Seiko 50th Anniversary Dive Watch Review

Seiko Dive Watches

Very sparingly if ever at all do we get to see a utilitarian watch designed with comfort, style, and usefulness as a tool. Normally it's one or the other. In the market of Dive Watches, I've noticed most of the watches in the category look gigantic and cumbersome, or much like a toy. Some of them have more buttons and functions than the computer I'm using to write this review! One company decided to break the big, bulky, ugly trend to produce something that you'd be proud to wear underwater, and on dry land. The Seiko 50th Anniversary Dive watches are the answer. And here's why.

Impeccable quality, design, fit and finish, as expected from Seiko.

Feel, Fit And Finish

Now, I have really small wrists, and this watch was super intimidating to try on, because It is a little bigger than the watches I normally wear, but after trying the watch on, It almost instantly looked and felt right at home on my wrist. The crown and buttons don't bite, and It feels exceptionally sturdy, but not weighty or bulky. The band is made out of a silicon-rubber substance, but the other side has a really neat texture to it, so the rubber won't catch or chafe if you're out and about. It feels well built and solid.

A thing of beauty.

Design

I've always sort of admired this series of watches. There's just something about it; it has real character, rugged but not brutish. Seiko decided that it would be a great idea to slap some class on the design, I can say they succeeded. The subtle gold accents, the elevated Lumibrite markers (which are fantastic) and the combination of different metal textures really tie the whole piece together, and almost make it look like a completely different watch from the non-anniversary series. Atop of the aesthetics, it's actually designed to be functional. The bezel stiffens up underwater to reduce moving about after you set it, The crowns are easy to screw and unscrew, but the seal is perfect, and as always, Seiko makes an amazing Kinetic movement keeping everything running oh so smoothly.

The Lumibrite markers light up almost instantly in the dark, and glow brilliantly. It was pitch black in this room.

This is a great looking, great functioning watch for divers. It's the all in one solution for someone who wants to dive and then jump right into dinner with friends. It's impressive, It's functional and very pretty. Seiko has continued to do it right, and in celebration of 50 years of doing so, have done it all over again.

Be sure to check the watches out in our store and on the site!