We examine Seiko’s latest rendition of its iconic “Samurai” and “Shogun” models in this in-depth hands-on review.
What We Love:
- Slimmed-down design of the previous Samurai/Shogun timepieces
- The hour indices and hands are much more appealing design
- The all-black look makes the dial pop!
What We Don’t:
- Unique dial design can take getting used to for non-enthusiasts
- The movement seems outdated for this latest 2024 offering
- Power reserve is sub-par for a timepiece of this calibre.
Overall Rating: 8.8/10
- Value for Money: 9/10
- Wearability: 9/10
- Design: 8.5/10
- Build Quality: 8.5/10
Seiko’s latest Prospex Diver collection, an update to the 4R Diver models, was released only a few short months ago. The Japanese watchmaker released three timepieces of this signature model, with colours varying from burgundy red (SRPL11) to black on steel (SRPL13) and black-coated (SRPL15). This year is also the 20th anniversary of the very first timepiece this new model references, celebrating a long yet somewhat turbulent history.
The latest Seiko Prospex 4R Diver has a much more “sleek” design, having been slimmed down from previous versions. You might be wondering by now how this timepiece gets the “Shog-Urai” nickname! Well, we have to retrace back some steps to Seiko’s previous Prospex Divers models, which were named Samurai and Shogun. While this wasn’t Seiko’s official nickname for these timepieces upon their release, it’s the Seiko enthusiast who has graced these models with the name of aristocratic warriors, which the brand later then adopted.
All-new Seiko Prospex 4R Diver Black “Shog- Urai”
The reason behind the Samurai nickname is the design language of the timepiece. In early 2004, Seiko introduced a brand new diver’s timepiece that featured a titanium case and 200m of water resistance (reference). This quickly gained popularity among Seiko enthusiasts, who codenamed the timepiece Samurai due to the sharp design of the hour and minute hands, which resembled a sword.
Although the Seiko Prospex Samurai was somewhat popular, it has had a turbulent history, as the model was first discontinued in 2008. After a few years of radio silence, the model made a comeback in 2017, with Seiko releasing a second-generation version of the Samurai. Seiko presented this second generation with a variety of coloured dials and patterns, including a beautiful waffle pattern. The timepiece then had it’s third update to the collection in 2020, when Seiko presented the “King Samurai”, which continued the same styling as per the second generation bar a “cyclops” date window.
The second timepiece that has been used as a reference is the Seiko Prospex “Shogun”. Another Seiko timepiece whose name is attributed to Seiko fans’ imagination. In fact, TheSeikoGuy has found the exact time in which the name “Shogun” first appeared, and it was on a forum in which the user Cubbiepants left a message stating “Considering it’s full battle armor, crisper lines and the fact that it always seems to be under attack, I will be calling it the SHOGUN!”. Other users quickly caught on, and what we have today is an official Seiko-branded Diver model named Shogun! The first reference Shogun model came with a titanium case, hardlex crystal and black dial/bezel combination. The hands were once again sword-shaped, hence the reference to the military ruler, the Shogun.
This 2024 offering of Seiko’s latest Prospex Divers model 4R is, as you can tell, a combination of the two Japanese warrior timepieces. The Seiko’s Prospex 4R Diver “Shog-Urai” takes design cues from both the Samurai and Shogun and creates a new timepiece, which I personally think is the best rendition of the Japanese warriors yet.
The 2024 Seiko Prospex “Shog-Urai” takes the bezel design (with its markings) of the Shogun while taking design inspiration from the sharp angular hour indices of the Samurai. At first glance, we also easily see that the hour hands have a mixture of the Samurai’s sharp, long hand and the Shogun’s more sword-style hand. However, this is where the references to these previous models stop, with Seiko restructuring the overall dial layout to give birth to this new collection.
Out of the three models presented, we have taken the black-coated Shog-Urai for review. Initial impressions of this timepiece were that the all-black look gives way to the dial for a stark contrasting appearance, which for a diver’s timepiece is key. While I understood the design references behind the dial’s sharp hour hands and indices, at first, it was not something that I personally liked. I think this is mainly due to my liking the more simplistic approach to design for diver models. However, as I got to wear it more and more, it grew on me, and I can now say I’m a fan of the samurai design!
Case Design:
The 2024 Seiko Prospex “Shog-Urai” has a refined case that takes design inspiration from the Samurai timepieces. One thing the brand has done well for this 2024 model is that they have downsized the case size to suit modern standards, where the watch market is leaning towards 39-41mm range models. This new collection now sits at a more reasonable 41.7mm case size, which, compared to the 43.8mm size of previous Seiko Samurai models, fits much better on the wrist.
Seiko has updated the overall shape of the watch to be slimmer in most aspects. The timepiece feels far less bulky compared to the Samurai and Shogun timepieces. The case also features slimmer lugs, which work well aesthetically with the reduction in dial size. The timepiece measures 12.3mm in thickness, which I have no complaints about. I prefer to wear timepieces that have wrist presence, and in this case, being a divers watch, it is understandable.
The angular edges of the case sides are where the Samurai design references come into this new case. The previous Samurai editions had a large tapering off on the lugs, and this design is now also being referenced in the new Shog-Urai models. With the lugs immediately tapering off from the bezel, it provides for a more “contoured” fit on the wrist.
Another design reference from the Samurai that has been directly carried over is the crown. The Samurai timepiece’s screw-down crown has a knurled pattern that allows for a better grip and easy operation. This knurled pattern is also found on the side of the bezel, which gives the timepiece a balanced aesthetic all around.
While Seiko states that this model has a black hard coating on the stainless steel case, in person, it feels like gun-metal grey. While it won’t have the same shine as per the standard stainless steel models, this hard-coated case has its own unique appeal, which, when matched with the black silicone strap, does make the dial pop more than the other models in this Shog-Urai collection.
Dial Design:
As I touched on earlier in the review, the dial of this Seiko Shog-Urai model uses elements from both the Seiko Samurai and Shogun models. While I initially wasn’t a fan of the Samurai/Shogun dial designs, this new variant is much more aesthetically pleasing.
I think it has much to do with Seiko’s slimmer, “refined” design approach. I’m now a big fan of the hour and minute hands, which have a “broadsword” shape and fit nicely with the shape and design of the hour indices as well. This is where it differentiated in aesthetic beauty for me compared to the Samurai model and its sharper design.
The 12 o’clock hour marker, which had a “double marker” design, has been consistent with both the Seiko Samurai and Shogun models. However, Seiko has done away with this design for the Shog-Urai timepiece, which now features a slimmer V-shaped marker. While the hour markers, in general, are slimmer in design compared to the reference timepieces, they are still very easily noticeable and also shine brightly in low-light conditions due to the generous amounts of LumiBrite.
Another aspect of this new dial design is the position and design of the date window. To give some context, both the Seiko Samurai and Shogun models featured date windows at 3 o’clock. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the date window on the Samurai, as it wasn’t large enough to replace the 3 o’clock hour marker, and with the date wheel not being colour-matched to the dial, it seemed awkwardly placed for me. While on some models, it worked well with the dial aesthetics, for other Samurai timepieces, it seemed out of place (especially the brightly coloured dials) like the below shows.
However, when you look at the new design of the new Seiko Prospex, it seems more balanced and sleek, combining the Samurai and Shogun aesthetics. The black dial with contrasting indices and hands with now a colour-matched date window both aids the eye and enhances the legibility of the dial.
The Shogun model was better in design, as it featured a “cyclops” date window that replaced the whole 3 o’clock hour marker. However, then we are left with an oversized date window that throws the balanced view of the dial out of proportion. I think this is where the new Shog-Urai has nailed the date window design.
Firstly, Seiko has stayed with the modern trend of watchmaking, minimising the view of the date window so as not to interfere with the balanced, symmetrical look of the dial. The date window now sits between the 4 and 5 o’clock hour markers, and for this particular Shog-Urai timepiece, the date wheel has been coloured black to match with the background. What this results in is a date window that seamlessly blends in with the dial and its surroundings. It’s certainly not something you notice first, compared to the Samurai and Shogun timepiece designs.
Movement:
While the timepiece’s aesthetics have been completely revamped from the Seiko Samurai/Shogun models, the technicality of the movement inside remains the same. The movement inside the Shog-Urai is Seiko’s entry-level calibre 4R35. This is an automatic movement that has a 3Hz frequency and a decent power reserve of 41 hours. Personally, I think Seiko could’ve done more to improve this timepiece movement to bring the power reserve up, as 41 hours by today’s standard seems sub-par.
However, this is not a major issue that will affect the wearability of this watch. If used as a daily wearer, the timepiece will hold up fine. If you stop wearing it for the weekend, it’ll need a quick windup on Monday morning, and it’ll be ready to go.
The Seiko 4R35 movement has been around since 2011, so it’s a trusted go-to movement by the brand. It has been featured in other Seiko Prospex models alongside timepieces in the brand’s Presage collection. In terms of the movement’s accuracy rating, Seiko states that “the accuracy of calibre 4R35 is between +45 / -35 seconds per day. This rating is based on normal daily wear on the wrist in temperatures between 5 ºC and 35 ºC.”
How does it wear?
This new Seiko Prospex Shog-Urai wears well compared to the previous Samurai and Shogun models. As I mentioned earlier, I like to feel the watch’s presence on my wrist, and even though the timepiece has been slimmed down, it still feels a bit “bulky,” which I like a lot. Overall, the downsizing of the timepiece has done wonders without compromising its aesthetics, which, given the direction of the current watch market, should sit really well with the enthusiasts and wider audience.
The watch is also very easy to operate. Even with the crown guards, the knurling on the crown makes it easy to grip and adjust. The same goes for the bezel operation. The same knurling on the bezel makes for easy and smooth operation, which is ideal for a divers watch.
While I can’t comment on the steel bracelet models in this latest Seiko Shog-Urai collection, this all-black version with its black silicone strap made it very comfortable to wear for the period of time I had the timepiece. I can certainly see this being a daily wear watch, as it’s also quite versatile in its wearability (besides function events!). The dial, as mentioned, is super easy to read, and with its “toned” down Samurai look, I can see it appealing to many more people besides the enthusiasts.
Final Thoughts:
The Seiko Prospex Diver 4R Black Shog-Urai is evidence of Seiko’s relentless pursuit of perfecting its dive watches. This latest 2024 collection takes the previous “Samurai” and “Shogun” Prospex divers models and gives them a modern treatment by giving the watch a slimmer profile. The design of these two reference models is seamlessly blended to honour their rich heritage.
The new case design with its refined design approach where the lugs are slimmer (compared to its predecessors), the overall reduction in case size alongside the dial’s redone “Samurai” aesthetics make this 2024 Seiko Prospex Diver 4R Black Shog-Urai not only a functional timepiece for diving enthusiasts but also a standout accessory for everyday wear. The black-coated stainless steel case, along with the black silicone strap, aids in giving the timepiece an all-black appearance, which, as a by-product, makes the dial pop so much more with the stark contrast of the large hands and hour indices.
As Seiko continues to update its divers collection while setting new standards for affordable divers watches, the Prospex Diver 4R Black Shog-Urai is a great example of meticulous craftsmanship. The case and dial designs make the watch durable and functional while being an aesthetically pleasing addition to any watch collection!
Reference: SRPL15 (Black Coated Stainless Steel)
Specifications
- Case Size: 41.7mm
- Case Lug-to-Lug: 49.5mm
- Case Thickness: 12.3mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel (hard coating)
- Dial: Black dial with large “Samurai” design hands and hour indices
- Movement: Automatic winding Calibre 4R35
- Power Reserve: Approx. 41 hours
- Water Resistance: 200m (20 bar)
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Strap/Bracelet: Black silicone strap.
