Seiko 5: An introduction to the 'introductory' watch
Ah, the Seiko 5. I’ve written a number of laudatory articles about the lineup over the years. Basically, it’s the perfect watch: affordable, reliable, loved by enthusiasts young and old, available on Prime (I mean, just search Seiko 5 on Amazon and you’ll see the variety of forms the line takes).
Quickly, let’s jump back to 1963, when the original Seiko 5 was launched. The “5” is a reference to the attributes that any Seiko 5 watch would offer, i.e., automatic winding, a day and date display, water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a durable case. Putting forth a set of rules that dictate how a watch should be made is very Seiko, but we should look beyond the set of rules to understand what the brand is actually trying to accomplish. In this case, the rules stand for the principle that anyone should be able to afford a robust, durable sports watch to strap on their wrist for life’s adventures.
Over the half century since, Seiko has churned out dozens of beloved models that meet these criteria: true value proposition, everyday, go-anywhere, do-anything watches worthy of the many internet listicle spots you’ll certainly see them on. For many (myself included), the Seiko 5 line is like the Playboy Magazine that a young teen finds under dad’s bed: it represents an introduction to a vast, often confusing new world. As such, it’s important not only for Seiko, but for the entire watch industry, that the Seiko 5 lineup remains strong.
In 2019, Seiko revamped the Seiko 5 lineup, re-christening it the Seiko 5 Sports. It’s a bit of a souped-up version of the older line: larger, more water-resistant, a bit more expensive. The new Seiko 5 Sports lineup has references beginning in SRPD (with diving bezel), and SRPE (smooth) bezel. But older versions of the Seiko 5 can also still be found around the internet, signified by references beginning with SNK.
Let’s take a look at three of the most important Seiko 5s:
The Seiko 5 Sports SRPE line: Smooth bezel, released in 2020
Seiko 5 Sports SRPD line: Diving bezel, released in 2019
Seiko 5 Sports SNK line: Out-of-production (but still available on Prime!)
Last year when Seiko released its new Seiko 5 Sports line, I practically begged it to release a smaller version with no diving bezel. Meanwhile, SKX devotees were enraged that Seiko had taken their dive watches away, swapping them out for some poor excuse with a display case back, no screw-down crown, and a mere 100 meters of water resistance.
For us at home playing armchair corporate strategist, it all seemed to make sense: take away the budget SKX and force us to pony up for something from the more expensive Prospex line if we wanted a true diver.
I surmised that Seiko would continue to move its new Seiko 5 Sports line more towards sports watch and away from traditional dive watch (it’s in the very name, after all!) — more Rolex Explorer and less Submariner. As a guy with a professed love affair with both the Tudor Black Bay 36 and Rolex Explorer reference 14270, I’d be the first to welcome a true entry-level Seiko sports watch.
Naturally, I was thrilled when Seiko announced the newest additions to the Seiko 5 Sports line, sans rotating bezel. Let’s just get the specs out of the way, since they’re pretty much perfect:
Dimensions: 40mm diameter x 20mm lug width x 11.5mm thickness (44mm lug-to-lug)
Movement: Seiko 4R36 automatic | 24 jewels, 40-hour power reserve
Water resistance: 100m
Crystal: Hardlex
Crown: push/ pull
Display case back
The stainless steel case is solidly built, with a mixture of brushed and polished surfaces that add interest and depth. The prominent polished bezel steps down to lightly brushed lugs; flowing from the bottom right lug is a highly polished bottom crown guard, adding a certain elegance to a feature that’s otherwise pure tool watch.
At first glance, the new Seiko 5 Sports is perfect: the dimensions are right in a goldilocks range; the dial is austere but exquisitely executed; the smooth bezel is attractive without being garish. Especially important: It pops on Instagram, with the look of a watch multiple times its $275 price tag. Sure, there are some details to quibble with: The oyster-style bracelet, with just two micro-adjustments, seems like an afterthought. But, these complaints largely miss the point: This is a watch for the masses, with features newcomers need and details enthusiasts will love.
But, while the steel sports watch craze has seemed like the story in watches over the last couple of years for us close enough to care, that is, of course, not the case. The larger story is the existential threat to the watch industry that comes in the form of a sleek glass squircle.
Most importantly, the new Seiko 5 Sports line offers a viable alternative to the Apple Watch for the mechanical-watch curious. When people ask “what should I buy instead of an Apple Watch (or MVMT)?” I can finally give an answer I’m pretty sure they’ll immediately get.
The easiest way to find a model of the new Seiko 5 Sports SRPE line is to check Amazon: the most popular are the SRPE53 (blue dial on bracelet); SRPE55 (black dial on bracelet); and SRPE51 (grey dial on bracelet)
While the new Seiko 5 Sports SRPD line bears the “5” moniker — and, presumably, the philosophy it stands for that anyone should be able to afford a durable, reliable sports watch — its draws heavily from the other Seiko dive watches (like the SKX) in how it puts this philosophy to work. To put it simply: the SRPD Seiko 5 Sports line is a collection of robust dive watches that runs between $295 and $350.
With this as a starting point, it’s not surprising that Seiko came out of the gate with 27 different models, broken down into “sports”, “suits”, “specialist”, “street” and “sense” sub-collections. The 27 models vary mostly in color way, finish and strap options, but all have a few things in common: 42mm stainless steel case (13.5mm thick), the use of Seiko’s hacking caliber 4R36, 100m of water resistance, a display case back, and drilled lugs.
Where the new SRPD Seiko 5 has most clearly leveled up is in the use of the modern Seiko automatic caliber 4R36. It offers hacking seconds, hand winding, a 40-hour power reserve, and better accuracy. (I haven’t tested the 4R36, but my Seikos with a 7S26 will often run 35 to 45 seconds fast over the course of 24 hours; I’ve got to believe the new movement beats that).
With 27 offerings, there’s a bit of something for everyone in the lineup: there’s the SPRD51 and SPRD55, your standard blue dial and or black dial with matching bezel options, respectively; there’s the SPRD53 with a “Pepsi” bezel; even the all-black SPRD65, gold-accented SPRD57, or examples with textured dials.
On the wrist, the Seiko 5 Sports collection wears pretty similar to the older SKX007. It’s a tall watch with what feels like a high center of gravity, but it sits comfortably on the wrist. However, the lug-to-lug measurement is the same 46mm as that of the SKX007, making it manageable for smaller wrists like mine (for perspective, the 39mm Black Bay 58 has a 47mm lug-to-lug). Like many Seiko 5 models, there’s a display case back, something that often wins over first-time mechanical watch buyers.
The SRPD line is less straight-up tool watch than the old SKX line, but it’s also a more accessible entry point (in design, I mean) to watches than those models ever were, with more style options for those looking mostly for something that’s fashionable but still enthusiast approved.
Find the Seiko 5 SRPD on Amazon.
In the mechanical watch world, there's an unfortunate tendency to assume that "you get what you pay for," and that, for example, a nearly $200,000 Patek 5270 is by default a more lustworthy than a simple watch at an attainable price.
The SNK line it all: it's got a 7S26 movement with 40 hours of power reserve that drives a day and date window at 3 p.m. It's got Seiko's "Magic Lever" winding system inside, which means the watch's rotor winds the movement extremely efficiently. It's not the prettiest movement, but most Seiko 5s came with a skeleton case back which allows new enthusiasts a glimpse of how entrancing a mechanical movement can be. These movements have been known to run for decades without service, and when you do need service, it's easy to find because it's such a ubiquitous caliber.
The stainless steel case is water resistant to 100 feet (and Seiko is known for underestimating the water resistance of their timepieces), with 37mm diameter and 11m thickness.
When we write about watches, true value propositions like this are too often overlooked. For some reason, finding a good horological value isn't respected the same way it is in other consumer categories. And while other large brands and microbrands offer value propositions in the $1,000-$2,000 category, Seiko is perhaps the only brand offering a true piece of watchmaking under $100. While the SNK line is technically out of production now, it’s still the best watch on Amazon.
Or, if you want to skip to the buying part of today’s show, you can find this Seiko 5 on Amazon in blue, black, green or white.