (as well as many other popular models). worth it to me since i suspect i will have this watch for years to come. Perfect match and really compliments this watch with the pepsi bezel and navy dial.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2018
I have a 6.75” wrist. It’s is very hard for me to find modern watches that work for me. I normally wear a Sub . I needed something at a more reasonable price point that could take some serious punishment dry or wet. I was skeptical of a 44mm, but thought that I’d give it a try. I’m glad that I did.
This watch works on small wrist because the case/ bezel ratio is opposite a Submariner.
Seiko SRPB: large bezel, small case underneath. So it wears much smaller than 44mm. The lug to lug is only 48mm and they angle steeply down.
Rolex 116610 Oyster case: wears larger because of the opposite. The case is larger than the bezel. The lug to lug is also 50mm with straighter lugs.
The rubber strap is great quality, but the tail is very long on my skinny wrist. That’s my only conplaint. If you have less than a 7” wrist don’t get the metal bracelet because the end links will extended the 48mm lug width because of their steep angle.
The logo printing on the waffle dial is amazing in person. When the hour and minute hands line up, it looks like a rocket. It’s hard to beat the classic Pepsi color combo. This watch is a big upgrade in every department over the SKX or SNZ. If you like those, don’t cheap out and spend a little more for this much superior watch. You will not regret it.
I can’t believe the 1 Star review about the watch “fogging up” swimming. I don’t buy that story. Is that person talking about the same watch?
This watch works on small wrist because the case/ bezel ratio is opposite a Submariner.
Seiko SRPB: large bezel, small case underneath. So it wears much smaller than 44mm. The lug to lug is only 48mm and they angle steeply down.
Rolex 116610 Oyster case: wears larger because of the opposite. The case is larger than the bezel. The lug to lug is also 50mm with straighter lugs.
The rubber strap is great quality, but the tail is very long on my skinny wrist. That’s my only conplaint. If you have less than a 7” wrist don’t get the metal bracelet because the end links will extended the 48mm lug width because of their steep angle.
The logo printing on the waffle dial is amazing in person. When the hour and minute hands line up, it looks like a rocket. It’s hard to beat the classic Pepsi color combo. This watch is a big upgrade in every department over the SKX or SNZ. If you like those, don’t cheap out and spend a little more for this much superior watch. You will not regret it.
I can’t believe the 1 Star review about the watch “fogging up” swimming. I don’t buy that story. Is that person talking about the same watch?
Images in this review
