Introducing the Seiko Prospex Black Series Tortoise SRPH99K1 Watch
Monday - 20 June 2022
The ubiquitous and legendary Seiko dive watch collection diversifies once more with an addition to the Black Series dive watch collection. Meet the new Seiko Prospex Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 dive watch.
Brighter and longer-lasting lume, an upgraded movement and an all-round better construction – those are the values followed by Seiko when developing dive watches from the Black Series collection – a family of dive watches developed for underwater exploration during the night. As an extension to this line, Seiko has released three new Black Series watches; the solar-powered Seiko Prospex Black Series SNE587P1, the “King Samurai” SRPH97K1 model and the Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 watch, which we’re going to look at in more detail today.
These models follow on from four new releases launched earlier in 2022. These also belonged to the Prospex watch collection. The Seiko Prospex 1965, 1968 and 1970 Mechanical Diver’s Modern Reinterpretation watches were released earlier this year. All three are limited edition models exclusive to just 5,500 pieces worldwide and come fitted on a black polyester band along with an additional silicone strap, whilst one other model - the SLA061J1 watch - - is equipped with a black hard-coated stainless steel bracelet and is limited to just 1000 pieces worldwide.
Black Series watches by Seiko are not new. They’ve been around for a few years, but none of them look like these latest three dive watches, which boast an unusual blue-green luminous material applied to their hour markers and hands. The choice to equip these dark dials and dark cases with vibrant accents nods to the purpose of the Black Series watch collection specifically. These models are designed to stand out vividly in the deep dark depths of the ocean during the night. When luminescent material was first invented for Frogmen in need of such a feature when wearing their submersible watches, it was discovered to be dangerous, thus advancements were made along the way until the luxury watch industry reached the discovery of Super-LumiNova material. LumiBrite is Seiko’s own luminous material, which promises a brighter and longer-lasting glow than other conventional luminous paints on the market.
The new Seiko Prospex Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1
The new Seiko Prospex Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 watch is an evolution of the popular Seiko Turtle. Just last year we saw the Turtle watch receive a new colour palette of earthy tones, suggesting a less aquatic purpose. However, despite losing its 60-minute scale on the bezel, the addition of a compass made this Seiko watch a popular tool for dry land adventures. It was adequately named after the dryland version of a turtle – the tortoise. Now, we see Seiko apply the same recipe to the new Prospex “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 dive watch, with a 42.4mm diameter and a case depth of 11.7mm. Its case has been crafted from stainless steel and blackened with a hard coating like all other designs from the Black Series watch collection. The same finish is applied to the crown and bezel. Although it retains a very distinct dive watch look, the Black Series Tortoise watch continues with the compass scale on an aluminium insert on the bezel. Sharing some of the Turtle characteristics, however, the watch is equipped for underwater use with its screw-down crown, screw-down caseback and 200-meter water resistance. The back of the case is also decorated with ground-to-air emergency signal codes.
As with its two siblings, the new Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 presents the time on a dark grey dial, which enables the eye-catching bluey-green luminous hour markers and hands to pop. The general layout of the dial is classic and uncluttered, enabling all the integral parts of timekeeping to be accessed quickly and easily, especially in dark conditions. A black date window resides at 4:30 and the entire dial is protected by an anti-reflective and scratch-resistant pane of sapphire crystal glass. The watch is powered by the automatic Calibre 4R35, which performs at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour and produces a 41-hour power reserve. It also features a stop-second function and a manual-winding facility.
The great news is that you don’t have to use the new Prospex Black Series “Tortoise” SRPH99K1 watch for night diving alone. The design is designed for extreme everyday environments, sports lovers and adventure seekers. The watch is limited to 7000 pieces and comes fitted on a black textile strap. For more information on the model, you can check out the spec on the link here, or call and speak to a member of our sales team here at Jura Watches on 01335 453453.
