Although I've previously owned and enjoyed a Seiko Prospex SRPC07 Orange Samurai, when I was offered a white dial SRPE37 King Samurai in trade for a watch that I was selling, I couldn't resist. I'm a sucker for a white dial Seiko with black accents (like the Slim Turtle SPB313) and thought it would be a fun one to experience.
If you're not familiar with the Seiko Samurai, I suggest first reading the review linked in the first paragraph. Adding the "King" to the Samurai nickname means that it receives the same upgrades over the base model as a King Turtle does compared to a standard Turtle. This means that it has a sapphire crystal (with cyclops) and a ceramic bezel insert, as well as an upgraded dial. I thought those upgrades made the Turtle a much nicer watch, so would I feel the same about the Samurai?
First Impressions and the Finer Details
As with the Turtle, the waffle dial and the ceramic bezel insert really set off the King Turtle. This one especially pops with its white dial and gold-tipped seconds hand.
The sapphire crystal with AR coating on the underside helps to make the dial look extra crisp.
I could take or leave the magnifier over the date. It bothers some people, but I kind of like it. I would like to see how this watch would look with a domed crystal, however.
As with other newer Seiko divers, this one has a lume plot crammed next to the date at 3. The magnifier tends to hide it though.
Wearing the Samurai
If you read the review of the Orange Samurai, this watch wears exactly like that one. It's large and in charge, but the fairly flat case makes it comfortable for its size.
Black hands on a white dial make it quite legible.
And the lume is great, as you'd expect from a Seiko diver. It glows a whitish green color.
Standard Strap, and Replacement straps for the White King Samurai
My orange Samurai came with a bracelet, but this variant comes with a black silicone strap. I've previously expressed how I don't prefer a metal keeper on a rubber strap. They look more expensive but can dig into your wrist, and don't hold the strap as well.
It also tends to attract lint, as you can see from this pre-worn example. Besides that, it looks great and is soft and comfortable.
I've been mostly wearing it on a green Distressed Canvas strap. Scroll to the end of the article to see how more straps look on it (and purchase one if you're interested).
Most Seiko Prospex divers feature larger than standard lug holes and spring bars, which won't fit in standard straps. While all of our straps are compatible with these watches, many other straps aren't. Additionally, some people don't prefer the slight bit play it 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 and fit Seiko divers perfectly. They have 1.1mm tips, but are 1.8mm thick at the center.
Movement
Seiko didn't upgrade movements on any of the "King" models. Thus SRPE37 still uses the same date-only caliber 4R35 (the Turtle uses the 4R36 which has a day and date). I'm fine with this, as it does have hacking and hand-winding, but it is still quite affordable.
Conclusion
I love Seiko divers and as I mentioned in the intro, I find white dials really fun to wear. If you already liked the Samurai design language (and don't feel like modding a watch yourself), the upgrades make it feel like a much nicer watch. As with the Turtle, it's worth upgrading to the King version.
Specifications:
Name: Seiko Prospex Automatic Dive Watch
Reference Number: SRPE37
MSRP: $595
Diameter: 43.8mm
Height: 48.7mm
Thickness: 12.8mm
Lug Width: 22mm
Movement: Seiko 4R35
Power Reserve: 41 hours
Water Resistance: 200m
Weight: 126g
Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating and with magnifier
Crown: Screw-down
Bezel: Unidirectional, 120 clicks, steel with ceramic insert
Strap: Silicone with metal keeper
See and purchase replacement straps for the Seiko Prospex SRPE37 White King Samurai Watch
Vented FKM Rubber
Ridge FKM Rubber
Locking Keeper FKM Rubber
Premium Sailcloth Colorway
Distressed Canvas
Hybrid Sailcloth and FKM Rubber
Epsom Style Full Grain Leather:
Premium Sailcloth
Smooth FKM Rubber
Waffle Rubber
