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With the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1, the Japanese manufacturer has already presented the third generation of its successful series. The diver with the black dial seems to have the potential to become a daily rocker – typical for Seiko at a fair price. Is it worth buying?
All New Seiko Watches 2022 – History, Design & Technicalities
Timeshop4you.co.uk – The right watch for everyone
This Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 was kindly provided to me by my partner Timeshop4you.co.uk. I can recommend Timeshop4you.co.uk to you, if you want to order wrist watches and even wall clocks fast, uncomplicated and safe. In the area of wristwatches Timeshop4you.co.uk to has over 50 well-known brands in different price ranges such as Boss, Citizen or Seiko. With the help of intelligent filter search functions you will find the right timepiece for you. After your purchase Timeshop4you.co.uk offers you a return policy of 100 days, the warranty is even 3 years. In addition, the telephone customer service leaves nothing to be desired, which is especially important when buying high-priced luxury watches.
All important links to the store and also to the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 can be found at the end of this watch review.
An insider tip for everyday life?
Seiko has expanded its sports watch collection Prospex in 2020 with a diving watch with the reference number SRPE35K1, which belongs to the entry-level premium segment in terms of price, with which I have had consistently good experiences at Seiko in recent times. The model with the unofficial nickname King Samurai, given by the community, is a special edition, which already looks promising when looking at the data sheet. The fact that the watch has received very little attention so far is almost surprising. Is the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 an insider tip for those who are looking for a sporty and functional diver for everyday use? I would like to find out in the test.
The King among the Samurai watches
Anyone who has ever opened the plain white packaging will immediately recognize that it must be a model from the Japanese watch giant. By the way – regardless of model and brand, Timeshop4you.co.uk delivers every watch in its original packaging. I take out the Seiko diver and free it from its protective foil.
The design gives it away at first sight: this men’s watch is a Samurai, recognizable by the pointed shape of the hands, to which the name is probably due. However, there are also attempts at explanation, which want to derive the name from the characteristic, angular case. The title King points to the Special Edition, whose models are clearly superior to the “normal” Samurai watches in terms of material selection. The special edition, which has been available since 2020, can be recognized by the square pattern on the dial and the prominent cyclops magnifying glass.
Seiko’s increased quality standards become clear as soon as you pick up the Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1. The manufacturer seems to have listened to the wishes of fans and customers. The bezel now has a ceramic inlay, the Seiko-typical hardlex glass has given way to high-quality sapphire. I’m also positively impressed with the rest – a solid diver’s watch, just as you’d want it, right?
The Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 on the wrist
With a case diameter of just under 44 millimeters and a weight of 205 grams, the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 is not exactly one of the small representatives and thus fits medium to large wrists best. The comparatively low height of only 12.8 millimeters, on the other hand, is almost surprising; after all, the case has to accommodate an automatic movement. This underscores the sporty character of the timepiece.
Speaking of sporty. This is how the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 presents itself in everyday life. Nevertheless, I can also recommend the men’s watch for business, meetings, business dinners or other activities. Stainless steel always goes – in the watch world, there are few looks that are similarly flexible, timeless and always stylish. If you choose the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1, you’ll get a real daily rocker, at least visually.
The case – Seiko raises its own standards
Seiko’s angular case has been a mainstay design feature since the introduction of the first Samurai in the 2000s, setting the model line apart from the much rounder Turtle divers, for example. I am already familiar with it from the Seiko Prospex Samurai SRPF79K1 “Save the Ocean”, which I was also allowed to test earlier this year. The build quality of the silver-colored stainless steel is impressive and can even keep up with much more expensive watches. Its primarily satin-finished surfaces give the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 its cool, functional look.
The six-screw caseback is partly brushed, partly polished, ensuring that the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 can also be taken seriously as a diver’s watch. Seiko specifies a maximum diving depth of 200 meters. That should be enough for the vast majority of us. The indication is neatly engraved on the caseback, just like the hallmark of Seiko’s divers, the Great Wave of Kanagawa.
On the other hand, fans and watch enthusiasts can enjoy sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside, replacing Seiko’s in-house Hardlex crystal. This was not a knockout criterion for the purchase of the watch. But there is no need to discuss the significantly higher value of durable sapphire. A topic of discussion, at least for hardcore Seiko fans, is the new cyclops magnifier at 3 o’clock. Personally, I like the new design element very much. It symbolically shows that the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 wants to play in a higher league.
The movement of the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1
To power the King Samurai, Seiko relies on its best weapon, its own 4R35 manufacture caliber. With 23 jewels, it comes up with a power reserve of 40 hours, which is more than sufficient for everyday use.
Winding up via the screw-down crown is pleasantly easy, as it has a fluted surface. To prevent the winding crown from being disturbed or damaged in everyday use, the case has a crown protector on the side.
Dial, bezel and bracelet
With its black dial, the SRPE35K1 is certainly THE King Samurai that appeals to the masses. The white sister model (SRPE37K1), on the other hand, is a bit more daring. In terms of basic design, however, the dials of the watches are identical. With classic Samurai hands, the “waffle” structure and the double indices at 12 o’clock. The focus of the design is on unrestricted functionality, so that watch or dive time can still be easily read in poor lighting conditions. This works particularly well thanks to the LumiBrite coatin. It makes the indices and hands shine in a bright blue tone in the dark. Colorful accents are set by the yellow second hand. Additionally, there is a date window.
Finally, Seiko also equips its Prospex Samurai with a bezel complete with ceramic inlay. That positions the watch even closer to the luxury segment. There is praise for the build quality. The clicks of the unidirectional diving bezel engage very cleanly. Its index is also coated with LumiBrite luminous material.
The stainless steel link bracelet impresses with good wearing comfort and a secure fit. The width of the lugs is 22 millimeters, which should be interesting for anyone who wants to swap the stainless steel look for a practical Nato strap.
My conclusion on the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1.
Seiko has raised the level of its Samurai watches significantly and set new standards with the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1. The third generation of Samurai models has been fundamentally improved in many aspects. This already starts with the choice of materials, where sapphire crystal and ceramics are now used. Overall, it can be said that the Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 has thus outgrown the entry-level segment and can rather compete with high-priced premium watches beyond the 1000 euro mark.
The Seiko Prospex King Samurai SRPE35K1 offers another advantage: compared to the very good quality, the wristwatch is quite cheap. The recommended retail price is 650,- Euro. In the store of Timeshop4you.co.uk you can buy the watch for 549,- Euro. My recommendation: if you are looking for a diver as a daily rocker, you will find it here!
Finally, I would like to thank Timeshop4you.co.uk for providing me with the model for this review. All links to the watch can be found below.
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All New Seiko Watches 2022 – History, Design & Technicalities
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