Seiko Sarb033 vs. Sarb035 (BEST Affordable Luxury Watch?)

The Seiko Sarb033 vs. Sarb035 debate is an interesting one. It is amazing to see what these two watches have under the hood. Both are great watches that easily pass for modern classics due to their mind-blowing design. Whenever either of these watches is posted on the subreddit, it sells fast. This watch competes with some of the rarest watches that are limited edition in sale speed. 

No watch can be a better alternative to SARB035 than its counterpart, SARB033. Either of these watches could easily serve as an alternative for the other. Hence, if you don’t get one on the market, you can always purchase the other and add this beauty to your collection of watches. 

The prices of these watches fluctuate each week as they are watches people would kill to get. A handful of these watches come and go each week, which justifies the price fluctuation. And since the discontinuation of the SARB line, these watches have become even rarer to come by. The white dial SARB035 and black dial SARB033 are the perfect watches you can get for any price tag.

If you are a fan of luxury but have to work with a budget, Seiko watches are budget-price luxury watches. The Seiko SARB033 and its alternate, the SARB035, are two of the most popular budget wristwatches on the market. 

SARB033 Review

The SARB033 makes it difficult to ignore Seiko’s already rich reputation. The watch is simple yet has an effective, versatile, and classy design that screams luxury from far away. The steel case comes in with a width of 38mm. It has an 11m thickness with a 44mm lug-to-lug length. 

The SARB033 is easy on the wristwatch, but the classy design is eye piercing. This watch is an excellent daily piece that accommodates regular strap changes. This watch is an out-of-the-box beauty with surprising versatility. 

Features

The Seiko 6R15 automatic movement powers the SARB033, and a fantastic 50-hour power reserve backs it up. With these two under the hood, the SARB033 can sit comfortably in your collection without needing winding anytime soon. 

If you come across this watch, you cannot miss the indices and hands embedded into the eye of this watch. The beauty of the SARB033 comes out with the classic Seiko polish, a watch that catches and reflects light rays perfectly. 

The SARB033 is a watch whose quality, you would say, exceeds the price tag twice or even three times over. The second hand on the watch is at the edge of the dial, using all the available space to show off its beauty. The date window cut also gets equal polish attention, just like the hands. 

The SARB033 is exquisite; you get a perfectly vertically brushed top surface with finely polished sides. Flip the timepiece over to reveal a beautiful display case back. The watch comes with a standard bracelet that has similar finishing. 

One of the reasons this watch is so popular is that it inherits some of Grand Seiko’s classic finishing touches. The polished ends of the link are flashes of the ones found on the Grand Seiko series. It can all be yours for a price tag ranging around $900. 

The Seiko SARB033 does tend to lose a few points when it comes to enthusiasts who feel metal straps are unnecessary. However, this doesn’t discredit the overall beauty of the watch; there are a few straps that can come in to replace the metal straps if you don’t like them. 

The Kirkstead stainless steel strap is one to pick out. It is one of the most exquisite straps you can find on the market. Leather straps don’t downplay the beauty of this watch in any way. If you’re not a fan of metal straps, you can always get yourself a leather strap and add that hint of vintage to your timepiece. 

SARB035 Review

The Seiko SARB035 has it all; it is a dream watch for enthusiasts. It is a compact watch of 38mm, making it a perfect fit for people with small wrists. The watch comes with a clean quality stainless steel case. The design is truly one to behold.

Features

The bracelet of this piece supports a simple and clean gorgeous cream dial that adds an impeccable touch of class to the watch. The designers and makers of this watch paid serious attention to detail while crafting this timepiece. 

Dauphine’s hands add the finishing touch to this piece, giving it a sophisticated smart look you can’t find anywhere else. The edges of the dial feature rectangular silver hour markers that are classy and straightforward.

The steel case houses an automatic movement, a rare mechanism to find in a Seiko watch at this level. You would think this is an average automatic movement, but you would be wrong. The automatic movement in this watch elevates it to a whole new level. 

The timepiece has a 50-hour power reserve and can handle up to 100m of sea level. The watch is a rounder that tops it up with a sapphire crystal. Getting this watch may cost you a little fortune. When Seiko produced the SARB series, you could obtain this timepiece for around $300.

However, since the series’ discontinuation in 2018, the price has increased. You can obtain this watch from a reputable US seller for around $700. Below is a table that outlines the key similarities and differences between the SARB033 and the SARB035.  

Feature	SARB033	SARB035
Steel case width	38mm	38mm
Automatic Movement	6R15	6R15
Power reserve	50	50
Dial color	Black	Cream white
Weight	136g	136g
Number of jewels	23	23
Water Resistance	100mm	100m

Alternative Watches to The SARB035

SARB035 is a gem for its price, but it can be a little hard to find. Luckily, few watches possess some of the qualities of the SARB035. Below are the top three alternates of the watch:

1. Seiko Year-Round Automatic SNKL41k1

It is no surprise that the first on our list is another Seiko wristwatch. The Seiko Year-Round Automatic SNKL41K1 is a simple white dial Seiko watch that can serve as an alternative for the much-loved SARB035. This brand truly knows how to make its watches that fit just well with customer tastes. From a distance, this watch is similar to the SARB series because of the white dial and the 38mm steel case size. But of course, there are differences between the two timepieces. 

The SNKL41K1 is a member of another popular Seiko series, the Seiko 5. The first difference you will notice with this watch is that it has a sportier feel than the SARB series. The mix of black and silver markings around the ring sets it apart from the SARB035. However, you will still get the dauphine hands on the SNKL41K1. You can own this watch for $135, more or less.

2. Orient Classic Mechanical Bambino RA-AC0005S

This beautiful watch is a design of the proud popular Japanese watch brand Orient. The classy white dial design is the most alluring similarity between the SARB035 and the Bambino RA-AC0005S, reducing the distance between the two. 

The Bambino merges an excellent design and movement specs in a beautifully crafted timepiece. However, the similarities between the Bambino and the SARB035 end at the white dial. The dauphine hands in the Bambino are different; it brings a deep blue color to their hands. The dial also has different dimensions and the hour markers are slightly off. 

The Bambino doesn’t match up to the iconic sapphire crystal of the SARB, opting for a mineral instead. But the watch does house a powerful Cal.F6724 automatic movement under the hood. The watch is pretty accurate for a budget watch. The watch can stand up to 50m of water pressure. You can get this watch for around $215. 

3. Seiko Presage SRPB77

The Seiko Presage SRPB77 is one of the best budget dress watches on the market. After the SARB series was discontinued, the Presage series inherited its rich heritage. The Presage has some slight tweaks that set it apart from the SARB. 

This model of the Presage combines a white dial with blue hands, similar to the blue seen in the Bambino, but with a few classy Seiko touches. The radiating sunburst design will draw your attention to this watch’s unmatched beauty. 

The Presage adds another layer of quality and class that tops that of SARB; truly a worthy replacement. Arrows replace the rectangular hour markers, but the dauphine hands and date window remain untouched. 

Prestige prices The price of this watch fluctuates from around $450. The case size is the key difference between the Presage and the illustrious SARB035. The Prestige comes in a slightly bigger steel case size, 40.5mm. 

Conclusion

The SARB series is one of the brand’s most iconic series. And it is one of the most sought-after watch series in the world. A dazzling touch of class that is nothing but luxurious on all fronts is something anyone would kill to get. 

Owning one of these watches can elevate your watch collection and place you among the best of the best. The perfect timepiece can get you just the attention you need. And the perfect watches for you lie between the SARB033 and SARB035. 

Each watch is powered by a 6R15 backed by an amazing 50-hour power reserve which will keep them ticking, even on the weekends. The key difference in these watches is the dials; the SARB33 carries an aesthetic Black color for its dial while the SARB035 carries cream white. Both watches are a return on investment, and you wouldn’t regret going for either.