A Condensed Guide To Seiko Watches Released In 2023

At the end of the year, we like to look back at all the watch goodness we have seen in 2023. In good tradition, Seiko has graced us with a steady stream of new releases. That’s why we decided to do another overview article like last year. This article will discuss the different Seiko releases we covered on Fratello in 2023. While it is nowhere near a complete list, it gives a good overview of the great diversity of novelties. So, without further ado, let’s check out some of this year’s best Seiko watches.

As most of you will know, Seiko releases hundreds of new references yearly. Sometimes, keeping up with all the new Seiko watches we see in the office is challenging. If you blink, you might have missed a couple of new ones. Additionally, the Japanese brand launches many limited editions exclusive to different parts of the world, making it even harder to keep track of everything the brand is up to. We have seen plenty of good watches from Seiko and King Seiko, and we know it’s been another excellent year for the brand. So, let’s jump right in and check out some highlights.

January starts with two high-end Seiko models

We kicked our Seiko coverage off in 2023 with the release of the Seiko Prospex SLA065. As Thomas explained, this Save The Ocean limited edition is a modern Seiko diver in the spirit of the 62MAS. The watch comes with a 41.3mm case and a dark blue dial with a special etched pattern inspired by the astrolabe. It was another remarkable release in the extensive Save The Ocean series.

Not even a week later, Daan covered the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045J1. This exceptional blacked-out timepiece was inspired by the black stopwatches used to keep time at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics. The stealthy aesthetic gives the classic chronograph a completely new presence.

February is stealthy in good Seiko tradition

On the 1st of February, the brand added a series of models to its Black Series. Daan covered the Prospex SPB335J1 And SPB337J1. The first is a blacked-out version of the Turtle Origin he owns. The second model is a blacked-out version of the famous Alpinist. Both models come with a black case and black texture dial, and turquoise Lumibrite is used for the markers and hands.

The limited edition Prospex SLA067J1 is part of the same series. Thomas covered this high-end diver that gets the same treatment as the models that Daan discussed. Have you ever wanted to know what a 62MAS looked like in stealthy black? This 600-piece limited edition shows you just that.

February started with a bang for Seiko, as I covered the Prospex SFK001J1 And SFK003J1 only a day later. These two releases were surprising solar-powered quartz GMT versions of its famous Sumo diver. I did not see this diversity coming, but somehow, they work well.

Not even a week later, we saw the new King Seiko SPB365 that celebrates 110 years of Seiko watchmaking. The watch features a beautiful dark brown dial with a special pattern that stands out immediately.

The brand also released the new 39mm King Seiko SPB369, SPB371, and SPB373 in a surprise drop I discussed in the same article. Besides a bigger case, the watches come with the new caliber 6R55 that introduces a date. The linen-dial SPB369 is still an absolute beauty and one of this year’s favorites.

February also saw the introduction of the Seiko Astron GPS Solar 5X53 Dual-Time. This series of brilliant dual-time watches has slowly but steadily won over quite a few Fratello team members.

March ticks a lot of different boxes

We kicked March off with the release of the Prospex SPB381, SPB383, and SPB385. The watches are Seiko’s first mechanical GMT divers, and the brand introduced a black and green dial regular versions and a Save The Ocean limited edition with an ice blue dial.

That same day, the brand also introduced the standout Prospex SLA069. The watch celebrates the conquering of Mont Blanc by Japanese adventurer and Seiko wearer Naomi Uemura. The most eye-catching elements are the blue bezel and the depiction of the famous French mountain that makes for a special tribute to Uemura.

March also saw the release of the new Seiko 5 Masked Rider Limited Edition SRPJ91. Mike explained this is a new version of the legendary Seiko 5 5126-9080 “Kamen Rider” from the late 1960s. While Seiko gave its modern spin to the watch, it still is a fitting homage to the classic that is much loved among Seiko fans.

March also saw Lex dig into his vault of personal watches when he wrote about the Seiko Astron GPS Solar Médecins Sans Frontières LE SSH133. The watch triggered him to wear his first Seiko Astron model from 2012. The new red and white Doctors Without Borders is an immediate standout that the brand produced in a limited run of 800 pieces.

April is about the Seiko 5 Sports

Don’t be fooled; April was an excellent month for novelties too. Seiko got off to a good start by releasing the new 38mm Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports models that take after the famous SKX models. Nacho first wrote the introduction article, followed by an in-depth review of the four timepieces that quickly gained a lot of fans.

At the end of the month, Daan reviewed the Presage Style60’s GMT In blue, gray, and black. I am a big fan of the regular models, and these three new GMT models, with references SSK009, SSK011, and SSK013, show the great charm of the Presage Style 60’s series. The blue-dial version was casually added to my Seiko favorites list.

A day later, Thomas wrote about the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series SPB415 And SPB417. The two watches present some proper updates to the Presage Sharp Edged series. The case design was slightly updated, and we saw the introduction of the new Caliber 6R5J with a 24-hour indicator. The open-heart models also get a new decoration for the aperture at 9 o’clock, updating the looks in style.

May ups the stakes for King Seiko

In May, we saw a big update for the Seiko Astron line. With the new Astron GPS Solar SSJ013, SSJ014, SSJ015, and SSJ017, the brand added four high-tech watches to its line-up. The new models stand out immediately thanks to their design. The four watches have a modern, angular case design with an octagonal bezel and an integrated bracelet. It was a drop that surprised us in all the right ways.

Just before the end of the month, Robert-Jan wrote about King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091. These two high-end King Seiko introduce the thinner case, and it’s the first time Seiko has used its 6L35 movement for the King Seiko line. The result is two stunning watches that bridge the gap to Grand Seiko.

June celebrates the rich history of the brand

To celebrate the 110th anniversary of Seiko’s first wristwatch, the Laurel, the brand introduced two pairs of limited editions that are part of the Presage Craftsmanship Series. Sky explained that the enamel SPB393 and urushi SPB395 models feature a triple-retrograde display. The Arita porcelain SPB397 and shippō enamel SPB399 models have a date and power reserve display. The traditional dial style is combined with new cases, making for two pairs of stylish releases.

Another celebratory release was the Seiko 5 Sports 55th Anniversary Models that Mike covered. The standout was the SRPK17, practically a 1:1 recreation of the legendary reference 6106-8120 from 1968.

The second was the SRPK09 Rally Diver that takes after the 5126-8130. The third was the SRPK11 Double Hurricane, modeled after the 5126-6030 ‘Double Hurricane. Finally, the fourth model was the SRPK13 Regatta, a modern remake of the 6119-6050.

June also saw the release of the instantly recognizable Seiko Prospex Speedtimer 1/100 Sec Solar Chronograph. As Ben wrote, the series is the spiritual successor to the Seiko Sportura Kinetic of the early 2000s.

July sees the introduction of one of the best of the year from Seiko

We started July with Daan’s review of the much-praised Seiko Prospex SJE093. As he explained, the modern version of Seiko’s first dive watch from 1965 might be a perfect re-edition of the 62MAS. With the new 6L37 movement, the watch is slimmer and smaller, staying faithful to the original from the sixties.

A couple of days later, I reviewed the Prospex SLA073. This modern version of the brand’s 1968 Diver comes with a beautiful case reminiscent of the 6159-7001 and a light blue dial with a beautiful gradient and pattern inspired by the wonderful world of cave diving.

In August, the Seiko stream slows down a bit

Regarding extraordinary dials, August started by releasing the stunning King Seiko SJE095. The watch comes with a dial inspired by the Edo Kiriko glass-cutting techniques found on Japanese glassware. The dial pattern consists of small chrysanthemum flowers. In Japanese culture, the flower represents autumn longevity and rejuvenation. It has led to a beautiful dial and another standout release of 2023.

In September, it’s back to business

On the 1st of September, I reviewed the new Seiko Prospex SPB377 And SPB379. These two new releases are also known as the GMT versions of the famous Alpinist. These watches were a long-desired addition to the Alpinist line-up, and Seiko did not disappoint. The two watches integrate the GMT complication flawlessly into the characteristic Alpinist style.

September also brought us the trio of beautiful SPB403, SPB405, And SPB407 that are part of the Presage Craftsmanship Series. One comes with a beautiful enamel dial, while the other comes with two Arashi (Japanese for “lacquer”) dials. The enamel dials come courtesy of Seiko’s master craftsman, Mitsuru Yokosawa, and his team. In contrast, the urushi dials have been produced by lacquer master Isshu Tamura and his team, as Robert-Jan explained.

In September, Seiko continued its celebrations for 55 years of Seiko 5 Sports. The Seiko 5 Sports Bruce Lee Edition SRPK39 was a brilliant next release in the series. It’s the perfect marriage of two icons. The dial of the black SPRK039 features an engraved dragon based on a drawing by Lee himself. On top of that, Thomas explained that the unique black bezel is outfitted with characters that represent the spirit of Jeet Kune Do with a phrase that translates to, “Using no way as way; having no limitation as limitation.” It was a great release with many brilliant details.

October saw the reintroduction of another great classic

October started with another reintroduction of the Seiko classic from the past. With the new Seiko SPB411 Navigator Timer reissued, Seiko pays homage to the 6117-8000 Navigator Timer from 1968. While Seiko officially calls it the “Prospex Land Mechanical GMT Limited Edition,” fans will not use that name. Other than that, the SPB411 is a great modern version that stays as faithful as possible to the original watch. Seiko produced 4,000 of these pieces that went on sale in November.

October also saw the release of three US-exclusive additions to the Seiko 5 Sports GMT series. The series was introduced last year and quickly became a huge hit with fans. These three new models feature a completely different aesthetic. The first is a Pepsi-inspired GMT with reference SSK019, the second is the two-tone SSK021, and the last model is the SSK017, which comes with a bright yellow dial. That two-tone model is a great nod to the new Rolex GMT-Master II.

In November, Seiko surprises us with a new Marinemaster

In eWee, we saw a new release in the collaborative efforts with Yuto Horigom in early November. I wrote the introductory article for last year’s two timepieces. This year, Lex wrote about the new Seiko 5 Sports Yuto Horigome Limited Edition SSK027, the brand created with the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist. This new version can best be described as a blacked-out Pepsi Seiko 5 Sports GMT. But look again. That’s because the bezel insert is blue and purple instead of blue and red. Together with the all-black case and bracelet, it makes for a unique 2,700-piece limited edition.

The biggest news of November was the introduction of three new Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1965 Diver’s Re-interpretation models. As Thomas explained, the new model honors the wish for a smaller Marinemaster with a 39.5mm case. On top of that, the new models look after the 62MAS instead of the 1968 Diver that was associated with the Marinemaster up until now. The regular models are the blue-dialed SJE099 and the black-dialed SJE101. The SJE097 is a 1,000-piece limited edition with a white dial and stainless steel bezel.

More big news in November…

Other big news in November was the release of the modern remake of the first Seiko wristwatch ever, the Seiko Laurel. Daan explained that the watch is a proper kick-off of the brand’s official 100th anniversary. The SPB441, officially called, combines traditional looks with a new movement to remind us of the first Seiko-branded wristwatch.

In late November, Seiko released two more additions to the Prospex Speedtimer line-up. The brand has focused on releasing solid chronographs based on the classic Speedtimer models from the 1960s and 70s. Both the SRQ047 and SRQ049 take inspiration from the 6138-8001 (reverse panda) and 6138-8020 (panda dial) from the early 1970s. Although slightly bigger and with a new modern movement, there is also an abundance of 70s charm.

December had a surprise for all of us.

In early December, we were surprised with the release of a trio of new Seiko 5 Sports field watch GMTs. As Nacho explained, the SSK023K1 and SSK025K1 are a pair of likable, well-sized, affordable field watches with the addition of a 24-hour GMT hand. The SSK023 comes in full stainless steel, while the SSK025 has a black case. These affordable GMTs are attractive competitors for the Seiko 5 Sports Dive GMT that came out last year.

The last watch we covered before this article was published in the blue-dial Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC937. As I explained, it is an EU-exclusive extending Seiko’s solar-powered Speedtimer chronograph range. This model is the first to feature a full stainless steel bezel rather than a black stainless steel bezel. Combined with the light blue dial and the small hints of orange, it makes for another charming retro-inspired chronograph.

Closing thoughts on Seiko in 2023

There you have it! A small overview of all the different Seiko and King Seiko watches we covered here on Fratello. With a little under two weeks to go until the new year, I would not be surprised if we see some last-minute additions in 2023. But even without covering those, it’s safe to say it’s been another year of fantastic Seiko and King Seiko releases.

My favorites were the two-tone Seiko 5 Sports GMT SSK021, the King Seiko SJE095 with its small chrysanthemum flower-dial, and the blue-dialed Presage Style 60’s GMT SSK009. Three completely different models show the great diversity of Seiko and King Seiko. This leaves the question of what some of your Seiko favorites of 2023 were. Please let us know in the comments section, and we’ll see you next week for an overview of the Grand Seiko introductions.