Introducing Two New Seiko Street Series Divers, SNE543 and SNE541

Every so often, a new watch pops up somewhere that makes you do a bit of a double take. You ask yourself, “Have I seen this before?” It’s a common problem. We all scroll through Instagram, read the blogs, and generally immerse ourselves in watches to the point where things start to bleed together. Seiko recently gave us a strange sense of déjà vu with the release of a few new watches that are only kind of new. The latest entries in their Prospex Street Series are definitely in the “same, but different” category, but if you’re a particular type of collector with a particular taste, you’ll likely be interested to hear about what Seiko has done here.

Seiko Prospex Street Series 

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Black
• Dimensions: 46.7mm
• Crystal: Mineral  
• Water Resistance: 200 meters  
• Crown: Screw down   
• Movement: V157 
• Strap/bracelet: Rubber 
• Price: $450
• Reference Number: SNE541 (Black), SNE543 (Green)
• Expected Release: Available now

Seiko heads and faithful readers will remember that we brought you coverage of the original Street Series divers just about a year ago. Based on the iconic “Tuna” case design, these were ultra contemporary solar powered divers that Seiko was aiming at the streetwear crowd. The originals came with textured dials, “Monster” handsets, and multi-colored rotating bezels on a case measuring 47mm in diameter.

The new watches make some very subtle changes that, taken together, make the whole package a lot more cohesive. Gone are the “Monster” hands, replaced with simple Lumibrite coated batons. The dials, too, are updated. Last year’s watches had dials matched to their case, strap and bezel colors, and featured a very obvious pattern. These two new watches, in basic black and drab green flavors, both feature textured black dials but with a pattern that’s more subtle, and way less in your face. The rotating dive bezels are now each in a single tone as well, and Seiko’s specs tell us the case diameter has shrunk ever so slightly, to 46.7mm.

These watches, I’m guessing, are going to wear almost identically to the previous version, and any other similarly sized Tuna in Seiko’s catalog. The changes, though, have resulted in a design that’s just a tad more refined (if that’s even possible for a giant Tuna diver). The removal of the “Monster” hands, in particular, represents an improvement, as I think they let the dial take center stage. 

The utility of a watch like this is obvious — with a solar powered movement, the Prospex Street Divers can tick away for 10 months on a single charge. There’s a definite grab and go, weekend warrior type of appeal to these things. The Tuna style case, if you haven’t worn one, might surprise you in how comfortable it feels. With short lugs hidden away under the shroud, and a deeply recessed caseback, these have a way of hugging the wrist that belies their measurements. 

The new Prospex Street Series divers are available on the Seiko website alongside last year’s versions. The new ones are online exclusives (and priced slightly higher than the previous edition) and are available now. Seiko USA

Are you a fan of the Seiko Street series? Will you be ponying up for the new ones given the small changes made? Let us know what you think about the updates in the comments below.