Seiko Prospex Save The Ocean Special Edition Diver’s “Antarctica” Watches

Global warming. Whether it’s from us humans heating things up by what we do and/or mother nature having hot flashes, it’s a thing. A big thing. Just ask the exhausted polar bears who have to swim for many more miles to reach the ice they need to hunt for seals. And when polar bears are struggling on the North Pole, life on the South Pole must also be in dire straits. The Seiko Prospex Save The Ocean Special Edition Diver’s “Antarctica” watches hint that the Japanese manufacturer keeps a watchful eye on the coldest, windiest, and (weirdly) driest continent on Earth. The tiny penguin footsteps on the dial are proof of that.

Antarctica is the world’s largest marine sanctuary. The frozen continent is also a unique place in terms of the inhospitable yet stunning landscape that consists of endless white snowfields, rugged rock formations, ice in all shapes and sizes, and impressive mountain ranges that reach high into the sky. It’s just this landscape and the sky that sits above it that lead to the creation of the two Seiko Prospex Save The Ocean Special Edition Diver’s “Antarctica” Watches. Both the Monster SRPG57K1 and Baby Tuna SRPG59K1 appear in icy cold colors that go great with the upcoming summer heat.

Monster SRPG57K1 on ice

Let’s start with the Monster SRPG57K1 that costs €550. Monsters are a particular breed. Balazs covered the Prospex PADI Monster SRPE27K1 last year and argued that was the perfect model. What Seiko tries to do with this new model is to echo the magical shades of blue and white of Antarctica.

And by coloring the dial in icy tones and a frost pattern, it wants to transport the wearer to this wild and fascinating land where penguins roam. Well, waddle is more accurate, I think. Look at their footsteps on the dial — those are not markings left behind by a stride, but by a totter. Although I have to say that seeing a penguin swim/fly underwater is a thing of graceful beauty. But let’s stay focused on the penguin, sorry, I mean Monster, before us.

The steel 42.4×13.4mm steel case with a length of 49.4mm is water-resistant to a depth of 200 meters. There’s a screw-down crown at 4 o’clock and the screwed case back indicates that the Monster SRPG57K1 is a special edition. This Monster is special, not limited. Which do you prefer? Special says something about character; limited is only about numbers. I know which I prefer…

Accuracy in arctic conditions

Seiko outfitted the new Monster with a steel bracelet featuring a three-fold clasp with a secure lock and push-button release with extender. The movement inside the case is the automatic caliber 4R36 that has a power reserve of approximately 41 hours. The claimed accuracy is between +45/-35 seconds per day based on normal daily wear on the wrist in temperatures between 5 °C and 35 °C. And now I foresee a problem when wearing this watch on a trip to the South Pole. This because of Antarctica’s average annual temperatures that range from about −10 °C on the coast to −60 °C at the highest parts of the interior. Keep the Monster SRPG57K1 far away from Antarctica is my advice.

Other features of the SRPG57K1 worth mentioning are the Hardlex glass and magnifying lens over the day and date indication, the Lumibrite on hands, indexes, and the unidirectional rotating bezel. Whether this icy cold special edition Monster is special enough to cool down your wrist is a question I can’t answer for you.

Baby Tuna SRPG59K1 on ice

The second Prospex Automatic Diver’s Save The Ocean Special Edition is the Baby Tuna SRPG59K1. This new Prospex comes with a silicone strap and a price of €570. The dial of the Baby Tuna is identical to that of the Monster, but of course, the case and bezel are completely different and so is the strap. Talking of the strap, it is certainly hard to miss, considering it is made from white/gray silicone. As well as being arresting, it is also incredibly comfortable on the wrist. It’s even more arctic looking than the steel bracelet of the Monster SRPG57K1.

The 200-meter water-resistant case measures 43.2×12.6mm with a 44mm lug-to-lug. So the case diameter is bigger than that of the Monster SRPG57K1, but it’s also 5.4mm shorter. The way a Monster and a Baby Tuna sit on the wrist and wear is completely different. The Antarctic theme is the same, the rest is completely unique to each model

This watch is a cool summer tool

Inside the distinct case beats the automatic caliber 4R35. And that movement basically has the exact same specs as the caliber 4R36 mentioned before but lacks a day indication. And since it’s practically identical to the Monster’s movement, this Baby Tuna is also not a watch that is meant to be used as a tool watch in ant/arctic conditions. Luckily, it will have no problem doing all kinds of things summer-related.

The glass used above the icy dial is made from Hardlex but lacks a lens above the date indication that sits between 4 and 5 o‘clock on this model. The Lumibrite on hands and indexes has a cold blueish-green glow in the dark. And just like the Monster SRPG57K1, this Baby Tuna SRPG59K1 is outfitted with a screwed case back. The unidirectional rotating diving bezel is also present. So, is it going to be a Monster or a Baby Tuna summer? For more information please visit the Seiko website.

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