Hands-On: Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1965 Ref. SJE099

Seiko never ceases to amaze me, and there’s good reason why they’ve built up such a substantial following of watch enthusiast, and even some who enjoy solely collecting Seiko. Today I have the pleasure of going hands-on with their Marinemaster 1965 Ref. SJE099 which is the lovely light blue dial and dark navy blue bezel combination. This watch was sent to me courtesy of Gem Bijou in Ontario, big thanks to them and I highly recommend you check out their stores.

I hadn’t even fully unboxed the watch, and I already kind of fell in love with the color combination Seiko has gone with here. Right away it struck me as a classy but vintage inspired diver with its soft blue hue, and I could tell the size was going to be excellent on my 6.5 inch wrist.

Impressive Design Details

So what makes this dive watch so fantastic when compared to a vast sea of competitors? The SJE099’s largest success detail is quite basic, the sizing and proportions of the case, lugs, bezel, and dial flow perfectly together. One of my favorite views of this watch is from the side, where you can see the slender case curve into the lugs, along with the retro knurling on the bezel. It does indeed give off a 5 digit Submariner vibe from this angle, but there’s so much more to this watch that allows it to have its own infused Japanese design language that it doesn’t come off as homage or copy to the vintage crown diver.

When on wrist, and looking from above, the style is equally as impressive with its sharp but angled lugs that appear laser cut with precision. From this angle the watch has a more modern appearance on wrist, although the bezel infuses its own vintage like personality, it’s truly an exceptional mixture of character. While most Seiko watches are quite recognizable as so, even from distance, this specific reference here gives off a touch of “Grand Seiko” without the label. The essence of a higher quality watch than your regular Seiko is absolutely apparent here in almost all aspects of the watch, but certainly in the detailed dial and case shape.

In my opinion, if you’re interested in this new Prospex Marinemaster 1965 I’d recommend leaning heavily towards this blue variant unless black is really your thing. The light blue encircled by the darker blue bezel really provides a layer of depth and interest not found on the black version (Ref. SJE101). The blue on blue combination does seem to give off a touch more of an era accurate look to me, a time when funky powder and pastel based colors were trending. Not only is the dial ribbed, it appears to be done in an unorthodox manner, with the engravings applied in a sporadic off kilter way that you can only really notice when inspecting closely.

The applied stick markers really suit the vintage diver style of the watch. They’re slightly oversized, and they varry in size and shape to accentuate the 3, 6, 9, and 12 hour positions. The lume is very strong, and it visible even in normally lit conditions, which is a nice aesthetic touch. As someone who can be quite picky about date window placement, especially on divers, I absolutely love how this mini window is done. It’s inconspicuous and out of the way, but the round window catches the eye for easy spotting, and for those “out of water” occasions when you need the date it’s useable.

Wearability

As you’ve probably gathered by the case proportions discussed above, it’s no surprise that the SJE099 is pretty much a perfect fit on wrist. For perspective, my wrist is 6.5 inches in size, and the comfort and look of this watch really can’t get much better. The SJE099 is measuring in at 39.5mm in case size, with a lug to lug of 47.2mm, and a not surprising but very welcomed thickness of 12.3mm. Outstanding in all regards I must say.

Adding to the fit, finish, and comfort of the watch is the H-link bracelet. The bracelet feels slightly heftier than what you’d find on the more affordably priced Seiko watches like an SKX, It’s a good blend of quality with a touch of jangly vintage we all love. The only let down of the bracelet for me is the thin clasp, which could very well be the only weak spot of the watch. The bracelet does not appear to be tapered, but it might be ever so slightly tapered from the first link if you look closely – hard to say.

Overall the wearability of this watch is the sweet spot for any small-medium sized wrist. You may find yourself seeking the presence of a larger watch if your wrist size is over 7.25 inches.

Movement

Moving on to the movement of the watch, you can see the caliber 6L37 from the exhibition window caseback. It’s not really a movement I find myself gawking at, so I see no need for a display window that could potentially jeopardized the longevity of the watch’s water resistance – a closed back would have been fine here.

It comes as no surprise that this is a Seiko movement. It’s sporting an average +15 to -10 seconds variance per day, with around 45 hours of power reserve. As you can see here this is a soft spot when compared to Swiss watches of the same price point. Despite the rather lacklustre movement specs it does allow the case to be constructed quite thin, and it’s certainly reliable and easily serviceable.