Prospex “Save The Ocean Pengu” Baby Tuna 200M Automatic Ref. SBDY117

Ever since Mr. Kintaro Hattori founded the brand in 1881, Seiko has grown tremendously from watch repair shop in Ginza, Japan to a massive watch manufacturing company that is arguably one of the greatest watch brands of all time. From incredibly affordable watches to high-end luxury pieces, Seiko has impressed horologists and watch aficionados around the world with watches delivering remarkable performance. To us discerning watch lovers, Seiko became a go-to brand with a vast range of offerings for every price segment.

Seiko Prospex “Save The Ocean Pengu” Baby Tuna 200M Automatic Ref. SBDY117 / SRPH77

Seiko’s “Save The Ocean'' initiation set a stage for a family of timepieces incorporating beautiful ocean-inspired design motifs with capable ISO-certified diving prowess. Having a core emphasis on protecting the ocean, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each watch from this collection goes to The Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre (FCOLC), a non-profit organisation committed to marine research projects and preserving our planet’s precious waters and sea conservation organisations. Joining the collection, Seiko dropped their latest “Save The Ocean” theme into the new Baby Tuna, showcasing their impressive watchmaking prowess and an alluring dial design portraying elements of Antarctica.

The legendary Seiko Tuna is instantly recognizable by Seiko fans from its unique case construction and strong personality. Intended as a perfect dive watch for saturation divers when it first debuted back in 1975, the Seiko Tuna was a technical marvel that resulted in a watch impervious to helium build up and could withstand enormous amounts of underwater pressure. Today, Seiko introduced their latest line up of “street series” Prospex divers based on the iconic look of the Tuna, presented with a contemporary facelift ready for the urban jungle. This fascinating series of new Seikos embraces a fresh and youthful take on the classic diver, packed in a compelling package with outstanding value not to be missed. 


MADE IN JAPAN with 4R36 automatic movement

Also, saving the ocean just got way cooler with the launch of Seiko’s latest line up of “Save The Ocean” special edition models. Inspired by the ice-cold landscape of Antarctica, the world’s largest marine sanctuary, this stunning new release perfectly combines Seiko’s technical expertise in producing impeccable Japanese dive watches and their efforts to conserve the precious marine environment. In contrast with the other textured dials in previous “Save The Ocean” models, Seiko incorporates a unique and incredibly attractive dark blue colour scheme this time round, bringing the freshness of oceanic vibes with penguins silhouette onto your wrist.

Right off the bat, the Prospex “Save The Ocean Pengu” Baby Tuna Ref. SBDY117 comes in a modest form factor significantly more compact than the conventional Tuna. Measuring with a case diameter of 43.2mm, a thickness of 13mm. Featuring a short and stubby lug design, the watch wears exceptionally well as it sits snugly on a wide range of wrist sizes. Adding to the comfort, the watch comes supplied with a blue 20mm soft silicone rubber strap with substantial stainless steel hardware.

Applied index on dial for added dimensions

Constructed out of corrosion-resistant 316L stainless steel, the robust case is protected by a steel shroud finished with multi-polishing all around, a distinguished feature of the Tuna offering an extra degree of protection against accidental knocks. Needless to say, the watch is built like a tank, ready to take a beating. The 120-click unidirectional rotating dive bezel depicts a beautiful monochromatic tone from the full silver bezel with dark blue minute markers. Along the bezel insert, a circular texture brings a layer of depth while providing a firm grip when operating the bezel. This appealing colour combination carries down to the dial, creating a pleasing consistency throughout the entire watch. 


Diving right into the dial, the Baby Tuna is like all the other “Save The Ocean” models from Seiko, instilling a beautiful ocean-centric dial design. Drawing inspiration from the seascape that’s befitting, the gradient blue textured dial presents a mesmerizing oceanic texture transitioning from deep blue at the outer edges inwards to a lighter shade of blue in the centre of the dial. The texture further reflects the icy environment of Antarctica, incorporating several penguin-silhouettes “swimming” between 6 to 11 o’clock.  It is a great reminder to the wearer of the Antarctic species’ dwindling population. As per all of Seiko’s Prospex divers, the hands and indices are generously filled with Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite luminous treatment for an immensely bright glow in the dark. On top of that, the dial is protected by Seiko’s trademark Hardlex crystal, a glass developed by Seiko themselves for strengthened impact resistance.

Seiko's LumiBrite Luminous

The Prospex “Save The Ocean Pengu” Baby Tuna Ref. SBDY117 is driven by the Seiko in-house caliber 4R35 automatic movement, a notable upgrade from the previous caliber 7S family of movements that were lacking in handwinding and hacking capabilities. This 24 jewel movement features a healthy power reserve of approximately 41 hours and beats at a rate of 21,600 beats per hour. Widely recognized as one of a ‘workhorse’ movement, the 4R35 boasts remarkable robustness from the proprietary Diashock anti-shock system and has a reputation to run reliably for an extended period of time without a service. 


Seiko has continually impressed us with what they are offering with their breathtaking “Save The Ocean” collection, producing impressive dive watches made with such a high level of detail and quality we’ve come to know from the Japanese watch manufacturer. This latest inclusion to the line up embraces some revitalizing changes in comparison with previous releases, showcasing another oceanic-inspired dial that brings a peculiar design. Without a doubt, this is one fantastic release that not only looks visually attractive, but also plays a part to raise awareness to our valuable marine environment.