Deep Dive: The Evolution of the Seiko Turtle

The design of both the 6306 and the 6309 is distinguished by an unusual case shape. While it has the appearance of a traditional cushion case, the corners are rounded off in a way that gives the watch a less aggressive and more inviting shape. Despite the watch’s heft, it looks comfortable enough to wear all day. The sloping lines make the watch easy to wear under a shirt sleeve, and also give it an organic feel. The “Turtle” nickname stems from this oblong, softly curving appearance, resembling a turtle shell when viewed from above. Of course, the fact that the turtle is an amphibious creature, and the 6306 and 6309 are built for the water, doesn’t hurt either.

Partly because of their extraordinary durability, these early Turtles have attained a certain level of cultural significance – becoming a go-to watch throughout much of the 1980s. As a pop-culture symbol, the Turtle most famously appears in James Cameron’s ​1989 film, The Abyss, with a 6309 appearing on actor Ed Harris’ wrist throughout a film fittingly set underwater. But the Turtle is versatile in the cultural realm as well – in fact, Mick Jagger has also been known to wear one.

The early ’80s saw the appearance (and quick disappearance) of the reference 6309-7290. This transitional model featured small changes to the familiar Turtle shape and served as the beginning for an entirely new series of watches that would become iconic in their own right. Known to collectors as the “Slim Turtle,” the 6309-7290 has a sharper and more angular case, and overall trimmer profile. It’s sleek and angular where the 6306 and 6309 are more softly rounded. The Slim Turtle first appeared in 1982, having a production run of just a few years. In the nearly 40 years since the watch was introduced, it has become extremely collectible, and notably difficult to find. Part of its appeal, in addition to its place in the Turtle line, is that it also​ represents the first glimmer of what would later become the SKX007, perhaps the most popular accessibly priced dive watch of all time.

The iconic Seiko SKX007, one of the most beloved dive watches ever created.

After a period of dormancy through the 90s, while Seiko shifted its focus to the SKX007 and its many variants, as well as the development of a variety of non-mechanical timekeeping technologies, the brand relaunched the Turtle in 2016 to great acclaim. Now part of the Prospex series of technically-advanced, high-grade functional watches, the updated version of the original 6309 was an immediate hit. In fact, longtime Seiko lovers were immediately over the moon with how closely tied the new designs were to the original watches. With a case size of 45mm, the new Turtles are only about half a millimeter larger than their vintage inspirations, and feature handsets and dial elements nearly identical to those of the 6309.

To read the article in English. wornandwound.com