Seiko Prospex Owner Review : Remarkable, robust and accomplished

Known as the “Green Sumo”, this watch, not exactly a green watch, was released a few years after the Rolex Green Hulk, as if to echo the success of the emerald-hued Submariner and thus offer an accessible alternative, without sacrificing its own design on the dedication hall. First released in 2007, the case of this Sumo is of recent design and concentrates all the know-how of the Japanese brand in terms of technicality, robustness, comfort, aesthetic details and quality in this price segment (around €550-600 in its first version). With its 45mm diameter, 51mm from lug to lug, 13mm thickness and 181g, it seems rather imposing. But its sleek design combined with an unusual fluidity, especially under the case, allows it to perfectly fit the shape of the wrist and makes it particularly comfortable. Its nickname "Sumo", given by seikopaths when it was released, remains a mystery to be cleared up. It has been suggested that the marker at 12 o'clock resembles a 'Mawashi', which is the underwear worn by sumo wrestlers during a match, or an 'Oicho', the small tuft with which the sumo wrestlers' skulls are surmounted. The massive character and harmonious curves of the case, as well as the imposing font of the numbers on the bezel, may also have contributed to the attribution of this nickname. Water-resistant to 200m, this diver's watch is one of the most attractive I have ever worn. In addition to its sunray green dial which immediately immerses us in the plant world of marine flora, there is this rotating bezel, whose muffled clicks follow one another with flexibility and precision, partly embedded in the case which thus protects it from lateral shocks. Practicality meets aesthetics on several levels… The lugs, finely brushed on the top - thus respecting the codes of martial watchmaking defined since the Rolex Milsub to preserve the discretion of the snipers of the British Royal Navy operating under a full moon - are slightly twisted inwards in the manner of the lyre handles of the 1954 Polerouter (Universal Genève), a design born from the collaboration between the famous Gérald Genta and the Huguenin brothers and which would later be found on the Omega Speedmaster. The brushed surface of the lugs and on the lateral flanks of the case reveals angular lines that alternate and contrast with the magnificently polished and curved surface of the upper and lower flanks. There, everything suddenly becomes voluptuous, right down to the tips of the lugs under the case, like a tribute to aquatic fluidity. The screw-down crown, flanked by the Seiko "S", is located at 4 o'clock as on the Turtles, making it less vulnerable to shocks, without hindering access. This is all the genius of Seiko at work with this case. A few additional details emerge from the dial, such as these indexes of a size adapted to underwater reading, circled in polished steel and covered with Seiko's powerful Lumibrite, an improved derivative of Luminova's initial patent. A second hand identical to that equipping the famous "Captain Willard", tinted with this bright yellow that is found at the cardinal points on the minute scale. The bracelet brushed and polished on the sides of the central links is not left out either. We can regret that it only blends imperfectly between the horns but it usefully reinforces their aggressive appearance. The folding clasp is micro-adjustable, with a double secure pressure clasp and a folding extension for urgent diving needs in a wetsuit... Finally: Hardlex glass, less scratch-resistant than sapphire but nevertheless very resistant and more suitable for diving (it does not "explode" into pieces like sapphire), it is slightly domed and placed half a millimeter below the bezel, which protects it from unfortunate scratches. Everything is powered by a robust engine, the 6R15 (23 jewels, 21600 bph, 50 hours of power reserve) with an announced precision of -15/+25s per day. This model was worn throughout the month of August 2022 and did not blink for more than 30s! A stroke of luck, no doubt. Can we dream of better compromises at this price? Note that a new version of this SZSC004 appeared in 2019 under the name SBDC081. It is now equipped with a 6R35 (70 hours of power reserve), a sapphire crystal, the numbers on the bezel have been refined (they are no longer in "bold", which perhaps tarnishes its initial "Sumo" look a little but makes it more elegant), and the green color of the dial has changed from this superb deep dioptaze to a more classic jade-emerald which has the only advantage of now being harmonized with the intensity of the green of the bezel. This last model can still be found around €750-800.