What is your definition of a Tuna?

[vintage navitimer]

I'm annoyed, I see the term Tuna used a lot on many forums when referring to a shrouded Seiko Diver.

For me, I look to the past for clarification. The history of Seiko divers, in particular those given the nickname "Tuna" referred to shrouded divers labeled "Professional", with water resistance ratings of 300 meters, 600, meters and even 1000 meters. They were powered by robust automatic movements or high torque quartz movements with metal gear trains. They were built to take a pounding in any environment. They were tool watches in the purest form.

No disrespect to anyone, but a 200 meter Seiko diver with a shroud . . . in my opinion isn't a "Tuna".

Whats your definition of a Seiko Tuna?

[pickettt]

It’s my understanding that the “tuna” nomenclature came from the particular shape of the case. If that is so, the watches that bear that case shape are all tunas.....in my rationalization.

[scarlet knight]

I think Tuna refers to the shrouded bezel. I understand that my plastic solar quartz watch is not in the same league as a 1000m automatic watch, but the shape is that of a tuna can.


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[111forza]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

I'm annoyed, I see the term Tuna used a lot on many forums when referring to a shrouded Seiko Diver.

For me, I look to the past for clarification. The history of Seiko divers, in particular those given the nickname "Tuna" referred to shrouded divers labeled "Professional", with water resistance ratings of 300 meters, 600, meters and even 1000 meters. They were powered by robust automatic movements or high torque quartz movements with metal gear trains. They were built to take a pounding in any environment. They were tool watches in the purest form.

No disrespect to anyone, but a 200 meter Seiko diver with a shroud . . . in my opinion isn't a "Tuna".

Whats your definition of a Seiko Tuna?

Brother as far as I'm concerned it's the case shape that determines its a tuna for me and nothing to do with the depth rating

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by 111forza

Brother as far as I'm concerned it's the case shape that determines its a tuna for me and nothing to do with the depth rating

totally

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

I'm annoyed, I see the term Tuna used a lot on many forums when referring to a shrouded Seiko Diver.

For me, I look to the past for clarification. The history of Seiko divers, in particular those given the nickname "Tuna" referred to shrouded divers labeled "Professional", with water resistance ratings of 300 meters, 600, meters and even 1000 meters. They were powered by robust automatic movements or high torque quartz movements with metal gear trains. They were built to take a pounding in any environment. They were tool watches in the purest form.

No disrespect to anyone, but a 200 meter Seiko diver with a shroud . . . in my opinion isn't a "Tuna".

Whats your definition of a Seiko Tuna?

The case shape is the reason it got its name. The other things you named happen to be the features the first watches of this design had. Seiko has created different iterations as time has passed. Solar Tuna's are part of that evolution. Same shape, different features.

[vintage navitimer]

No doubt the case shape is how the watch got its nickname. I'm just wondering if any other die hard Seiko diver enthusiasts have a problem with a plastic shrouded "monster" being referred to as a Tuna.

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

No doubt the case shape is how the watch got its nickname. I'm just wondering if any other die hard Seiko diver enthusiasts have a problem with a plastic shrouded "monster" being referred to as a Tuna.

It looks a Tuna to me, not a Monster.

[Old Expat Beast]

Seiko's definition of the Tuna (or Tuna Can) seems to be all about shape, although they admit the name is a fan creation, not official: https://www.seiko-design.com/en/aka/index.html

[111forza]

Originally Posted by old expat beast

seiko's definition of the tuna (or tuna can) seems to be all about shape, although they admit the name is a fan creation, not official: https://www.seiko-design.com/en/aka/index.html

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[Vvvlllooo]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Seiko's definition of the Tuna (or Tuna Can) seems to be all about shape, although they admit the name is a fan creation, not official: https://www.seiko-design.com/en/aka/index.html

[vintage navitimer]

Originally Posted by Vvvlllooo

In the link you re-posted


Notice the picture of the watch on the plate, they chose an sbbn015. See what it says on the dial. Marinemaster Professional 300m. Direct lineage to the first Tunas made in the 70's, they were, and still are serious dive watches. I think you are basing their article strictly on the visual, rather than what the name represents to the enthusiasts that created the name in the first place. You can get off the floor now. ;-)

[Marsd]

Watch nicknames given by Seiko watch enthusiast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHLa2v6hyjE

[Frogman]

Real tunas are the 300m and above marine masters that they put years worth of research into.
The marine master versions are the real tunas with the heritage.
The rest are just using a tuna case/shroud, i suppose they are tunas because they share the case style but i dont see them as real tunas.

[vintage navitimer]

Originally Posted by Frogman

Real tunas are the 300m and above marine masters that they put years worth of research into.
The marine master versions are the real tunas with the heritage.
The rest are just using a tuna case/shroud, i suppose they are tunas because they share the case style but i dont see them as real tunas.

Well put, thank you.

Here is a link showing the history of the Seiko Tuna, a collectors guide.

https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guide...s-guide?page=1

Real Tunas have a direct lineage to the originals. They are Professional Dive watches. Examples would be any of the sbbn series pieces or the 8L35 powered sbdx011 and its variations, there are also a few spring drive models. Not to be a Tuna snob, but these watches have pedigree.

The rest of the Seiko shrouded divers are homage pieces. At best they are referenced as baby tunas, or monster tunas.

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by Frogman

Real tunas are the 300m and above marine masters that they put years worth of research into.
The marine master versions are the real tunas with the heritage.
The rest are just using a tuna case/shroud, i suppose they are tunas because they share the case style but i dont see them as real tunas.

You don't think Seiko put research into the Solar Tuna's? So this disqualifies them?

[Frogman]

Originally Posted by toxicavenger

You don't think Seiko put research into the Solar Tuna's? So this disqualifies them?

Is this a serious question lol?

[Pongster]

So the difference between a tuna and a baby tuna is depth rating?

Monster tuna is same as baby tuna?

[vintage navitimer]

Originally Posted by Pongster

So the difference between a tuna and a baby tuna is depth rating?

Monster tuna is same as baby tuna?

1) To some extent yes, but lets not forget the lineage, its history.

2) The first time I heard the term baby tuna was in reference to an srp637k1.
Monster Tuna was a term used earlier for smaller cased monster watches
with a full rather than partial shroud . . . much like the baby tuna.

[Frogman]

Originally Posted by Pongster

So the difference between a tuna and a baby tuna is depth rating?

Monster tuna is same as baby tuna?

Watch a few vids on the making and design of the real Tunas, to lump a solar or lesser models in the same basket just doesnt seem right..

Real tunas are very special dive watches.

Ive no problem with what people call them, solar tuna sounds ok to me and they do share a similar designed case, its only normal people can them tunas i suppose but the real tunas are the marine masters for mine.

[toxicavenger]

I guess I don't get this thread. You ask everyone's opinion and only one person agreed with you. Now you want to debate it?

The fact remains is the name Tuna described a style of watch, and that was all. The other attributes the watch had like movement, model number, depth rating, etc had no bearings on that naming convention at that time.

[vintage navitimer]

Originally Posted by toxicavenger

I guess I don't get this thread. You ask everyone's opinion and only one person agreed with you. Now you want to debate it?

The fact remains is the name Tuna described a style of watch, and that was all. The other attributes the watch had like movement, model number, depth rating, etc had no bearings on that naming convention at that time.

Okay, lets try this comparison. When someone asks you to picture a Porsche or better yet a Lamborghini in your head . . . do you see an exotic sports car or an SUV. Chances are the answer is sports car. The expectations go with the name because the name was built on the manufactures history.

or

Picture in your head an older Rolex time piece that has a rotating bezel and you can swim with it on your wrist. Chances are you picture a Submariner or Sea Dweller. Your probably not picturing a Turn-O-Graph. In this case a rotating bezel and 100 meters water resistance doesn't make a dive watch.

My point is that those who collect Seiko watches (specifically Tunas)would not consider a Solar Diver or other 200 meter diver with a shroud a Tuna.

Just google "Seiko Tuna collection" under images and the first 8 photos that are not advertisements are all professional divers.

A Tuna is a Professional Diver . . . unfortunately Seiko itself has eroded the name of a legendary series of watches by producing homage pieces with little in common other than a shroud.

[111forza]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

Okay, lets try this comparison. When someone asks you to picture a Porsche or better yet a Lamborghini in your head . . . do you see an exotic sports car or an SUV. Chances are the answer is sports car. The expectations go with the name because the name was built on the manufactures history.

or

Picture in your head an older Rolex time piece that has a rotating bezel and you can swim with it on your wrist. Chances are you picture a Submariner or Sea Dweller. Your probably not picturing a Turn-O-Graph. In this case a rotating bezel and 100 meters water resistance doesn't make a dive watch.

My point is that those who collect Seiko watches (specifically Tunas)would not consider a Solar Diver or other 200 meter diver with a shroud a Tuna.

Just google "Seiko Tuna collection" under images and the first 8 photos that are not advertisements are all professional divers.

A Tuna is a Professional Diver . . . unfortunately Seiko itself has eroded the name of a legendary series of watches by producing homage pieces with little in common other than a shroud.

You’re reading to deep into this buddy (pardon the pun)

[ashbaug2]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

Okay, lets try this comparison. When someone asks you to picture a Porsche or better yet a Lamborghini in your head . . . do you see an exotic sports car or an SUV. Chances are the answer is sports car. The expectations go with the name because the name was built on the manufactures history.

Your argument here is slightly flawed, because at the end of the day, whatever someone envisions in their head, both the sports car and the SUV are both Porsche/Lamborghini. Therefore, whether someone is envisioning a 300m "Professional" Tuna or a 200m "PROSPEX" (again, Professional Specification) Tuna, they are both Tunas.

When you start looking at what the Tuna was created for (protection of the watch used in Commercial Diving scenarios), and think that most commercial divers operate in the 200 feet (not meter) depth, with some working up to 600 feet deep (~200 meters), then your 200m Tuna sounds just as useful as the 300m, also considering Seiko always underrates/over tests their dive watches by at least 25%.

https://skin-diver.com/2018/08/21/co...-deep-is-deep/

This is an interesting topic, but I doubt anyone is changing anyone's mind since this is an aesthetic issue, not a technical one, like you are making it try to be. Ultimately, the majority of people are going to see the diver's shroud and say "Oh, a Tuna" and not care that it goes only 200m and not 300m. Because let's be honest, 99.9+% of people buying any dive watch don't dive, let alone past the 130 foot open water limit, so it's all about aesthetics for the consumer.

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

A Tuna is a Professional Diver . . . unfortunately Seiko itself has eroded the name of a legendary series of watches by producing homage pieces with little in common other than a shroud.

Wrong, Seiko didn't do anything. The name "Tuna" was not one that Seiko created. Seiko just made a watch with a similar deign that is slightly smaller/cheaper/more manageable for a new generation of watch enthusiast.

[ashbaug2]

Tuna definitely refers to the shape of the shroud, therefore any of those watches would be considered a "Tuna", in my opinion.

Also, I think that since only those watches with the Prospex (Professional Specifications?), they might not say "Professional", as you mentioned, but they have the qualities of the current "Professional" series divers. Just like any other watch has evolved since the 1970s, so, too, have Seiko divers.

[vintage navitimer]

I agree, they do evolve. However the baseline of its capability should not be reduced as it evolves. Here is a current Tuna reference sbbn031. Lume is stronger, bracelet is quite nice, and it has Diasheild and it’s part of the Prospex series. Notice though, it has a 300 meter depth rating, and it states it’s a professional dive watch.



if it has a shroud and a 200 meter rating its just a distant cousin


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[Frogman]

Originally Posted by vintage navitimer

I agree, they do evolve. However the baseline of its capability should not be reduced as it evolves. Here is a current Tuna reference sbbn031. Lume is stronger, bracelet is quite nice, and it has Diasheild and it’s part of the Prospex series. Notice though, it has a 300 meter depth rating, and it states it’s a professional dive watch.



if it has a shroud and a 200 meter rating its just a distant cousin


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Nice SBBN031, ive got the same, absolutely brilliant watch.
Would i pay over 1k for a quartz again? for sure, as long as its a tuna.
This is the best quartz movt thats ever been purpose made for a dive watch.

[vintage navitimer]

I guess we can agree to disagree

[scarlet knight]

I have the largest collection of diver’s watches of anyone who can barely swim. Most notable is my Breitling Superocean, good for 1500 meters (5000 feet) that I will never dive!