A convergence of cinematic horror and horological expertise is set to make a significant impact on the watch collecting world. Seiko, a brand with a deeply rooted history in producing robust and reliable dive watches, has announced a collaboration that taps into a cultural phenomenon that has resonated for half a century. The forthcoming
Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary SRPL81 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the iconic film Jaws, a movie that single-handedly redefined the summer blockbuster and instilled a collective fascination and fear of the deep. This limited-edition timepiece is a direct homage to the thrilling narrative of the film, translating its most memorable visual cues into a functional and aesthetically striking dive watch. The release is poised to capture the attention of both film enthusiasts and dedicated Seiko followers, offering a tangible piece of cinematic history backed by the respected engineering of the Prospex line.
The legacy of Seiko in the realm of dive watches is a story of innovation and relentless pursuit of reliability under the most demanding conditions. Beginning in 1965 with the introduction of Japan's first-ever dive watch, the 150-meter water-resistant 62MAS, Seiko established itself as a serious contender in a market dominated by Swiss manufacturers. This inaugural model set the stage for decades of development, with Seiko consistently pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible for a diver's timepiece. The brand introduced numerous industry firsts, including the first titanium-cased diver's watch in 1975 and the first diver's watch with a ceramic outer case, the famed "Tuna," in the same year. This commitment to practical innovation, driven by feedback from professional divers, has cemented the Prospex name—a portmanteau of "Professional Specifications"—as a benchmark for durability and performance. The watches are not just designed to look the part; they are built to function flawlessly in the unforgiving underwater environment, a philosophy that has earned them the trust of divers and adventurers worldwide.
Courtesy of Seiko
Parallel to Seiko's rise in the world of professional-grade watches, another cultural force was taking shape. In the summer of 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws was released, forever changing the landscape of popular cinema. Based on Peter Benchley's novel, the film's tale of a great white shark terrorizing the fictional New England town of Amity Island became a cultural touchstone. The film’s masterful blend of suspense, character-driven drama, and visceral thrills created a cinematic experience that was both terrifying and unforgettable. Its impact was immediate and widespread, creating a palpable sense of unease about what lurks beneath the ocean's surface. The film's iconic poster, featuring the massive shark ascending towards an unsuspecting swimmer, became an indelible image, a piece of pop culture art that perfectly encapsulated the movie's primal terror. It is this powerful and universally recognized imagery that forms the creative core of the Seiko Prospex SRPL81, bridging the gap between a classic piece of filmmaking and a modern piece of timekeeping.
The Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary SRPL81 immediately commands attention with its dial, which serves as the primary canvas for its cinematic tribute. The dial art is a direct and faithful recreation of the legendary Jaws movie poster. The lower portion of the dial is a deep, rich blue, representing the depths of the ocean, which gradually lightens towards the surface, creating a subtle gradient effect. From these depths, the unmistakable dorsal fin of the great white shark cuts through the water, its silhouette rendered in a stark, contrasting silver-gray. This single, powerful image is instantly recognizable and serves as the watch's most defining feature. The detailing is meticulous, capturing the sense of impending dread that made the original poster so effective. The choice to place this iconic scene at the heart of the watch ensures that its identity as a tribute piece is clear and unambiguous, creating a strong visual narrative that unfolds every time the wearer checks the time.
Further inspection of the dial reveals thoughtful details that enhance both its legibility and its thematic depth. The hour markers are large and generously filled with Seiko's proprietary LumiBrite compound, ensuring excellent visibility in low-light conditions, a critical feature for any true dive watch. The markers themselves are a mix of circular and rectangular shapes, a classic Seiko diver layout that prioritizes quick and easy reading. At the 12 o'clock position, the marker is a distinct, shield-like shape, providing a clear point of orientation. The hands are classic, bold Seiko diver style—broad and purposeful, also heavily treated with LumiBrite. A particularly noteworthy detail is the counterbalance of the second hand, which is shaped like a shark's fin. This subtle touch adds another layer to the Jaws theme, a small but clever design element that will be appreciated by enthusiasts. The day and date complication is located at the 3 o'clock position, neatly framed by a magnifier on the crystal for improved readability.
Courtesy of Seiko
The case of the SRPL81 utilizes Seiko's much-loved "Turtle" silhouette, a design that has earned a dedicated following among watch collectors for its distinctive, cushion-shaped profile and exceptional comfort on the wrist. The stainless steel case measures 45.0mm in diameter, but the relatively short lug-to-lug distance of 47.7mm allows it to wear more compactly than its dimensions might suggest. This thoughtful ergonomic design ensures that the watch sits securely and comfortably, contouring to the wrist in a way that belies its substantial presence. The thickness of the case is 13.2mm, striking a balance between the robustness expected of a 200-meter dive watch and a profile that can still be worn with relative ease in a variety of settings. The finishing of the case is a combination of brushed and polished surfaces, a hallmark of Seiko's attention to detail, which adds a degree of visual sophistication to its otherwise tool-watch aesthetic.
A defining feature of any serious dive watch is its rotating bezel, and the SRPL81 delivers on this front with both functional and aesthetic prowess. The unidirectional rotating bezel is a critical safety feature for divers, allowing them to track elapsed bottom time. The bezel on this model features a stainless steel construction with a ceramic insert, a premium material known for its exceptional scratch resistance and vibrant, fade-proof color. The insert is a deep, rich blue, perfectly complementing the oceanic theme of the dial. The first 20 minutes of the 60-minute scale are marked in a lighter shade of blue, a subtle but practical detail for timing shorter intervals. The numerals and markings on the bezel are crisp and legible, and the triangular marker at the 12 o'clock position is filled with LumiBrite for underwater and low-light visibility. The action of the 120-click bezel is smooth and precise, with a satisfying tactile feedback that speaks to its quality construction.
Protecting the intricate dial is a sapphire crystal, a material highly valued in watchmaking for its superior scratch resistance compared to the more commonly used mineral crystal. The use of sapphire ensures that the dial remains clear and unmarred through the rigors of daily wear and more adventurous pursuits. To further enhance legibility, the inner surface of the crystal is treated with an anti-reflective coating. This coating minimizes glare and reflections, allowing the wearer to view the detailed dial artwork and time-telling elements with exceptional clarity from various angles and under different lighting conditions. A cyclops magnifier is positioned over the day-date window at 3 o'clock, a practical addition that enlarges the display for quick and easy reading of the date.
The screw-down crown, located at the 4 o'clock position, is another quintessential feature of the Seiko Turtle case and a crucial component for ensuring its water resistance. The offset position of the crown is an ergonomic choice, preventing it from digging into the back of the wearer's wrist during movement, which significantly enhances comfort. The crown itself is substantial and features a grooved texture for a secure grip, making it easy to operate even with wet hands or gloves. When screwed down, it creates a tight seal that, in conjunction with the screw-down case back, guarantees the watch's water resistance rating of 200 meters (660 feet), making it suitable for recreational scuba diving.
Courtesy of Seiko
The case back of the SRPL81 is a solid, screw-down design, providing a secure and water-tight seal for the movement within. As a limited-edition piece, the case back features special engravings that denote its unique status. The phrase "LIMITED EDITION" is clearly marked, immediately signaling the watch's exclusivity. Below this, the iconic wave logo of the Seiko Prospex line is prominently displayed, a symbol of the watch's capability as a serious diver's instrument. Each watch in this 5,000-piece run will also feature a unique serial number engraved on the case back, further cementing its identity as a collectible item and providing a sense of individual ownership for the collector.
At the heart of the Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary SRPL81 beats the Caliber 4R36, a workhorse automatic movement that is highly regarded for its reliability and robustness. This self-winding movement is a staple of Seiko's mid-range offerings and is known for its dependable performance. It operates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and contains 24 jewels, which reduce friction at key stress points within the movement, contributing to its longevity and consistent timekeeping. The 4R36 provides a power reserve of approximately 41 hours, meaning it will continue to run for nearly two days when fully wound, even if left stationary. This movement also offers the practical conveniences of a hacking function, which stops the second hand when the crown is pulled out to allow for precise time setting, and the ability for manual winding, giving the user the option to wind the watch by hand in addition to the automatic winding powered by the motion of their wrist.
The SRPL81 is fitted with a dark blue silicone strap that perfectly complements the color scheme of the dial and bezel. This choice of material is highly practical for a dive watch, as silicone is completely waterproof, durable, and comfortable to wear for extended periods. The strap features a textured, accordion-style design, a classic Seiko diver feature that allows the strap to expand and contract with changes in pressure and the compression of a wetsuit at depth. The texture also adds a visual element that is consistent with the watch's tool-watch purpose. The strap is 205.0mm in length and is secured with a robust stainless steel pin buckle, ensuring the watch remains firmly attached to the wrist. The distance between the lugs is 22mm, a common size that provides the owner with a wide variety of aftermarket strap options should they wish to customize the look of their watch.
The overall weight of the watch is 128.0 grams, a substantial but not overwhelming figure that gives the watch a feeling of quality and solidity on the wrist. Another technical specification of note is its magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m (amperes per meter). While not an anti-magnetic watch in the strictest sense, this level of resistance is sufficient to protect the movement from the magnetic fields encountered in everyday life, such as those emitted by smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices, which can otherwise interfere with the accuracy of a mechanical watch's hairspring. This feature adds another layer of practicality and reliability to the timepiece, ensuring it remains an accurate and dependable companion.
Courtesy of Seiko
The luminescence of the SRPL81 is a key performance feature, thanks to the generous application of Seiko's proprietary LumiBrite material. This high-performance luminous paint is applied to the hands, the hour indexes, and the pip on the rotating bezel. LumiBrite is known for its brightness, longevity, and fast charging capabilities. It can absorb light energy from both natural and artificial sources in a short amount of time and will glow brightly in the dark for hours, ensuring that the time is clearly legible in any lighting condition. For a dive watch, this is not merely an aesthetic feature but a critical element of its functionality, allowing a diver to safely read the time and track their dive duration in the dark, murky conditions of the underwater world. The bright, long-lasting glow of the LumiBrite on the SRPL81 is a testament to Seiko's commitment to the practical needs of divers.
The Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary SRPL81 is a carefully considered and well-executed tribute piece. It successfully merges the worlds of horology and popular culture, creating a watch that is both a capable diver's instrument and a piece of wearable nostalgia. The design choices are deliberate and effective, from the striking dial art that captures the essence of the film's suspense to the subtle, shark-fin-shaped counterbalance on the second hand. The use of the iconic "Turtle" case ensures that the watch is not just a novelty item but a genuinely comfortable and wearable timepiece rooted in Seiko's rich heritage of dive watch design. The combination of a robust automatic movement, a 200-meter water resistance rating, and premium materials like a ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal make it a credible addition to the Prospex Sea collection.
As a limited edition of only 5,000 pieces worldwide, the SRPL81 carries an inherent exclusivity that will undoubtedly appeal to collectors. The special "LIMITED EDITION" and serial number engravings on the case back serve as a constant reminder of its scarcity. This is not just a watch for Seiko enthusiasts or dive watch aficionados; it is a piece that will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever been captivated by the suspense of Jaws. It offers a unique way to connect with a film that has left an indelible mark on cinematic history. The watch serves as a conversation starter, a memento of a shared cultural experience, and a functional tool all in one.
Courtesy of Seiko
The anticipation for this release is a testament to the enduring appeal of both the Seiko brand and the Jaws franchise. For many, Jaws was a formative cinematic experience, and the opportunity to own a high-quality, officially licensed timepiece that celebrates its 50th anniversary is highly appealing. For Seiko collectors, it represents another interesting and unique chapter in the brand's long history of special editions and collaborations. The choice of the "Turtle" case is a smart one, as it is one of Seiko's most popular and recognizable designs, ensuring a broad appeal within the existing fan base. The watch is a celebration of a moment in time, both in the history of film and in the personal histories of those who were thrilled by it.
The Seiko Prospex Jaws 50th Anniversary SRPL81 is scheduled for release in July 2025 and will be limited to 5,000 pieces worldwide. The official suggested retail price is set at USD 795.00. Given the immense popularity of both the Seiko Prospex line and the Jaws franchise, combined with the limited nature of this release, it is expected to be in high demand upon its launch. Prospective buyers will likely need to act quickly through authorized Seiko dealers to secure this unique and collectible tribute to a half-century of cinematic suspense.
Case: Stainless steel; Thickness:13.2mm; Diameter:45.0mm; Lug-to-lug:47.7mm; Stainless steel bezel with ceramic insert; Sapphire crystal with magnifier and anti-reflective coating on inner surface; Screw-down crown and screw case back; Water Resistance 200m / 660ft; Magnetic Resistance 4,800 A/m.
Movement: Caliber 4R36 automatic with manual winding; Power reserve approx. 41 hours; 24 jewels; Features a stop second hand function.
Dial: Blue gradient dial with Jaws 50th Anniversary artwork; LumiBrite on hands, indexes, and bezel; Day/Date display.
Strap: Blue silicone strap; Length 205.0mm; Distance between lugs 22mm.
Price: USD 795.00
Reference Number: SRPL81
Notes: JAWS 50th Anniversary Limited Edition of 5,000 pieces. Features "LIMITED EDITION" and a serial number engraved on the case back. Scheduled for a July 2025 release.