As soon as I saw the Seiko Kinetic watch for the first time, I was instantly attracted. The bezel, face, and case combination are striking, and I’ve always been a fan of rugged dive watches.
A good timepiece should be part of your Every Day Carry, regardless of your occupation.
The “Padi” Seiko Kinetic has a stainless steel case that is 47.5mm in diameter and 14mm thick. Needless to say, this is a substantial “tactical watch,” and it is not lightweight, either. However, the case has an interesting design, as it comes up around much of the bezel and shields it, creating a sort of protective barrier while still allowing the wearer to access the bezel to manipulate it.
The PADI’s colors and design are eye-catching. It’s just interesting to look at!
Also, rather than being square, the case is tapered, giving it a streamlined look and feel, which is a pleasant departure from how most dive watches are designed. Finally, the stainless case has a brushed finish, giving it a sort of matte finish that is pleasing to the eye. Another interesting aspect of the case is that there are cutouts on both sides with “windows” that allow you to look inside the watch.
Side view shows the windows cut out in the case, as well as the crown and button to check the charge level. The case partially protects the bezel.
There is a large window cut into the left side of the case.
The back of the case contains the model number and other watch information.
The crown is of the screw-down variety and is easy to operate, being located at the three o’clock position. Just above that is a button that, when pushed, indicates the power reserve level. Speaking of power, the watch is powered by kinetic energy. In simple terms, each time the watch moves, such as when you’re wearing it, it operates a rotor, which charges an onboard battery. It’s a neat aspect because you can actually feel and hear the rotor operating if the room is quiet. When fully charged, the internal battery’s charge will last for approximately six months. In addition, there is a feature to indicate that the battery is low; the second hand will move at two-second intervals. Beyond that, the movement is quartz, which contributes to accuracy.
The PADI Seiko Kinetic diver has a bezel that rotates in one direction so that if you’re diving, it won’t accidentally move in the wrong direction, which could give a diver an erroneous dive time. That could prove fatal. PADI stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors, in case you were wondering, and Seiko partnered with them to develop this watch.
The bezel is marked by numbers and is black, which contrasts nicely with the blue face of the watch. The outer portion of the bezel has scallop shapes cut into it, which really gives the fingers a positive purchase when manipulating the bezel.
The number marks on the face of the watch are luminous, as are the hour, minute, and second hands. The luminescence is pleasingly bright and lasts for hours, and is among the best of any of the watches that I’ve ever owned. As mentioned, it’s a dark blue background, and there are red hash marks at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock spots, which adds a nice dash of color and makes the watch face that much more interesting.
This Seiko Kinetic, and not lightweight! The band keeps it in place well.
There is a date window between four and five on the face, and it fits in there unobtrusively.
Additionally, there is a GMT feature, so you can set the GMT hour hand for a different time zone if you desire. This particular hand is red, adding more color to the watch face.
This watch is rated for 200 meters, or 660 feet, making it a SCUBA diving-rated watch. There’s no doubt that this watch is up to just about anything you can throw at it in an aquatic environment (and pretty much any environment). These days, divers mostly use dive computers, but it’s always helpful to have a precision watch as a backup to the computer.
To keep the watch securely on your wrist, there is a thick, black silicon band that works very well. The buckle and keeper are stainless steel and very robust, so there’s little chance of ever having issues with it not being durable enough.
The hardware on the band is stainless steel and extremely sturdy! The band is a black resin, which is firm, yet pliable.
The face of the watch has a sapphire crystal, so it’s incredibly durable and not likely to scratch. So far, despite the bangs and bumps that I’ve put this watch through over the last couple of years, there are no scratches or chips in the crystal. So it’s good to go!
All in all, this is an extraordinary timepiece that is highly durable and looks spectacular. The case and dial, combined with the bezel, all meld together to create a somewhat unique look, which says quite a bit in this market saturated with dive watches. This one is just different enough to make it stand out. Be advised that it is not a lightweight watch; this one does have a bit of weight to it. That said, the band does keep it secured on the wrist well. Whether you want a watch for going into the depths or just a timepiece that looks fetching, the Seiko Kinetic PADI limited edition will be a great choice!
About The Author:
Jim Davis served in the PA Dept. of Corrections for 16 ½ years as a corrections officer in the State Correctional Institute at Graterford and later at SCI Phoenix. He served on the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), several of those years as a sniper, and also the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT). For 25 years, he was a professional instructor, teaching topics including Defensive Tactics, Riot Control and Tactical Operations, Immediate Responder, and cognitive programs as an adjunct instructor at the DOC Training Academy. He was then promoted to the title of corrections counselor, where he ran a caseload and facilitated cognitive therapy classes to inmates. His total service time was close to 29 years. He was involved in many violent encounters on duty, including incidents of fatalities.
