SPB 213 (SDBC139)

In 2020, Seiko launched a line of 62MAS-inspired dive watches.  The original SPB line included a black (SPB143), a bronze/brown gilt (SPB147) and a a blue (limited edition SPB149) variant with otherwise identical specifications.  This release was met with overwhelming love from the watch community.

One of the most popular (and justified) critiques of Seiko dive watches regards their size.  Prior to the SPB launch, a buyer looking into Seiko’s flagship dive watches didn’t have many options when it came to “small” pieces.  The Seiko Turtle (44mm wide and 14mm thick), Samurai (44mm wide and 13.5mm thick), and Sumo (45mm wide and 13.5mm thick) aren’t exactly for small-wrist folk. With the more moderately-sized SKX line being discontinued years ago, collectors with small wrists (like me) didn’t have many 200m ISO-certified choices from the brand.

The SPB line remedied this.

At 40.5mm wide and 13mm thick, this line wore smaller than even the SKX line.  Additionally, the vintage-inspired design attracted new fans to the brand that were turned off by the heftiness and flashiness of Tunas, Turtles, or Samurais. Sealing the deal was the price.  These sold at around $1,000usd, depending on where you bought.  The SPB line had all the elements for its wild success: Size, design, price.

The SPB213

A year after the initial fan-favorite launch, Seiko released the SPB213: A Limited edition model commemorating the brand’s 140th anniversary.  This model is identical (confirmed by Seiko) to its 2020 brothers, but features a white dial and blue bezel unique to this line. Despite its limited edition status, the SPB213 maintains the same pricing as the non-limited models.

This piece originally caught my attention because of how much the appearance varied through pictures of owners.  In some images, the bezel appears black. In others, metallic blue. Even after owning it, the wide changes are still there.

I’ve always had a soft spot for white dials, especially on dive watches, and this one ticked all the boxes. Under strong light - causing the blue to pop - the 213 reminded me of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Omega Seamaster, albeit thousands of dollars more affordable.  The blue bezel-white dial combination is one you don’t see often, which is surprising.

The Good:

To nobody’s surprise, the SPB213 houses Seiko’s unbeatable lume.  At this point, strong lume has become synonymous to the brand, and this is no exception.

Vintage-inspired designs are extremely hot in the current watch market.  Seiko’s historical footprint in the watch world is as good as any brand’s, and they are able to revive designs that are their own from decades past. This is a nice detail, as many brands weren’t around decades ago, and instead “draw inspiration” from a conglomerate image of “vintage divers”

Needs Work

Like most Seiko watches, I found the SPB bracelet lacking.  Most criticism I’ve had against the brand’s bracelet have been because of lack of heft.  They have often felt weak and flimsy.  However, the SPB bracelet suffers from the opposite.  For a design like that of the SPB - one more formal and less sporty - I would argue its bracelet counterpart should share similar DNA. For the SPB, I don’t want the heavy and clunky bracelet I might find on a Marine Master. But that’s (more or less) what we got.  To me, this piece didn’t benefit of the heavy bracelet it included.  But ultimately, the 213’s versatility makes this easy to pair with any strap or aftermarket bracelet.

Conclusion

The SPB213 carries all of the benefits the line has to offer, while uniquely carries a design rarely seen in dive watches.  At this price, I can’t think of many strong competitors, especially if brand prestige is a priority to you.

Below are my video review of the SPB213 and SPB143.