Introducing – Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J Thailand Limited Edition

There’s something quite special about Seiko and its community of collectors. Indeed, some are proper fanatics and every new limited edition, especially if branded Prospex (the professional line of watches at Seiko), can create a blast among these aficionados. Very recently, Seiko introduced another limited edition, reserved to the Thai market (don’t worry, you can find it elsewhere…) based on the well-known Titanium Diver’s 200m “Shogun” SBDC029J. New gradient dial, different hands and a splash of colours, and here is the Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J.

The base watch is perfectly known, as being the “Shogun” (yes, the Seiko community loves nicknames), or to give it its full title, the Seiko Prospex Diver’s 200m SBDC029J. No need to mention that this watch is a modern icon, perfectly manufactured and ideally-suited for what it is made for: diving – and yes, it’s also a respectably sized watch that can be worn on a daily basis. Its 43.5mm case is made out of titanium, and so is the bracelet – and that means that this watch is light on the wrist and more resistant to corrosion and to scratches than a steel watch. Also, at 13.3mm thick, it’s not exactly what we would call thin, yet compared to many of the dive watches made by Seiko, it remains wearable.

The Seiko Prospex Shogun also sits higher in the collection than for instance the “Turtle” or the “Samurai“, with more advanced technologies and quality. Inside the case is the calibre 6R15 (Seiko’s middle range movement, below the Grand Seiko-based 8Lxx movements, but more precisely engineered and manufactured than the 4Rxx calibres, as well as being finely adjusted). This 23-jewel movement offers 50h of power reserve, beats at 3Hz and is given for -15 to +25 seconds per day (which in most situations appears rather pessimistic, as some examples of the 6R15 proved much more precise). For the rest, the Seiko Prospex Shogun is a reliable and efficient dive watch, with 200m water resistance, large hands and indexes over a matte black dial, with a uni-directional 60-minute bezel and a well-protected case.

So what is the new Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J limited edition about? First of all, it will only be available in 456 pieces for Thailand (again, don’t worry). Then, while the standard version is very black-and-metal, this new Shogun Zimbe SPB057J offers a lot more colours. First, the dial has a graduating scheme, from light blue on the upper half to dark marine blue on the lower half (this might recall a certain D-Blue watch by Rolex). Hands and indexes, while equal in design, are now coated in a golden colour. Replacing the automatic mention at 6, between the Prospex logo and the “Diver’s 200m” inscription, is a “Limited Edition” mention. Also, the bezel insert matches the dial with the 20 first minutes being done in blue, while the rest is black. Finally, and that might be the most surprising feature, the Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J has a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, as well as a cyclops over the date window. Of course, inside is still the calibre 6R15 and case/bracelet/bezel are in titanium (a rubber strap is also included in the box).

As said, this Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J is limited to 456 pieces, and only for the Thai market. Yet, modern days and online boutiques will benefit to collectors all over the planet, as I was able to find some examples for sale already, with worldwide shipping. Price is 55,000 Thai Baht (around US$1,655 or 1,390 Euro at the moment we published this article, thus slightly over the retail price of the SBDC029J, at 1,250 Euro).

Technical Specifications – Seiko Prospex Shogun Zimbe SPB057J

• Case: 43.5mm diameter x 13.3mm thick – titanium case with super-hard coating – sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating and cyclops over the date – screwed back and crown – 200m water resistant
• Movement: Calibre 6R15, in-house, Japan made – automatic – 23 jewels – 3Hz frequency – 50h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date
• Strap: titanium bracelet and rubber strap included
• Reference: SPB057J
• Price: 55,000 Thai Bath
• Availability: In stores now, 456 pieces, Thailand only