Seiko's new limited-edition Prospex 'Blue Tears' now available to buy, price finally revealed

Seiko's "Blue Tears" Prospex is now on sale. The HBB006K1 is listed on Seiko Boutique Singapore at S$953.80, which is about $746, and it's in stock. That fills in the one detail missing when we covered the announcement three days ago, since Seiko didn't give a price at the time. Singapore's figure includes 9% GST, so cut out, it's closer to $685.

The watch is a Thong Sia Group exclusive, limited to 1,200 pieces and sold only in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Brunei. October was the stated release window, so October 1 is right on schedule.

The name refers to a bioluminescent bloom seen off parts of the Asian coast, and the dial is Seiko's read on it: deep blue with a sunray finish, under a matching blue rotating bezel. The markers and hands are oversized and filled with Lumibrite.

The case is stainless-steel at 41.7 mm across and 12.3 mm thick, with a screw-down crown and a one-way bezel. Water resistance is 200 m to the diver's standard. Seiko ships it on a steel bracelet and includes a dark navy silicone strap in the box, which is a nicer inclusion than it sounds at this price, since the alternative is usually buying one.

The watch is powered by the 4R35, Seiko's workhorse automatic. It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a 41-hour power reserve, and it both hand-winds and hacks — you get three hands and a date display.

However, the crystal is Hardlex, not sapphire. That's standard for the 4R35 tier of Prospex, but it's a scratch-prone surface on a watch at this end of the range, and it's the clearest sign that the price here is tracking the limited run rather than the materials.

Buy the Seiko SSK003 on Amazon.