Bowed to the Emperor, Tuna

3 months ago over lunch, a colleague and a good friend of mine mentioned out of the blue, "How do you find the Seiko Emperor Tuna?" Knowing I'm a watch enthusiast, he was half expecting me to give him my opinion of it, immediately. I'm pretty knowledgeable about the Seiko brand; how they thrived during the quartz crisis, invented the Kinetic movement, and in more recent years, the Spring Drive hybrid mechanical movement. 

I can wax lyrics about their ingenious Kinetic Versions 1 and 2; how physical wrist movement is used to generate and store electricity (much like winding spring of a mechanical movement) to power the quartz movement, and how Version 2 stopped the hands motion in power save mode to conserve battery charge for a longer "power reserve". Spring Drive is Seiko's answer to mechanical movements; it has all the components of a traditional mechanical movement except for the escapement. Instead of using pallet wheel and lever to regulate the discharge of spring force to power the balance wheel, Spring Drive uses a electro-magnetic system to regulate the 'speed' of the "balance wheel". The amount of "braking" applied to the balance wheel is regulated by electronics, which ensures greater accuracy without the conventional jittery second hands, compared to those (mechanical) even of high beat rates.

I can go on and on and on about Seiko movements (and some of their watches in the Grand series), but I've not heard of the Emperor Tuna! What the hack is that I thought, and humbly in true honesty, I admitted to him that I know nuts about it. He began to share his soft spot for dive watches, and his collection of the Seiko Orange Monster, but the one he values most is the Vostok 'Putin' that his wife bought him.

Seiko SKX781 'Orange Monster'
Dive Watch

Love, Pride & Joy... The Vostok 'Putin'
(picture taken 18th March 2015, at lunch)

It was very refreshing to hear from a hardcore cyclist talking about his love for watches. 3 months since, I've dug deep into the history of Seiko dive watches. Indeed, they stood the test of time from 1965, with proven reliability and precision endorsed by Japan Antarctic Research Expeditions. The Emperor Tuna is their latest incarnation of the Prospex sea series; double structured titanium case that withstand in excess of 4000m under water (tested) without the need for a helium escape valve!

Seiko Prospex 'Emperor Tuna' SBDX011
Marine Master

For a good 3 months, whenever I discover something worth mentioning about the Emperor Tuna, I'll share with him. The desire of getting one himself builds over the duration till 2 days back; it chanced upon him that it is available in Yodobashi Yokohama! With the strong Singapore dollar and tax free shopping, even with his favorite watch (the gift from his wife) on his wrist, his resistance to temptation is weaken further.

First encounter with the 'Emperor Tuna' in person

Decision decision, 24 hours later, he gave in to fate and bought the watch; a well earned and deserving gift for himself I would say. Incidentally, despite his new toy, he took a picture and sent me what meant to him the most; the watch from his wife. As he took it off, getting ready for bed, the buckle pin broke! Even without him saying explicitly, I can tell the sadness from his tone of whatsapp messages.

Officially a new toy

Same pose, same love, just a different toy

(picture taken 30th Jun 2015)

Still the most beloved

Heart breaks

Heart broken

Material things, no matter how sturdy they are, will leave us one day. What matter most is the memories of it and all the love packed within... Love your new watch, but love your wife more, was what resonates with him as I speak...