It’s not long now until the Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch is expected to be released – with an anticipated date of around mid-September – so we thought it was time to do a sneak-peek review on the model to get you all excited for its debut! Dressed in black from head to toe, the highly anticipated Seiko Prospex Arnie watch is a reissue of a cult classic known as the Seiko H558. For those not familiar with the watch and its associations with world famous actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, you are about to want this watch even more than before.
First introduced in 1982, the Seiko “Arnie” H588 became the world’s first hybrid divers watch, meaning it boasted both analog and digital displays. It became highly influential in popularising the ana-digi style and is thought to have convinced brands like Breitling, Tissot and Cassio to create their own. The watch on its own was significant with its perfect balance between traditional timekeeping and multifunctional digital capability, but it wasn’t until Arnold Schwarzenegger began wearing it in many of his 80’s movies that the watch was bought to the forefront of luxury design. Most famously worn in his films Predator and Commando, the H588 became a must have for all action-movie lovers.
For 2019, Seiko is taking us for a trip into the past with its re-issue: the Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch. It’s honestly quite incredible how close this version is to the original with a stunning black durable case, a water resistance of 200 metres and a comfortable black silicon strap. Of course, the brand hasn’t missed the mark here either and they have upgraded some of the elements of the movement and functionality to be better than before. The movement in the original was a normal quartz but the SNJ025P1 has been improved with Seiko’s famous Solar technology.
The H851 solar powered movement provides a duo-display with both analog and digital functionality just like the original. We are also treated to chronograph function, alarm, calendar, dual time and a power reserve indicator, all accessed through the stunning digital display at 12 o clock. Of course in typical Seiko style, accuracy has also been made a priority within the Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch with a precision rate of ±15 seconds per month.
Let’s move onto the aesthetic of the Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch and as we said before, everything about it is pretty much the same as the original. The case of the re-issue comes in slightly bigger at 47.8mm compared to the original 45mm and remains crafted from stainless steel, plastic and Hardlex crystal. The smooth black dial is also almost bang on with Lumibrite coating on the hour and minute hands and large rounded indices. The only changes we can see are the addition of the Prospex logo and ‘Solar’ displayed in the centre alongside a new 24 hour track on the inner ring to replace the original’s depth meter – a change we can certainly get on board with! The Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch still has a standard screw down crown, a unidirectional rotating bezel and of course the signature tsunami case back.
We can’t fault this Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch at all. With an aesthetic that beautifully tributes the original alongside updated technologies renowned from the brand, this stunning release is going to fly off the shelves and hit wrists faster than any other watch this year. The Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers SNJ025P1 watch retails at only £420 and is expected to be released in a matter of weeks. Instead of waiting, why not pre-order your own here.
Specifications: Seiko Prospex Arnie Divers Watch (SNJ025P1)
- Case Size: 47.8mm x 13.8mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel and plastic
- Bezel: Unidirectional rotating
- Glass: Hardlex crystal
- Crown: Screw down
- Case Back: Screw down
- Water Resistance: 200 metres
- Movement: H851 Solar
- Functions: Hour, minute, seconds, full auto calendar, dual time, alarm, power save function, chronograph, power indicator
- Battery Life: Up to 6 months once fully charged
- Dial: Black with Lumibrite on hands and indexes
- Strap: Silicone
- RRP: £420
- Release Date: September 2019
