As you already know Seiko Divers all have a cool Nickname, like Sumo, Shogun, Samurai and so on… So why doesn’t the Seiko Marinemaster 300 have one? Does it deserve one, does it need one? For the sake of doing so we could call it something cool like “The Black Ninja”, but the Marinemaster is another kind of beast that doesn’t need cool names to shine…

In Seiko’s lineup the Marinemaster sits right on the transition between the tool watches and the more dressy refined Grand Seiko offerings. It offers everything that Seiko divers are known for and even more with its monoblock case, 300m depth rating, He-Diving capability, high legibility dial and crisp bezel action. Then again its case is a mix of fine brushed and polished segments that can only be found in the exquisitely finished Grand Seiko pieces. This mixture of toolishness and refinement is what sets it apart from the rest and makes this watch proud of its own name, the Marinemaster 300.

As with every watch, there are also some cons and this one is no exception. The case is big measuring 44mm in width and 50mm from lug to lug, but also smaller wrists (like mine) can still wear this watch without overhang. The problem is the thickness, at around 15mm this watch sits really high on the wrist and won’t fit under your shirt cuff. This also makes the watch more prone to make unwanted contact with doors, walls etc. which could scratch the lackered bezel. As beautiful as it is, it’s very delicate and can scratch easily when a rough surface makes contact with it. The last thing I would note is the bracelet clasp, although greatly adjustable due to the ratcheting system, the material used is a simple stamped metal which doesn’t fit the level of finishing of the case.

Those are minor things though. This Japanese beauty is already a classic, go get your Seiko Marinemaster 300 while you can!