Blue Wave GMT: I know nothing about GMTs, I won't buy one, and it's brilliant
The first GMT I've ever handled
This is the Seiko SPB509J, the 300 metre Blue Wave Prospex 60th Anniversary Heritage Diver. List price £1,600. Take 10% off and it's about £1,440. Inspired once again by the 1968 heritage diver, the 6159-7000. I'm lucky to have the SLA25 here to compare it to. It's the best Seiko ever. Limited edition, 6,000 pieces, so you'll probably never get one.
Seiko were not previously known for GMT dive watches. They seem to have jumped on the bandwagon. This is the first GMT I've ever handled, and I had to do a bit of research so I wouldn't sound like any more of an idiot than I usually do. It's a caller GMT, an office GMT, not a true traveller GMT. You can adjust the GMT hand in one hour increments. For me, the extra hand just clutters up the dial and spoils the look of the watch. Just my opinion. Loads of people must love them.
A hell of a lot for the money
Seiko Steve says the 6R54 is not that great. It gains time dialled up, and loses quite a bit in the box. His 6R35 and 6R15 Sumos are doing better. That's his experience, yours may be different.
But it's beautifully made. 300 m of water resistance on an SPB, which is fantastic. Full ceramic bezel, no DLC, and a lot of you are fixated on that. Sapphire, slightly boxed, internal AR coating doing the job very well. 42 mm, 13.3 thick, 48 lug to lug, 20 mm lugs. Full size, not oversized, very comfortable, very wearable, perfect for daily use. 188 g with all links, 180 g here, so Steve's taken out two links.
The clasp. Oh, the clasp.
The updated Seiko on-the-fly ratcheting clasp, first time I've seen it. Mixed feelings. It looks good and works very well, but it's far too long for the 15 mm of adjustment: six steps of 2.5 mm. The old one gives something like 32 mm. The old one was for professional divers and thick wetsuits. This one is for the warm weather wearer. It's 45.5 mm long and the old one is 35. They could trim 10 mm off and it would be exceptional. I love a ratcheting clasp.
Verdict
Not a Marine Master, but the same water resistance for way less money, and a ratcheting clasp you don't get on the new Marine Masters. The case is absolutely fantastic, and the bracelet is great. The gold GMT hand? Get rid of it immediately. The SLA25 costs 5 grand and this is 1,600 quid, so diminishing returns. The lume is perfectly normal, but the old Marine Master wins every time, and that's what you're paying for.
Would I buy it? No, I definitely wouldn't. I don't like GMTs, and I don't like this Blue Wave dial. But overall the watch is brilliant. If you like a GMT diver, you can't really go wrong. Never give up.
