Seiko Blue Lagoon Samurai - SRPB09
September 27, 2018
It's no secret that Seiko, as a brand, loves to put homage to their heritage and past success'.
So watch enthusiasts everywhere have been bombarded with different reissues and reinterpretations of Seiko models of the past into their modern counterparts. Such is the case with the Seiko Samurai.
Originally released in 2004, the Seiko Samurai was well loved and supported by the Seikoholic community. It embodies the essence of a true tool watch. Will the Seiko Blue Lagoon Samurai (SRPB09) live up to its heritage?
Look and Feel
Original Samurai owners would instantly notice some differences with the Samurai reissue. The glaring difference are the change of hands (for the hour and seconds) and the material used for the watch case and bracelet (usually marked/stamped by the words "Titanium").
Seiko chose to reintroduce the new Samurai line now in stainless steel.
Speaking more about the hands change, we personally liked the original Samurai hands better as that coincides on why it was called "Samurai" in the first place. The old hand designs looked similar to samurai swords (in case you didn't know that yet) and it looked really cool hence it had a strong following.
Source: Here
Moreover, in using stainless steel instead of titanium for the case and bracelet, it made the watch heavier on the wrist. Titanium materials are know to be more denser than stainless steel and more durable. However, it would be more costly to build a watch from titanium compared to stainless steel.
We would like to assume it is a cost of production concern on why Seiko chose to build the Samurai reissue in stainless steel instead of the original titanium.
Lug size is still pegged at the usual 22mm more a lot of the modern Seiko divers. It would be easy to change the strap as Seiko retained the lug holes.
Strap game would be fun with the new Samurai line as owners can mix and match with different 22mm straps to satisfy their aesthetic needs. The watch itself sits pretty big and tall on a typical wrist.
Overall watch head diameter is at 44mm while case height is at 13mm.
Seiko Blue Lagoon Samurai in a Hirsch Robby strap
Movement
Seiko put in their affordable yet reliable 4R35 automatic self-winding movement in the SRPB09 Samurai. It has 23 jewels and has about 41 hours of power reserve.
The additional features of hacking and hand winding makes it an upgrade compared to the 7S series caliber from Seiko.
Pricing
When it was released last year (2017), the Limited Edition Blue Lagoon series (Samurai and Turtle) had a retail price around $500 - $600 USD. It was limited to only 6000 pieces Worldwide.
That was a very good price point for a nicely built tool watch. Nowadays, due to the limited number produced, it would be harder to find the watches brand new and under $600 USD.
Typical range for brand new pieces now are at the $700 - $900 range. If you don't own one now and you need to have it; you need to shell out a lot more compared to when it was released.
Seiko Blue Lagoon Samurai in its natural element
Impact
The Seiko Blue Lagoon Samurai is a real tool watch in essence. Both functionality and aesthetics contribute to a good watch to own and wear. Although due to its height and weight, not everyone would desire to own this compared to a Seiko Turtle or SKX diver.
WIS (watch idiot savant's) would quickly notice the striking blue dial and bezel but would prefer other more notable Seiko divers if they would be wearing a Seiko.
If I do see another person wearing this, it tells me the following:
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Not afraid to wear larger watches
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Knows and appreciates the Seiko watch heritage of different divers
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Likes to collect limited edition timepieces
Watch Daddy Rating
Pro's
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Attractive color scheme
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Identifiable unique "Samurai" case and hands
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Real tool watch with diver's heritage
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Desirable due to the Limited to 6000 pieces worldwide
Con's
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Wears rather large and sits high on the wrists
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Won't fit under a dress shirt
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No longer made from titanium
Worth Considering
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Seiko "Save the Ocean" Samurai - SRPC93
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Case Material: Stainless steel case
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Movement: Automatic with manual winding mechanism
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Case Size Thickness: 12.82 ㎜ Diameter: 43.8 ㎜
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Water Resistance: 200m diver's watch for air diving
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Other Features: Unidirectional rotating bezel -23 jewels -Stop second hand function
