Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Watch Review - SJE099 (SBEN007)

My never-ending quest for the perfect Seiko dive watch has brought me to its newest release, the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099. I've owned and loved Seiko divers from a $300 MSRP 5 Sports to a $5,500 Prospex LX, but have yet to find one that has stayed long-term in my collection. I liked the earlier SPB053 62MAS, and loved the newer SPB 62MAS models, but wanted something higher-end.

When Seiko recently released this series in three colors, I was intrigued. Like many though, I quickly dismissed it. It came off as a strange mashup, having the word "Marinemaster" on the dial, but a 62MAS-shaped case and "only" 200m of water resistance. In the mind of many Seiko fans, the Marinemaster name is for a beefy dive watch with a monocoque case. Something like a 1000m Tuna or the SLA035 reviewed here (which ironically didn't say Marinemaster on its dial).

I had forgotten this series even existed until I stumbled across one on display in Japan. I tried it on, and realized that (as Seiko watches tend to do), it felt much more special in the metal and wore extremely well. As usual, the uninspiring press photos had not done it justice. After returning home I couldn't get it out of my head. I sold a few other watches from my collection and placed an order. Keep reading to hear my opinions about it.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099 First Impressions

What stood out when seeing this watch in person are the two things that Seiko typically does best: It wears really well, and it plays with light in beautiful ways.

Not only are the 39.5 x 12.3mm dimensions compact but the bezel and lugs slope downward, giving the whole watch a contoured profile.

The dial features a light blue frosted finish with a sunburst beneath the frost.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Watch Review - SJE099 (SBEN007)

Additionally, like that SPB053, the blue bezel shifts from nearly black to a vibrant blue depending on the light, but in a more dramatic fashion.

Combine that with an attractive bracelet, and you have something that feels special.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099 Details

Unlike many Seiko divers that place the crown at 4, this 62MAS-style case has it screwing down at 3 with no crown guards (and no logo).

The slope and edge shape of the bezel as well as the angles of the polished chamfers on the case give it a different feel than other 62MAS reissues that I've owned, however. As Seiko says, it's a modern reinterpretation and does not feel or look vintage.

The finishing is attractive, but to my eye does not look as sharp as other high-end Seikos. It doesn't have zaratsu polishing but does feature Seiko's super-hard coating. The slim case provides "only" 200m of water resistance. Maybe not worth of a watch with Marinemaster on the dial, but I'll take the thin case as a tradeoff.

Seiko describes the sapphire crystal as being box-shaped, but to me it's nearly flat with a slight dome. Whatever it's called, it works well with the sloped bezel and maintains the thinness of the watch. I'd love if it had AR on the outside too. I know that some don't prefer it, but I'm more afraid of scratching the bezel than the crystal anyway.

The location (and even the inclusion) of the date window on the latest Seiko divers has divided collectors. As internet commenters tend to do, many have been vocal about their displeasure. I'm in the camp of being fine with it, and I generally prefer a date display. It's small, evenly centered between hour markers, and the text is properly oriented. Because Seiko needs lume at all of the hour positions to meet ISO dive standards, I think that this is a good way to incorporate a date. It's too polished to be a tool watch anyway. I also like the font used. I wish that is was color-matched to the dial, but the white color doesn't look too out of place in this light-colored dial.

Wearing the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099

As mentioned, SJE099 wears very well. Between the case shape and bracelet, it's the most comfortable and well-balanced Seiko dive watch that I've owned.

It's also a watch that I can't stop staring at! There are so many different surfaces and finishes off of which light can reflect, that it's a joy to look at.

Besides looking attractive, the bezel is easy to grip. I was hoping for a more precise click feel at this price, but it's what I expected from Seiko. It has a smooth, damped rotation, but the clicks feel similar to every other Seiko dive watch that I've owned. They are soft, and there is a play in between each click which at least gives a bit of margin to get the bezel lined up correctly. There is no chapter ring, so no alignment issues there, but I would love it if the bezel had no freedom between the clicks, and lined up perfectly.

The hand design is simple but attractive. Seiko applies polished and brushed treatments to the hour and minute hands. This makes them look more expensive and also aids legibility since different types and angles of light will never totally wash them out.

Because the dial is light-colored, legibility is not as great as other watches, however. Its black dial brother, the SJE101, will have the best legibility. The silver limited edition SJE097 appears to have darkened hands for legibility. I think it's similar to the hand and marker color of the white SPB313 "Slim Turtle."

The lume on SJE099 is extremely bright. In dim situations, the light-colored dial stops the lume from standing out as well, but in full darkness, legibility is excellent. I think this lume is brighter than that of mid-range Seiko divers.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099 Bracelet and Replacement Strap Options

The bracelet uses an attractive 5-link design. Polished small links are sandwiched between brushed outer and middle links. It provides pleasing reflections without looking too blingy.

Some commenters on the internet complained about the interface between the bracelet and the case. To me, this looks like a conscious design choice by Seiko, rather than a bad fitment. I don't feel that it takes anything away from the watch, and visually slims things more than a thicker end link that fills the entire space between the lugs would.

Where I do agree with the complaints of others is the clasp. It's compact, comfortable, and has nice finishing. The clasp does not look or sound expensive, however, as the outer piece is stamped and the mechanism rattles. The inner hinge is machined, but the dive extension is stamped steel. Where the Seiko has only two micro-adjust holes, other watches offer more sophisticated clasp designs. It's comfortable and functional but betrays the fact that this watch was still built with cost savings in mind.

Like most Seiko stainless steel dive watch bracelets, a collar sits inside one of the middle links and secures a pin. This makes it more difficult to size (and likely cheaper to make) than a screw, but is more secure, and less likely to strip out.

Usually, I quickly swap out the bracelet or strap on any watch for a StrapHabit strap, but this bracelet looks great and is very comfortable. That being said, the watch looks fantastic on any number of dive straps, and 20mm lugs mean that there are lots of great options. Scroll down to the end of this article if you'd like to see photos and purchase different strap options for your SJE099.

Like most Seiko Prospex divers, SJE099 features larger-than-standard lug holes and thicker spring bars. While all StrapHabit straps are compatible with it, many other straps aren't. Some people also don't prefer the slight bit of play that is present when installing one of our straps. That's where StrapHabit's Thin Spring Bars for Seiko Fat Lug Holes come in. These can be installed in some StrapHabit straps as well as most straps with standard spring bars. They have 1.1mm tips, but are 1.8mm thick at the center, fitting Seiko divers perfectly.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE099 Movement

One of the ways that Seiko is able to slim down SJE099 to 12.3mm thick is through its updated movement. At 3.69mm thick, in-house caliber 6L37 is what Seikos calls "slimline"

It spins on 26 jewels, beats at 4Hz (2hHz quicker than lesser Seiko automatics), and features hacking and very smooth hand-winding. Although increased from 4R movements, the power reserve is only 45 hours. It will be plenty for most collectors but falls short of the 50-hour 8L35 in the more expensive MM300 and the 70 hours that the 6R35 yields in SPB models at half the price.

Slimming the movement and speeding up the beat rate is likely the cause of the shorter reserve. One could debate the importance of it, but it does seem out of place in the Seiko lineup considering the price of this model. The date does snap after a slight shift just around midnight.

Mine has been running a few seconds fast per day. Quite good, and representative of other nicer Seikos that I've owned, but the brand only rates it at +15 to -10 seconds per day. Acceptable for most people, but arguably not great for a nearly $3,000 MSRP watch.

Atypically for a Seiko diver, the movement is visible through a Sapphire caseback. It's not much to look at, and the tsunami logo that you'd normally find cast in metal obscures the view.

This movement should be compared to a higher grade ETA 2892/Sellita S300. It offers the same beat rate, a slim design, and similar accuracy. The power reserve is slightly longer, but not much. Both are reliable, but Seiko's movement is completely in-house.

Conclusion

Seiko's pricing and hierarchy can be confusing, and it's not always obvious why one watch is around $1,000, another is $3,000, and some even more than that.

Compared to the SPB 62MAS watches, this one justifies a higher price mainly through nicer finishing and a higher beat movement (albeit a shorter power reserve). SLA models feature 8L movements with a slightly longer power reserve. Some of them also have zaratsu polishing. Prospex LX models add spring drive movements and titanium cases.

This leaves SJE099 at $2,800 in a middle ground, making it harder to justify the "value play." That being said, the competition is also raising its prices, and Seikos are not hard to find at a discount (I didn't pay full price for mine). If you value case finishing, beautiful dials, and an in-house movement, there is still not much available to compete with this for under $3,000.

My opinion? I do value case finishing and prefer a watch that is engaging to look at. I also like the Seiko brand and the fact that it has an in-house movement. If you can buy one at a discount, or used, I do think it's worth the extra money over the less expensive models.

I would prefer if Seiko would make further improvements to a watch that looks and wears exactly like this one. I'd even pay a bit more. These would include better bezel clicks and alignment, a nicer clasp, a signed crown, and zaratsu polishing. Or maybe just make a Grand Seiko dive watch with better dimensions and styling. This isn't the perfect Seiko for me, but it's pretty darn close!

Specifications:

Name: Seiko Marinemaster 1965 Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation
Reference Number: SJE099 (SJE099J1, SBEN007)
MSRP: $2,800
Diameter: 39.5mm
Height: 47.2mm
Thickness: 12.3mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Movement: Seiko 6L37
Power Reserve: 45 hours
Water Resistance: 200m
Crystal: Box-shaped sapphire with inner AR coating
Crown: Screw-down
Bezel: Unidirectional rotating, 120 click
Bracelet: Stainless steel with super-hard coating