Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA079 Vs. Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
Last week, we took an excursion to the land of Nouvelle Horlogerie. This week, we’re returning to our home territory of stainless steel dive watches. Seiko just presented us with two new references under the Marinemaster name. The SLA077 and SLA079 are modern interpretations of the famous 6159-7001 from 1968. As they’re in the more expensive realms of Seiko’s Prospex collection, we thought the Oris Aquis would be a good matchup price-wise.
Being the stainless steel dive watches that they are, both the Seiko and the Oris offer water resistance to 300 meters. Also, at 42.6mm and 43.5mm, respectively, they’re quite comparable size-wise. Apart from those characteristics, though, there are quite a few differences between these two. Jorg and Daan will do their very best to point those out to you. So sit back, enjoy today’s battle, and get ready to vote.
Last week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
But first, let’s take a look at last week’s Showdown. As mentioned, we took a sidetrack, and some of the Fratelli mentioned in the comments that we went a little outside people’s comfort zones. Both the Urwerk EMC SR-71 and the MB&F Horological Machine 8 Mark 2 fall within what Thomas called the field of Nouvelle Horlogerie. The first looks more like a hand-cranked radio with a bunch of dials on top. The other kind of resembles the rear of your favorite two-seater. Meanwhile, they’re also two highly complicated and distinctively designed watches. Although it seemed like last week’s matchup wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, a lot of people still voted for their favorite. Ultimately, the Urwerk won with 56% of the votes. Let’s see if this week’s battle will be just as close.
Daan: Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
When I was looking to add a dive watch to my collection, I remember giving the Oris Aquis a good look. I’m generally charmed by Oris as a brand. Its watches have a friendly, uncomplicated, and non-flashy character that I greatly appreciate. In addition, the Aquis is a very original option. Next to all the vintage-inspired divers out there, the Oris Aquis feels fresh and modern. You could say it has a face of its own since there were no predecessors of it in the ’60s or ’70s.
Don’t get me wrong; I like the new Seiko Marinemaster SLA079 with its vintage-inspired design. However, it’s yet another Seiko diver that took its inspiration from the brand’s rich archives. By now, the folks at Seiko don’t even know how to originally name their dive watches anymore. With the Aquis, people don’t always agree on how to pronounce the name, but at least they know exactly what watch they’re talking about. It’s a dive watch with a friendly and modern-looking face like no other.
Streamlined for (even better) wearability
With the updated Aquis Date that debuted last April, Oris didn’t introduce a revolutionary new watch. On the contrary, the clean design from before stayed mostly the same. The quite circular case with its short lugs and crown guards remains, which is a good thing because it’s exactly what makes the Aquis feel different from the more elegantly shaped dive watches out there. What the designers did do, though, was concentrate on the ergonomics of the watch.
Because of its compact construction, the Oris Aquis has always been a comfortable watch for its size. I usually never wear watches larger than 42mm, but the 43.5mm Aquis somehow fits my 17cm wrist just fine. With the updated Aquis Date, the wearability was improved even more by shaving off a few millimeters here and there. It almost feels like an update Rolex would perform on its new models because you almost don’t notice it at first glance. But when you look at the watch up close and wear it, you can feel how different it truly is.
Calibre 400 is a winner
The other thing I greatly appreciate is the Oris Calibre 400 within the Aquis. This impressive automatic movement offers a five-day power reserve and a 10-year service interval, and it runs within chronometer specs. It’s also resistant to magnetic fields, and Oris sells it with a 10-year warranty. Those are all great features for a watch with a price of €3,700 (on a bracelet).
The 8L35 movement within the Seiko SLA079 is also nice. It’s partly assembled by hand and receives a nice finish before it’s placed inside the case. However, its power reserve and accuracy are nowhere near those of the Aquis. With a 55-hour autonomy and daily average of -10/+15 seconds a day, it’s fine, but for a €3,000 watch, you’d probably expect a little more. Not to mention, the Seiko lacks toolless micro-adjustment and quick-release spring bars. That’s why I’d happily pay a little more for the Aquis and get the full package.
But I’m curious to hear what you have to say about all this, Jorg. Take it away!
Jorg: Seiko Prospex SLA079
Thanks, Daan! Let me start by saying that I share the Oris sentiment. I love the brand for its friendly and unpretentious character. It makes it very easy to relate to Oris, and I do. That said, I find the soul of the brand in its vintage-inspired watches, such as the Divers Sixty-Five and the Big Crown Pointer Date. They have a general design style that I love, which makes it hard to pick a favorite model because there are too many.
Of course, the Fratello LEs are obvious favorites because we are super proud of them, but there are so many more. Two that come to mind are the recently released Big Crown Pointer Date Father Time LE and the Chronos LE of the Diver Sixty-Five. But those are just two of many.
The Aquis has always been a little harder for me to connect to. It is a modern and competent diver for sure, but I never found many versions that made me feel the same as the models I just mentioned. Likewise, I’ve never felt nearly as passionate about the Aquis as I do about Seiko’s classic Marinemaster.
The Marinemaster name has become synonymous with Seiko’s top-of-the-line dive watches that tell a great historical story and, I believe, knock most modern divers at a similar price out of the water. We can certainly debate the latter, Daan, but when it comes to a soul with a historical context, the Marinemaster already puts its nose in front before we even get to the specs sheet.
The Seiko Marinemaster SBDX001
The legendary Marinemaster SDBX001
Though the first Seiko watch to bear the Marinemaster name was the late-’90s quartz Seiko SBCN005, the Marinemaster as most people know it arrived on the scene in 2000 with the introduction of the SBDX001. Fairly quickly, the SBDX001 became a Seiko fan favorite because of its awesome design, which links directly to the brand’s historical reference 6159-7001 from 1968. I am still in awe of the brilliance of the design that Seiko devised in the late 1960s. It still feels as relevant and competent as it did six decades ago.
The brilliant case profile of the SBDX001
On top of that, Seiko managed to take that historical design and create a beast of a dive watch that was unmatched in terms of value for money. With the monobloc case, the Grand Seiko-based 8L35 caliber, and even Zaratsu polishing, the quality and specs were far beyond anything we had seen from Seiko. Over time, the Marinemaster was slightly updated and officially introduced to the rest of the world. While the Marinemaster name eventually made way for the Prospex logo, the watch was always the impressive high-end Seiko diver that Seiko fans still love.
The modern Marinemaster family
With last year’s Marinemaster series, we thought we had lost the Marinemaster linking to the 6159-7001. The smaller Marinemaster series takes after the 62MAS from 1965, which makes it a completely different series of watches. But with the introduction of the new Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation SLA079, we get a Marinemaster that follows in the historical model’s footsteps, and I think fans agree with me that it’s not just another vintage-inspired Seiko, Daan.
Last year’s Prospex SLA073
Seiko decided to use the case design from the SLA073 that came out last year. However, the brand upgraded the water resistance to a 300m rating. The case measures 42.6mm wide, 49.6mm long, and 13.1mm thick, making it substantially more wearable than the “old” Marinemaster. Unlike the earlier generations, it’s not a monobloc case, but despite losing that feature, it also makes the new Marinemaster a lot easier to service.
The Grand Seiko-based 8L35 caliber
Inside the case, Seiko still uses its 8L35 caliber. This automatic movement is based on the Grand Seiko 9S55. As the 8L35 is specifically used for dive watches, Seiko uses a version that is less elaborately finished than its Grand Seiko counterpart. As you mentioned, Daan, the official accuracy numbers are -10/+15 seconds per day.
As we all know, though, Seiko is very conservative with those numbers. Reality has taught us that the movement is a lot more accurate. Users have reported accuracy that exceeds the levels of certified chronometers. While the modern Oris Calibre 400 is certainly a great movement, I would not let it be the deciding factor in this battle.
For me, it’s all about the soul, and that is lacking with the Aquis. Looking at the design, I see it, but I don’t feel it. The sunburst dials are unnecessary for a dive watch. On top of that, I am not a fan of the integrated bracelet. It only lets you fit an Oris strap as another option. As we all know, the Marinemaster will look awesome on many different straps. Plus, the new dial with its grainy texture suits a dive watch nicely. Honestly, I could have done without it, but it still beats the sunburst dial of the Aquis.
It’s all about context…
I could go on for a while about why I would prefer the new Marinemaster over the Aquis every day of the week. But one glance at the beautifully sculpted lugs of the Marinemaster tells me all I need to know. Those lugs tell a story that goes back six decades. It’s a story about Seiko’s series of professional dive watches that have contributed greatly to how we look at dive watches today. That alone makes the Marinemaster SLA079 my pick. The fact that I can save money while enjoying the story on my wrist is a nice advantage. But even if today’s contenders were the same price, I would still pick the Marinemaster. It’s not even a contest for me.
It’s time to vote!
Last time we checked, though, this is still a contest. Now it’s up to you, our readers, to vote! So, Fratelli, which is your favorite, the Seiko Prospex SLA079 or the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400? Cast your vote, and share your motivations in the comments section below!
