The big, angular case and aggressive sword minute hand and harpoon hour hand made the original design divisive. Seiko fans either loved it or hated it.
The most significant change is the case size. Where previous references measured between 48mm and 44mm, the new design is a much more wearable 42mm.
While the angular case and large crown guard remain, the bezel is much more classic, and the dial is toned down with uniform pointed hour markers and a spearhead-shaped hour hand.
Despite being the oldest and newest designs in Seiko’s massive and renowned dive watch catalog, both new Prospex PADI watches offer similarly classic aesthetics.
Essentially, the pair breaks down to an affordable sub-$1,000 option and a luxurious $2,000 option. Either way, you can’t go wrong.