Let's start with the Turtle, Seiko's iconic high-performance watch for the modern diver.
The watch community did not immediately recognize the Seiko diver's watches as a serious collectible, although this Japanese brand has gained popularity for many years thanks to the unusual shapes of cases and other details that distinguish this watch from many similar ones.
Turtle is a watch for divers, known not least for its cushion-shaped case, a rectangle with rounded corners, which distinguished it from its counterparts. From the early models (6306 and 6309) to the recently re-released modern SRP series in the Prospex line, the Turtle have been and continue to be the reference point for Seiko's versatile diving watches.
Turtle history began with the first model 6306-7000 / 1, released in 1976 for the Japanese market only. Water resistant to 150 meters, the watch is designed for recreational divers and anyone looking for a model of impeccable quality in a casual style. Comparison with the new generation SRP shows that the design has changed little: it came to the taste of connoisseurs of the 1970s and they still like it today.
The 6306-7000 / 1 is powered by a Seiko caliber 6306A. A rotating bezel (60 clicks) surrounds a black dial with large indexes. The watch was made for the Japanese market, therefore the day of the week indication is shown in English and Japanese (in kanji characters). This characteristic is prized by collectors.
The watch 6309-7040 / 9 is the version 6306-7000 / 1 for the international market. The previous version of JDM is less common than the 6309, but the differences between them are minimal. The most noticeable difference is that the caliber 6309A has fewer jewels than the 6306A, and there is no stop-second function (the seconds hand stops when the crown is extended). Otherwise, these models were identical. Their mechanisms have been renowned for their reliability for several decades. These two models have earned Seiko its reputation as a “manufacturer of timeless calibers”.
The design of the models is distinguished by an unusual shape of the case. At first glance, this is an ordinary "pillow". The corners are rounded and softened to make the watch lines look less aggressive and more attractive. Despite the weight of the watch, it looks comfortable to wear continuously. The rounded body allows them to be worn under the sleeve of a shirt, they fit comfortably on the wrist. They got the nickname Turtle due to their elongated shape with smooth curves: the body resembles the shell of a turtle when viewed from above. And finally, the sea turtle is a reptile that feels great in the water: this corresponds to the diving purpose of a watch.
Due to their durability, early turtle modifications became a cultural symbol, a popular model of the 1980s. Turtle as a symbol of pop culture appears in James Cameron's film The Abyss (1989): the model 6309 on the wrist of actor Ed Harris fits perfectly into the underwater surroundings of the picture. Turtle was even worn by Mick Jagger.
The early 1980s saw both the impressive rise of the reference 6309-7290 and its meteoric decline. This "intermediate" model features minor changes to the familiar Turtle shape. She laid the foundation for a completely new series in its own way, iconic watches. Collectors know it by the Slim Turtle nickname, derived from its angular, sharper body and overall compactness compared to the smooth, rounded lines and angles of the 6306 and 6309.
The Slim Turtle was launched in 1982 and has only been in production for a couple of years. In the forty years since its launch, the model has become the object of a truly aggressive collector's interest and has practically disappeared from sale. This interest, in addition to all the listed advantages of the Turtle itself, was caused by the fact that this watch became the prototype of the SKX007 - perhaps the most popular democratic diving watch in history.
After a period of stagnation in the 1990s, when Seiko focused on the production of the SKX007 and its variations, as well as the development of non-mechanical watchmaking technology, the brand decided to re-release the Turtle in 2016 - and quite successfully. The refined version of the 6309 reference quickly gained popularity and became part of the Prospex series, a line of high-tech functional watches. The new Turtle are only half a millimeter larger than their vintage predecessors (the case diameter is 45 millimeters), the hands and dial details have remained virtually unchanged since the 6309.
A few words about the main technical differences. The dial of the new SRP series is no longer marked with Water Resist 150 meters. It has a new mark: the Prospex logo and the designation for diving depths up to 200 meters. The reliable movement continues to be exclusively manufactured in Seiko's factories, from parts manufacturing to finished product assembly. However, the caliber has been improved thanks to new modern materials. This is done to ensure that the clock runs smoothly for an even longer time. Modern SRPs are a great example of a vintage reissue: both the aesthetics of the past have been preserved and the technology has not suffered, no need to worry about that.
Watch connoisseurs, and especially Turtle fans, when buying a copy of the Prospex SRP series, get a technologically modern, but still a piece of history. This is a rarity in the watchmaking world. Many new items look as if they deliberately cling to their vintage. For some of them, on the contrary, the new design literally hurts the eye. Among the rest, there are many who can hardly withstand the competition.
Prospex SRP watches are attractive today precisely because 6306 and 6309 stood out so much in their time. One cannot ignore the strong connection of the modern model with its previous prototypes. But something else is more important: it is still a universal watch. Whether you are a world famous rock star or a regular truck driver, it doesn't matter: you will be comfortable with the Turtle on your wrist.
