New Watches in the Seiko 5 Sports Collection Lose the Dive Bezel with Their Latest Update

We’ve spent quite a bit of time here at Worn & Wound documenting the relaunch of the Seiko 5 Sports line (see news of the original announcement here, and Ed Jelley’s in-depth review here). With so many new models coming to the market, as well as the implications of what it means to replace the beloved SKX007 and related models, this release was easily one of the biggest of the year in terms of its importance on the market as it relates to the watches we cover here. Now, almost a year after we first learned of the new Seiko 5 Sports series, we’re seeing the first new additions that represent the first move away from the very obvious diver aesthetic we’ve come to know. Think: Seiko 5 Sports, but without the bezel, and you have a pretty good idea of what’s in store.

Seiko 5 Sports 

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Gray, blue, black, gilt
• Dimensions: 40mm
• Lug Width: 20mm
• Crystal: Hardlex      
• Water Resistance: 100 meters  
• Crown: Push/pull                        
• Movement: 4R36
• Strap/bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet, nylon
• Price: $275 – $325
• Reference Number: SRPE51, SRPE53, SRPE55, SRPE57, SRPE58, SRPE60, SRPE61, SRPE63, SRPE65, SRPE67, SRPE69
• Expected Release: June

What we have here is quite simple. The case is similar in proportion to the Seiko 5 Sports watches that were introduced last year, but slightly smaller at 40mm. The shape is heavily indebted to the classic Seiko diver profile, but these new pieces don’t include a rotating dive bezel, and should wear noticeably smaller than an SKX or last year’s Sports models. A total of nine watches make up this new line. You can choose from gray, blue, black, and gilt dials on stainless steel bracelets, two-tone models featuring pink or rose gold accents, and gray, blue, green and black dialed variants on simple nylon straps. And, of course, we have the requisite blacked out version, featuring a black coated case, completely blacked out dial, and a black nylon strap. All of the traditional Seiko 5 hallmarks remain, including a day/date indicator and 4:00 crown.

Another holdover from last year’s Seiko 5 Sports line is an element that proved to be somewhat controversial among the Seiko faithful, and that’s the 100 meters of water resistance and lack of a screw down crown. On watches that were not only fitted with dive bezels but essentially replaced one of the watch world’s most classic divers, that seemed like a bridge too far for some. Here, however, on watches that resemble classic field watches more than divers, I wonder if those specs will be a little more accepted. 

These watches have a simplicity to them that I think is quite appealing. While they aren’t currently available in the dizzying range of colorways that we saw introduced in the Seiko 5 Sports line last year, there’s still plenty of variety, and all of these watches could conceivably work as a daily wear timepiece for a new enthusiast just getting into the hobby, and their relatively low price tag (they range from $275 to $325) makes them tempting for more seasoned collectors as well. 

These new bezel-less Seiko 5 Sports watches are available this month. Seiko