On February 8th, Seiko released two new Monsters for the Japanese domestic market (JDM), the SBDC073 – nicknamed the ‘Frost Monster’ – and the SBDC075 – still an orange Monster, but this time with a sunburst dial instead of the usual matte orange.
These are still part of the third generation of Monsters which began to be released last year, and specs are the same – Seiko 6R15 mid-range automatic movement, cyclops date window, 42.5mm diameter, with a lug to lug of 47.5mm. And of course, still that ‘Monster’ look that people either love or absolutely hate.
Of the two, my preference is for the SBDC073 with the white, frosted looking dial. The orange sunburst is getting mixed reviews from people who have seen it, with many saying they prefer the old matte coloring.
The biggest complaint though?
The price. This third generation of Seiko Prospex Monsters, with the 6R15 movement, is not exactly a budget watch. The older generations of monsters could be had for $200 to $300. Now retailers are asking for $500 to $600 for these latest models.
This is all part of Seiko’s attempt to get out of the failing department stores in the U.S. and move more upmarket. You can read more about their plans in an article over at Hodinkee, but the short of it is that most Seiko watches are going to get more expensive, especially the Prospex branded, ‘professional’ watches.
This will probably be a good move for Seiko, and may even get more Seiko watches in the hands of the general U.S. population. But long time Seiko fans who already knew the value they presented are going to have their wallets hurt.
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