The Seiko SPB147 – Do You Really Need a Submariner?
I’ve owned my Seiko SPB147 for just over two years. The Seiko Prospex 62MAS-inspired SPB lineup is often heralded as one of the best modern vintage dive watch reissues in recent years. With four colorways to choose from in its initial release, the SPB147 made the most sense for me at the time – but now I’m letting it go.
I was drawn to this watch shortly after I traded my SKX007 for an SKX013. The downsizing from the 42mm case to a 37mm in the SKX013 was a welcome shift and made me realize that I enjoyed the diver aesthetic when the proportions were right. But even with the SKX013 in the collection, I was still drawn to the ultimate watch by many collectors’ standard – the Rolex Submariner. At this point, I wasn’t quite sure if my wrist could pull off a sub, but my time with the SKX013 suggested it may work.
Not ready to fork out the funds to “try out” a submariner, I arrived at the SPB143, bearing strikingly similar proportions to the 5-digit 14060/16610 subs. Considering I had just added the black SKX013 to my collection, I opted for the SPB147 with its warmer tones and gilt accents representing a subtle but welcome departure from the sea of monochromatic dive watches on the market.
Seiko SPB147: The Case
Though the Seiko SPB147 was intended to be a stand-in for a Submariner, its case is just marginally larger than that of a sub. Width is 40.5mm by 47.5mm lug to lug with 13.2mm thickness, compared to 40mm, 47.5mm, and 12mm figures for the vintage sub. I figured if I could pull off the SPB147, the Submariner would be no issue.
Measurements aside, the case of the SPB147 has a great presence. The lugs are short and tough looking, and the polished bevels are sharp and contrast the brushed surfacing beautifully. The case is treated with Seiko’s Dia-Shield super-hard coating to increase scratch resistance. Whether it’s the Dia-Shield or my lack of thrashing the watch about, I’ve yet to see a scratch on my SPB147. The Dia-Shield also produces a unique and specific gunmetal color cast on the case. This looks fantastic but does make it difficult to find aftermarket bracelets that match the tone of the case perfectly if that’s your thing.
The SPB147 is a true, capable dive watch rated to 200 meters water resistance and is finished with a double-domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The coin-edge unidirectional bezel has a satisfying click, and the insert is a wider and more modern interpretation of the original 62MAS.
The Warm, Gilt Dial
The dial on the Seiko SPB147 is what sets it apart from the others in the lineup. To quickly summarize, the SPB143 features a monochromatic silver-gray dial. The SPB145 has a slightly warmer dial with the same hands and details as the SPB143. The SPB149 is a limited edition blue dial with gold second hand. The SPB147 offers a warmer dial than the SPB145 and adds gold-accented hands, indices, and bezel insert. You can think of it as a fully sepia-toned version of the SPB143.
The way the dial plays with the light is pretty remarkable, dancing between almost completely black to rich shimmering golden brown. The Seiko LumiBrite lume on this watch is fantastic. Bright, turquoise, and extremely reactive in my experience
Strap Options
The SPB147 is the only model in the lineup that comes on a black silicone strap while the others received a bracelet. The SPB149 limited edition comes with both a matching blue silicone and a bracelet. The silicone strap while super comfortable is a bit long, presumably to provide plenty of slack for wear over a wetsuit. This watch lends itself well to strap changes and I find myself rotating mainly between a Meraud Tropic and NATO strap.
The In-House Movement
The Seiko SPB147 uses the 6R35 in house automatic movement that beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour. Power reserve is approximately 70 hours, and the movement features hacking and handwinding. If you’re looking for them, there are plenty of criticisms about this movement’s accuracy on the internet. I purchased my watch second-hand and experienced freezing every 12 hours or so. I sent it back to Seiko under warranty and have since had no complaints. It seems with Seiko, much like misaligned bezel inserts, your mileage may vary. My issues were resolved quickly with no questions asked, but what does this say about the quality control of a watch that has an MSRP of $1,000?
Seiko SPB147: The Verdict
While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Seiko SPB147 and appreciate it for what it is, I did recently make my Submariner purchase. As a result, this watch has seen little wrist time. I’ll take a substantial hit in resale, and it warrants consideration whether it’s worth selling at all, but I do hate to see watches in the box go without wear.
In retrospect, I may have opted for the monochrome SPB143 for the versatility, or the SPB239 which came in the subsequent SPB release. The SPB239 combines elements from the SPB145 and the SPB147, notably a similar dial tone and the silver hand finishing of the SPB145 but with some of the warmer accents on the dial and bezel text of the SPB147 creating an attractive vintage aesthetic. Perhaps one of these variations would have made a better case for a lasting spot in the rotation. There’s time for another to make its way into the collection still!
The Specs
Case material: Stainless steel with Dia-Shield coating
Case diameter: 40.5mm
Lug width: 20mm
Lug-to-lug: 47.6mm
Thickness: 13.2mm
Movement: Seiko Calibre 6R35
