The “Samurai” name speaks to its following, if not its design There are two watch brands with a fanbase enthusiastic enough to nickname their watches: Rolex and Seiko. Rolex’s few nicknames mostly ...

First, there’s the SPB501, a revival of Seiko’s first proper dive watch from 1965, and then there’s the SRPL53, the revamped “Samurai” design introduced in 2024.

The prominent knurled crown appears unchanged, as does the three-link bracelet. The movement is also the same, as the Samurai is still powered by the Seiko Calibre 4R35 automatic. The watch comes in ...