I am good with the latest iteration of the Samurai. Especially this version... I would say you can't really go wrong with any of the three models mentioned.

 

You might just have a career in politics.
I can only afford one.

 

I found the Samurai a bit bulkier and less versatile on straps. I liked the bracelet but found it on the heavier side. For me the Turtle is a much better fit.

 

Turtle gets my vote

 

This doesn't really help, apologies in advance, but I had a Monster and a 007 and neither stayed very long. I might also skip the 3 mentioned and buy one of the SBDC 051/053 variants if I really wanted a Seiko.

A Tudor Pelagos is also on my wish list, especially after trying one on at an AD, but I'm not sure I'll spend that much even if I go used.

I think the budget 62MAS re issues are a nice alternative, even at ~$800. I'm slowly but surely talking myself out of the Tudor and into one of these.

 

This doesn't really help, apologies in advance, but I had a Monster and a 007 and neither stayed very long. I might also skip the 3 mentioned and buy one of the SBDC 051/053 variants if I really wanted a Seiko.

A Tudor Pelagos is also on my wish list, especially after trying one on at an AD, but I'm not sure I'll spend that much even if I go used.

I think the budget 62MAS re issues are a nice alternative, even at ~$800. I'm slowly but surely talking myself out of the Tudor and into one of these.

View attachment 12636007

This is a giant killer[emoji23] King of the middleweight [emoji41]
I've had it on my wrist for 7 days straight... I love it [emoji7]
Save a little more and pick your color. If you're a bracelet fan, I highly recommend the 051. The bracelet is the best to come from Seiko in many years!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Someone pointed out Steinhart Planet Ocean 1 and now i'm back to the drawing board

 

On your first question, I think the Samurai isn't mentioned on the lists you're seeing is b/c it was scarce and out of production for so long. Even when it was in full production, it was always over-shadowed by the SKX007 variants. The Knight series were equally as great as the original Samurai's but also never got the limelight. Of the three you mention, the Turtle and new Samurai are equal. The Sumo is a cut above both and, to me, 100% justifies its higher relative price to the other two. But, if I were choosing on the basis of the bestest for the leastest, it would be the Turtle without hesitation.

 

I like the Samurai's case and that bracelet, feels real nice on the wrist. I would love to have all 3 of the mentioned watches

 

Like the Sammys best:

 

My vote goes to the Turtle. Bought one mostly because I really like Seiko's older divers like the 6105 and 6306/9 while also taking advantage of the updated changes (better movement, higher WR, lug holes). I get to reference both older watches by putting on a waffle strap I got from Uncle Seiko.

Although, before the SRP reissues were released, my eyes were set on tracking down a good price on an original SBDA001 Samurai in good condition for its very distinct heavily angled look, a lume pip on the front of the seconds hand, and the fact that it was titanium. The search/wait took long enough that when a watch I liked more was reissued (with the aforementioned improvements), it dealt a huge hit to my resolve to wait.

My guess on why they're not as often mentioned is because:

1. Spend a little less, you get the Turtle reissue, which is based on a famous model that has more of a history to it.
2. Spend a little more, you get the Sumo, which has a distinct "shouded" design and a better movement.
3. Spend even more, you get the modernized 62MAS reissues that has even more of a history to it. I think that the whole 62MAS event pretty much overshadowed the Samurai reissue because they happened so close to each other.
4. Some, like me, wanted one made of titanium, which you can get with the Shogun along with a better movement.
5. In terms of "relatively affordable divers", a lot would go for homages of watches that're either significantly beyond budget or no longer in production.

 

Not a Seiko owner, but I like the Samurai the best.

 

The Sumo sounds awesome. I just need to get over the camel toe at the 12 o’clock

 

The Sumo sounds awesome. I just need to get over the camel toe at the 12 o'clock

Never really thought of it that way. I guess it means that it goes well with the Speedmaster.

Disagree that the 6r15 is a "better movement" than the 4r35. It is not "better". It is basically the same, another redo of the 7sXX with slightly longer PR than the 4r.

I didn't mean it to be that significantly a deciding factor. I'm no movement expert, but I'd personally consider that having a more accurate spec and a higher PR as still being "better", although admittedly, not by much. I meant it as a measurable difference in addition to other factors about the watch (in contrast to something like 7S26 vs 7S36).

The large increases in price for the 6r15 models are not worth it IMHO.

I totally agree with this. Unless there's the watch has something else significant going on, like the Shogun being titanium, the movement itself doesn't justify as big of a price bump.

the 4R are supposedly the budget movement compared to the 6R

Like yankeeexpress says, it's pretty much the same, but with a higher profit margin.

If I were you, I wouldn't make too big of a deal on 6R vs 4R especially considering their marginal differences.

 

I really like the Samurai (despite the horrid 4R movement).
Everywhere I look, the Turtle seems to be recommended. .

I have a coupla Toitles with the "horrid" 4R36... Like them a lot, but still have not figured out that they are "horrid."
Maybe I don't know sushi from sashimi.

But that blue Sammy does look sassy... and vaguely arousing at the same time. :-!

 

Sushi ALWAYS has rice...すし refers to the vinegared rice. Sashimi refers to cut meat.
the 4R are supposedly the budget movement compared to the 6R
Seiko's accuracy claims give me no confidence.
I'm looking at the Black Samurai though

 

Disagree that the 6r15 is a "better movement" than the 4r35. It is not "better". It is basically the same, another redo of the 7sXX with slightly longer PR than the 4r.

The large increases in price for the 6r15 models are not worth it IMHO.

 

Another vote for the samurai, it's a very comfortable wear for me

 

The Samurai and Turtle are both great watches. Pick the one that you like better, and feels more comfortable on your wrist.

I like the case design of the Samurai more than I like the turtle, but plenty of others favor the Turtle. There is no universal right answer on which one looks better, but there are thousands of individual right answers. The wrong decision would be buying the one that someone else told you to get because they like that one better. The exception is when that someone else is your wife, and in that case it’s in your best interest to follow her suggestion.
Everyone needs to make their own decision on aesthetics.

As far as the movements go, the 4R and 6R are pretty different on paper, but in everyday use they are not so different. It’s not as if either one of the, loses or gain several minutes per day. If it does, then it needs service.
I own a few watches with 4R and a few with 6R movements and I haven’t been disappointed by any of them. None of those that I own are more than 30 seconds off per day.
If you have more than two watches, and you wear them in some kind of rotation, then you most likely wind and set it every time you put it on. Therefore an error of 10 seconds per day, or 20 seconds per day doesn’t really matter, because you will set it when you need it.
If you do wear it every day (most around here do not), then you could try resting it in different positions each night to see which position produces the best result for overall accuracy. Chances are that you would eventually find the right position to gain or lose a few seconds each night, and get very good overall accuracy.

If you frequently engage in activities where bad things happen if you are not accurate to within a few seconds, then you really should be wearing some form of high accuracy quartz, and even then you would most likely synchronize your watch to a master reference before engaging in such an activity.

My point is that the 4R and 6R are both great, as are the Samurai and the Turtle.
Pick the watch you like better, enjoy that watch, and don’t regret your choice.

 

The wrong decision would be buying the one that someone else told you to get because they like that one better. The exception is when that someone else is your wife, and in that case it's in your best interest to follow her suggestion.

This cracked me up! Sound advice brother

Me, I'm on the fence. Wearing my Sumo at present but I've been starting to fall out of love, actually. It's too bulky! Now what?

 

I vote the turtle but it all depends on which feels more comfortable on your wrist.

 

I don't like the Sumo. No real reason. No, wait, it's the indices.
I like the Samurai except for the hands.
You could get a Turtle and trick it out a bit mod-wise. There is another thread of all the great things people have done to theirs. You've probably seen it.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/new-srp-turtle-mod-possibilities-2982602.html

 

You could get a Turtle and trick it out a bit mod-wise.

Since Seiko hasn't made a 6105 reissue (yet), this mod pretty much takes the cake (not mine).

All that's missing is a domed crystal and a red dot on the second hand lume. Plus, I actually prefer the raised chapter ring and I already have the waffle strap.

I don't like the Sumo. No real reason. No, wait, it's the indices.

Ironically, the dial and handset is from a special edition Sumo (SBDC027).

 

I have been wondering the same on Samurai vs. Sumo. I haven't been able to handle both in the flesh yet. I'm thinking a black Samurai and a blue Sumo for me with ceramic bezels from lcbi.com =)

 

You referred to the Samurai has having the horrid 4R and movement, but it's the same as what's in the Turdle. From my experience the 6R15 in the Sumo is no better. I've had one of these that kept excellent time, with the other 3 not so much. Luckily the Blumo I kept is almost spot on. Get the one you think looks best for your needs.

 

A lot of the spot on I've heard is within 10s a day for a 4R
I don't actually dive but I love splashing at water parks.
I'm mostly a dancer and I wear my GShock typically. I wanted something shinier and different.

I think I might end up getting the SBDJ017

There will be mild mechanical shocks. I've found my NOMOS Club to gain an addition 5s a day if I wear it while dancing. While this is within specs I wonder what it does to the watch.

 

I'm looking to get a relatively inexpensive Dive Watch.
I really like the Samurai (despite the horrid 4R movement).

Everywhere I look, the Turtle seems to be recommended. The Sumo is sometimes mentioned...but why is the Samurai almost never on the list of top dive watches under $500?

Also considered the Baby Tuna but it is a lot less versatile when dressing up. I'd really like a Tudor BlackBay or Pelagos but these Seiko watches are a lot closer to what I can afford.

Thoughts on the Samurai? It seems to be well received here but outside of this echo chamber, I rarely hear anything about the Samurai. (Apart from the older version being better).

Why are you convinced the 4R36 is horrid?

And however my vote is for the Turtle, it's one of the most classic Seiko models, the Sumo has a better movement but I greatly prefer the Shogun to it.

This is my Turtle PADI:

This is my Sharkey Apocalypse (6105 homage):

Both of them motorised with a 4R3X movement, both work well.

the 4R are supposedly the budget movement compared to the 6R
Seiko's accuracy claims give me no confidence.
I'm looking at the Black Samurai though

I don't have direct experience with the 6RXX but all the "low end" Seiko movements are designed to be modular.

The oldest is the 7S26, the 6R15 was introduced many years ago to replace the 4S15 sold to the Swiss (now it's the Soprod) and it was a 7S26 with hacking, handwinding and a SPRON510 mainspring that improved power range (55h) and isochronism.

The 4RXX filled the gap between the 7S and the 6R, it appears to be very similar to the 6R but without the SPRON510 mainspring, so isochronism and positional variation are like the 7S and the power reserve is about 40 hours if memory serves me correctly.

http://www.watcharama.com/the-seiko-4r36-family-in-brief/

I think my first 6R15 watch will be the Shogun.

 

I've seen several places list the Pepsi version of the Samurai as being sold out, so outside of this "echo chamber" they are very popular indeed. The Samurai would get my vote without hesitation between these three.

Side note; useful tweaks made to an already stout movement is a bonafide reason to ask more money for it.

 

I like the Sam a heck of a lot and would steer you towards one but I can’t help feel that you would be happier with the Sumo and its 6r.

 

I like the Sam a heck of a lot and would steer you towards one but I can't help feel that you would be happier with the Sumo and its 6r.

I'm leaning towards the solar quartz diver but the Samurai isn't out of the running. I'm highly envious of my brother's Grand Seiko Quartz diver but that's Tudor black bay kinda money.

 

I will sit on it for a month before buying...as is typical for me.
The Marine Master 300 is VERY VERY VERY nice.

here's a borrowed watch from my brother...
really hated giving it back.

 

For me, the Sumo would win out. I’ve had a few and they have always been very accurate and have beautifully skulpted lines. I am a big fan of the Sumo. Yeah, it’s bulky but it is a dive watch...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

My Blumo paired with the Crafter Blue for me is the perfect rubber combo. I'll be honest, as much as I like the watch, if it wasn't for the introduction of that strap I'd never have tried one. On the bracelet it is fine, but all other straps I've seen revealed that strap gap, which I just can't do. Also surprisingly as much as I love Natos, and have worn them on this watch, just can't get into it.

 

The Crafter straps are fantastic.