Nickname decoder
What watch is the Seiko "Samurai"?
The Seiko "Samurai" is the nickname for the Prospex diver with the sharp, angular case, represented in this catalogue by the SRPL13 (and the SRPF03): a 41.7 mm stainless steel case, Seiko's in-house automatic caliber 4R35 with date, Hardlex crystal and a 200 m (20 ATM) dive rating. It sits in the mid-hundreds band.
What the nickname refers to
The name refers to the case shape: the catalogue describes an angular case that slices through water and convention, and the faceted lugs and bezel are what set it apart from the rounded Turtle. Like the Turtle, the nickname covers the whole family of references rather than one dial.
On the spec sheet the SRPL13 runs the 4R35: 23 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour, 41 hours of power reserve, date only, made in Japan. The crystal is Hardlex, Seiko's hardened mineral glass, which is the main specification difference from the sapphire on the Turtle.
Samurai or Turtle
Same rating, same band, same movement family. Choose the Samurai for the smaller 41.7 mm case and the angular look; choose the Turtle for the day-date, the sapphire crystal and the rounder 45 mm case. The comparison below sets them side by side from the makers' figures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Seiko Samurai?
Because of the sharp, angular case with faceted lugs, which the catalogue describes as a case that slices through water and convention. Seiko does not use the name; the catalogue references are the SRPL13 and SRPF03.
What is the difference between the Seiko Samurai and the Turtle?
Case and crystal. The Samurai is 41.7 mm and angular with a Hardlex crystal on the date-only 4R35; the Turtle is 45 mm and cushion-shaped with a sapphire crystal on the day-date 4R36. Both are 200 m Prospex automatics in the mid-hundreds band.
Is the Seiko Samurai water resistant enough to dive?
Seiko rates it at 200 m (20 ATM), the conventional standard for recreational diving.
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Head-to-Head Comparisons