Seiko Goes on Safari with new Street Series Offerings

Seiko’s “Street Series” is a line of watches that is designed to appeal to a more youthful consumer, with an adventurous use of color, uncommon case shapes, and value oriented pricing. We’ve covered the Street Series previously, and while the marketing may be a bit on-the-nose, the watches themselves actually have an appeal that I think is much wider than the demographic Seiko seems to be tilting toward. New for the summer, Seiko has announced a handful of new watches to the Street Series, and they’re modeled after a couple of old favorites. Let’s get into it.

Seiko Prospex SRPE29 and SRPE31 

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Tan (SRPE29), gray (SRPE31)
• Dimensions: 43.2 x 12.7 x 44mm
• Crystal: Hardlex       
• Water Resistance: 200 meters  
• Crown: Screw down                       
• Movement: 4R36
• Strap/bracelet: Silicone
• Price: ~ $630
• Reference Number: SRPE29, SRPE31
• Expected Release: Summer

Seiko Prospex SNJ029 and SNJ031

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Black
• Dimensions: 47.8 x 14.4 x 50.5mm
• Crystal: Hardlex       
• Water Resistance: 200 meters  
• Crown: Screw down                       
• Movement: H851 Solar
• Strap/bracelet: Silicone
• Price: $550
• Reference Number: SNJ029, SNJ031
• Expected Release: Fall 

Seiko has taken the theme of an “Urban Safari” to design four new watches in desert inspired colorways that are themselves modeled after vintage references from Seiko’s past. First up are two new Tunas, the SRPE29 and SRPE31. These are the first mechanical watches in the Street Series line (the Tunas covered in the linked articles above are solar powered quartz divers), and are available in a sandy brown or icey gray. The new Tunas run on the 4R36 movement, a super reliable workhorse caliber that will be familiar to many Seiko fans. 

Tunas, of course, feature a prominent shroud that circles the case. This design signature is a remnant of the original Tuna from 1975, which is thought to be among Seiko’s most tech forward watches. This platform of a circular case with a large shroud combined with outrageously over the top water resistance has been a showcase for a great deal of new Seiko tech over the years, as the brand has experimented with new materials and timekeeping methods. The Street Series, then, feels like a natural place for a dive watch that’s trying to be just a little bit different.

Sticking with the alt-diver theme, the other new watches in the street series are similarly styled takes on the Arnie, Seiko’s classic and recently re-introduced ana-digi tool watch. The Arnie is a big, bold, solar powered diver with a funky, tactical feel, and the new SNJ029 and SNJ031 are nice complements to the Tunas above and. slot in nicely with the urban safari theme. For children of the 80s, this watch holds an especially deep meaning as it’s so closely associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger and the unique tool watch aesthetic of that period. In tan (SNJ029) and drab green (SNJ031) versions, this Arnie has a particularly military inspired vibe to it.

While the marketing for the Street Series might make you think Seiko has chosen style over substance, it should be noted that all four of these watches bear the Prospex label, Seiko’s designation for professional dive watches. Each has a full 200 meters of water resistance, and the SNJ029 and SNJ031 offer a ton of multi-function capability, including a chronograph, alarm, power reserve indicator, and calendar.

The new Tunas and Arnies all come on Seiko’s newest silicone dive straps, which are color matched to the watch’s dial and/or accent color, as appropriate. These sporty, super casual, and, yes, stylish new divers will begin making their ways into stores this summer and fall. Seiko