Great White
Seiko’s reissue of the 6309-7040 introduced a love for the Turtle cushion case to a whole new generation of watch collectors. Personally, I’m too young to have experienced the 6309 in its heyday (70’s and 80’s). However since their 2016 reintroduction to the watch world, the SRP line has taken off and earned a spot as one of the most popular and loved line of watches among collectors.
In 3 short years, Seiko added a lot of flavor to the line, introducing limited addition variants, non limited addition variants, and even a whole new line of “mini-Turtles” (with its corresponding flavors) aimed for the smaller wristed-folk (like yours truly). In 3 short years, a young collector like myself that never had the chance to own the legendary 6309-7040 now has a plethora of options to own a similar styled watch, backed by Seiko’s fantastic build, quality, and value.
Needless to say, I am an enormous fan of the reissued Turtle. I’ve owned multiple variants and have loved them all. However, the recent release of the SRPD21 stands above the rest.
The Watch
The SRPD21, dubbed the Great White Turtle, features a unique dial, second hand, and bezel that differentiate it from its other Turtle brethren. You still get the same dimensions, complications, and build of the classic Turtle:
Case Diameter: 45mm
Height: 13.3mm
Movement: 4R36 (Hacking and Hand Winding)
Power Reserve: 41 Hours
Lume: Hands and Indices
Water Resistence: 200m ISO Certified
Crystal: Hardlex Mineral.
Crown: Screw Down
However, this piece really shines where it deviates from the classic Turtle. First, the Great White’s dial is a masterpiece. Moving away from the uniform Seamaster-esque wave dial, the Great White takes a non-uniform approach to that adds just the right amount of movement and spice to the dial. The shark fin second hand, while subtle, falls perfectly at home with the wave dial. Personally, I find the tone of blue and grey used in the bezel blend perfectly and compliment each other enough to create a soothing and relaxing color palette. While I find other Save the Ocean collaborations a bit too rough on the eyes, the Great White has a beach/ocean feel that I have never gotten from other Turtles (or watches, for that matter).
Finally, the bezel used really puts this piece over the top. The SRP777 (standard black Turtle) and other Turtle’s I have owned use an aluminum bezel insert, not much different from those used by the SKX line. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this bezel insert, the Great White’s bezel features depth not seen on its counterparts. This bezel’s ridges around the circumference and indented numbers add to the depth of this design, and it helps add to the overall water/wave theme. To me, Seiko hit the perfect balance between adding to the already-great Turtle design and taking it too far.
This watch is available via Seiko for approximately $550, but can be found through the grey market for around $400.
The million-dollar question is: Does this watch warrant the extra $200 cost compared to SRP alternatives? Normally being a frugal guy that advocates for affordable watches (who would have thought?), I would say no. On paper, these changes wouldn’t seem enough for me to endorse the tradeoffs. However, holding it in person, the Great White swims well above its Turtle friends, enough for me to open up my wallet and pay the extra cash.
