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Seiko 5 Review: Is this Collection Worth Your Money?
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Seiko is a Japanese watch brand that was founded in 1881, aiming to thrive for reliable watches with constant innovation, and most importantly at a great and competitive price. Today, they are one of the biggest watch brands in the world.
Some people might think that the true luxury and reputable watch brands are only from Switzerland but this cannot be further than the truth. Seiko at one point in time, almost single handedly wiped out the Swiss watch industry by creating a revolutionary watch movement, known as the quartz movement.
This incident, famously called the quartz crisis (or infamously for the Swiss watch companies), have been one of the greatest successes that Seiko have made in their long history by making amazing watches at an unbelievable price point.
Till this day, Seiko stays true to their mantra and continues doing so by creating the three tiers for their watches. Seiko 5, Seiko and Grand Seiko. And among their large collection of watches, the Seiko 5 collection is the truest to that statement.
Seiko 5 Watches in the Past
In this section, you should explain how Seiko 5 watches were viewed in the past, how and where they were manufactured, etc. and a brief history about them.
The Seiko 5 was first released by Seiko in 1963, Japan and aimed to focus on younger audiences who wanted a more fun and interesting sports watch but also affordable at the same time. The first ever model was named the Sportsmatic 5, featuring their first ever automatic watch that also has a day-date complication located at the 3 o’clock.
You might wonder, why did Seiko call this collection Seiko 5? The original designer of the Sportsmatic 5, Ren Tanaka, claimed that “5” was a playful uneven number and suits the collection.
However, Seiko suggests that the “5” represents the 5 important attributes that a Seiko 5 should have: an automatic movement, a day-date complication at the 3 o’clock position, water resistance, a recessed crown at the 4 o’clock position and having a sturdy bracelet and case.
Besides the important 5 features, the Seiko 5 logo is also drastically different from the older one. The older logo almost has a badge around the number 5 and the new one is more angular and aggressive looking without the badge. Depending on your personality you might like the older logo better (which I do) or the newer logo better.
As described, the “5” remains a very important part of Seiko’s history and this helped strengthen the product planning and also their marketing strategy, making it an iconic but also meaningful symbol in their collection.
Seiko 5 Watches Today
In this section, you should discuss what’s the current status of Seiko 5, how the brand is perceived, which are some popular models, etc.
Fast forward to today, about 60 years later, Seiko 5 remains one of the most popular watches sold in the Seiko range. The current status of Seiko 5 also remains very similar to the original Seiko 5 that was released about 60 years ago, remaining and respecting the same 5 attributes that makes a Seiko 5, a Seiko 5.
At this moment, Seiko 5 is viewed as the youngest brother in the Seiko 5 and the most affordable range, suitable for students or young adults who are getting into the tough adult life.
Seiko 5 also represents the more fun and quirky side of Seiko as they often have collaboration with fun and in trend entertainment such as Japanese anime like Naruto, One Piece and even car brands like Honda. Thus, you can really tell why the younger audiences like the Seiko 5 more.
They offer 4 different serieses in the Seiko 5, ranging from sporty, to everyday, to even limited edition collections! The official names for the series are not too easy to remember though so I will describe it in detail.
Field Series: As the name suggests, it is based on a design of a typical field watch and a field watch would generally have the future of a 24 hour index on the dial, allowing the users to track night time or day time. This collection comes with different case material finishes (black or steel), sizes, dial colors and strap options.
SKX Series: The name is based on the very popular SKX (SKX007, SKX0013) models in the past and since its discontinuation, the fans have mourned for it so in order to fix that, Seiko actually keeps that heritage.
This series mainly focuses on sporty watches consisting of dive watches and GMTs, and it also has a few standard 3 handed everyday watches as well for both men and women.
SNXS Series: Similar to the SKX series, this is also based on the old SNXS model. This is famously known for the UFO-style case design and a standard three link stainless steel bracelet, accompanied with different dial colors. You can view this as a 3 handed everyday watch but with a bit of character.
Supercars series: As the name suggests, it is a collaboration with supercars such as Honda and more. This series are mainly special editions or limited editions that come with a special box. As for the watches, it is similar to the SKX series but with a bit of flair when it comes to the design.
Among all the different watches , the most popular model from the Seiko 5 series is the Seiko 5 sports SKX series. They are essentially dive watches with a series of different colors on the dial and bezel. If you want something more classic, they have it. If you want something more fun and unique, they have it too.
From the amount of choices that you can choose from to the affordability of an automatic dive watch, it’s easy to see why they are the most popular model in the Seiko 5 collection.
What Makes Seiko 5 Watches Stand Out?
Undoubtedly the best thing about Seiko 5 is how competitive the pricing is, especially for the quality of the watch. They range from $150 to around $650. This price point attracts the majority of people out there who just want a solid automatic watch that just works with an attractive price.
The entire Seiko 5 range has in house Seiko automatic movements. This means every single part of their mechanical watches are researched, made and assembled by Seiko themselves. This is particularly useful as they are able to control the quality better and make it consistent throughout all their models.
Furthermore, at this price point, it is very rare that you can find a watch that features a fully mechanical in-house automatic movement. Most models have around a 40 hour power reserve and also 5 years international guarantee, which is very solid again at this price point.
Not only that, the finishing of the case and bracelet is excellent. You often get different kinds of finishing on them, such as a high polishing contrasting with brushed finishing, making the watch look more appealing.
From classic looking sports watches to fun colour-ed dive watches, it pretty much covers most designs in the watch market and will cover 99% of people’s taste in watches. Not only that, they also offer limited edition and special edition timepieces to even fit a wider audience.
Seiko isn’t a brand new brand by any means and has been around for about 150 years, which is crazy to think about. They have so much history behind its archive that even most luxury brands cannot compare today.
This long history behind Seiko just gives us, as buyers, more confidence in the brain as they are more reputable and reliable. Besides, it is always good and a peace of mind to know that your Seiko 5 is and always be part of the long history that Seiko has.
Watches at this price point are hard to beat and most of them around this price are also hard to find. Most of them are sold online through their website or through a third party jeweler.
This would significantly impact the experience for someone who is looking to try on one of the watches to get an actual feel of it. More often than not, the watches that you see online might look great but do not fit on your wrist.
It is also a better experience that you can compare lots of different models on the spot to choose what you actually want. Seiko has so many boutiques throughout the world and even if Seiko does not have a stand alone boutique, Seiko 5 watches can also be found at most multi branded watch stores such as Exquisite Timepieces.
Should you get a Seiko 5 Watch?
In this section, you should discuss whether it’s a good idea to buy Seiko 5 watches, who they are for, what alternatives they have, etc.
As discussed previously and judging by the tone of this review, you could probably already tell that it’s an easy yes from me. And I’ll give you my personal experience on a Seiko 5 as well.
I have two Seiko 5s, a SNK355 and the very popular SNK807. Even though both models are not in their current lineup anymore, you are still able to get them from some retailers.
The SNK355 was my first ever automatic watch and I still remember till this day the first time I got it. It was beautiful. The finishing on the dial was excellent. The 37mm case suits me perfectly and the bracelet just wraps around the wrist very well.
It was very comfortable and most importantly, (for me at the time), it had an open case back. Sure, an open case back feature nowadays is not a luxury to have but to me, it was super impactful because I was able to see how everything worked in this little watch of mine mechanically. The whole package was just beautiful.
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Fast forward to today, I still wear it every now and then, reminding myself how far I have come and the watch has never skipped a beat. I love how simple looking it is and how timeless the design is. I love how “Saturday” on the date window is blue in colour and “ Sunday” is in red. This watch will always be a part of me.
The SNK807 was a gift from my brother and you share the same characteristics of a typical Seiko 5 but in a more utilitarian look. The case is entirely brushed and the buckle as well, giving it a more casual look along with the matte blue dial.
It is certainly a fun weekend watch and I enjoy wearing it from time to time. The only slight downside I would say is the fabric strap wears out very easily and I needed to change the strap in a year or more. But, I did wear it quite a bit so it was quite expected for the strap to be worn down. Again, as expected, it runs smoothly and has never failed me once and always keeps on ticking.
Other than the two models I have mentioned, Seiko 5 obviously has way more models out there for you to unpack. Besides, the modern Seiko’s are getting more expensive every year but luckily, the Seiko 5 prices remain relatively similar throughout the years. This will be perfect for someone who wants something more affordable and entry level.
Most of the models that they have in their catalogue focuses more on sporty models and thus, will suit best for younger adults or even teenagers who are looking to get into the rabbit hole of watches.
From the bottom of my heart, I seriously think a Seiko 5 is such a solid watch for anyone who is looking to get their first automatic watch. It looks beautiful, super reliable, easy to get and super affordable. It has the whole package that everyone should seriously consider.
Conclusion
Seiko 5 has been viewed by many watch enthusiasts around the world and highly recommended by everyone and it is easy to see why.
With their long history of making watches, and focusing on providing the best bang for your buck watch, the Seiko 5 never truly feels like they are cutting corners on their watches and in fact, it surprises me every time how much watch you’re getting for your money.
I have personally owned two Seiko 5’s for several years and I have never regretted buying one, and you certainly will not regret too.
About Exquisite Timepieces
Established in 1998, Exquisite Timepieces is your one-stop shop for all things luxury watches! We are an authorized dealer for 60+ luxury watch brands including Omega, Hublot, Seiko, & Longines! We are proud to showcase one of the world’s largest pre-owned watch collections, including renowned brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe. Check out our brand new watch arrivals here and popular pre-owned listings here.
