Latest Review
October 10, 2021 
For the watch enthusiasts out there, few brands define what is so enjoyable about collecting watches better than Seiko. The 140-year-old company is often responsible for getting people into watches in the first place, and then has a habit of following along with them as their tastes mature. A brand that knows no limits in terms of genre and style, often pleasantly surprising with new releases, Seiko has and will continue to be a cornerstone for collectors both novice and experienced. It is with the greatest of excitement that today we welcome Seiko and Seiko 5 into the Windup Watch Shop.
From tough divers to refined timepieces, Seiko has it all, and largely at easily attainable prices. As such, we’re kicking things off with a curated selection from Seiko 5, Prospex, and Presage, focusing mostly on new pieces, though with a couple of favorites as well. In our collection, you’ll find divers with arctic landscapes, tough-as-nails solar tool watches, military-inspired field watches, and more. Let’s start with the latter, the Seiko 5 Sports Field Collection.
Seiko 5s hold a special place in many collectors’ hearts as they are often an introduction to the wonderful (and addictive) world of mechanical watches. The new Seiko 5 Sports Field Collection takes up the mantle with a series of all-day-everyday designs based on perhaps the most versatile of formats – the field watch. Coming in at 40mm and featuring large hour numerals, including a secondary 24-hour track, bold hands, a day/date window, and 100m of water resistance, they are easy to read at a glance, stylish, and tough. Available in several colors and with varying strap options, at $275 they are a killer deal for a fun, reliable watch.
Next, we have a contender for a new cult classic with the Seiko Prospex Solar Divers. Measuring 38.5mm in diameter, these 200m divers have the style and charm of watches of a different age, yet they are totally new. Big hands and bold markers are encircled by a well-proportioned bezel with full markers. The case has a classic shape with wide lugs and a crown at three (which is actually a bit uncommon for Seiko). Powered by the V147 caliber, they charge in the sun and are accurate to within +/- 15 seconds a month. Available in two styles, the SNE573 with tried-and-true black and steel combo on rubber for $475, and the SNE575 with blue highlights and a subtle globe print on the dial, indicating the official partnership with PADI. This model comes on a steel bracelet for $495. Both are available here
Sticking with solar for another few moments, we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to stock perhaps our favorite series of ana-digi solar dive watches out there (not that there are many) with the SNJ025, SNJ029, and SNJ031. Big, rugged, bruisers of watches, they are some of the most “Seiko” Seikos ever made. Actually, a recreation of a watch from the ’80s that adorned Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wrist in Predator and Commando, these 47.8mm beasts feature Seiko’s signature shrouded case design for a truly tough watch. But, don’t let the size fool you, they are very wearable. Solar-powered, they feature a full analog dial, but with a small digital window at 12, that enhances their capabilities with an auto calendar, chronograph, and more.
For the classic look, go black and steel with the SNJ025 at $525. For an updated style, check out the more recent SNJ029 and SNJ031 models, which sport earth tones, the 029 in sandy-tan, and the 031 is drab olive, either for $550. Check them out here
Now, let’s take a quick detour into vintage-inspired territory. In 1964 Seiko released their first wristwatch with stopwatch functionality: the Crown Chronograph. A watch they have revisited a couple of times, Seiko now presents the Presage Style60’s series, inspired by… you guessed it. At a glance, you might say “that looks nothing like a chronograph,” but you’d be forgetting that the original Crown Chronograph had no sub-dials, thus appearing as a three-hand watch.
These new models are not chronographs, but in terms of design and style, are very close to the original, and look absolutely stunning. Featuring a 40.8mm case with 50 meters of water resistance, a steel bracelet, and powered by the reliable 4R35 automatic movement, the Style60’s are vintage-style watches built for everyday use. Available in two versions, the deep blue SRPG05 and the tasteful olive SRPG07, they are priced at a reasonable $525 and are available here.
One of the more surprising releases from Seiko in recent memory, the Prospex Land series are amphibious creatures that combine aspects of both adventure/hiking watches and vintage divers. The 42.4mm case has a style to it that speaks to iconic Seiko dive watch designs like the 6309 and 6105, with a barrel shape and crown at four. The case also boasts 200m of water resistance. It has a bezel too, but here’s where things change. Instead of a unidirectional dive bezel, it features a bi-directional compass bezel, clearly indicating its intended use above water.
The dial features large applied markers filled with Seiko’s excellent Lumibrite lume, and large hands with the same, making it great on land or sea, at day or night. In a nice addition, especially at the $525 price point, the Land series also feature sapphire crystals. Inside the 4R35 automatic keeps time. Available in two versions, the earthy green and tan SRPG13, and the handsome dark blue SRPG15, be sure to pick one up here before your next adventure.
Last and far from least are actually two very different watches, both divers, that together comprise the Prospex Save the Ocean series. Both feature unique gradient dials inspired by the Antarctic. Textured like rough ice and fading from a cool light blue/white to a deep blue along the dial edge, they are unlike other watches you’ve come across. To make things even more different, there is also a set of penguin tracks heading up the left side of the dial.
As for the watches themselves, first, there is the SRPG57. Built on Seiko’s famous, rugged, and semi-shrouded dive-case, it’s 42.4mm and features 200m of water resistance, a steel bracelet, and the 4R36 day/date automatic movement inside. The bezel features oversized notches for grip, which combined with large numerals creates a very aggressive look. It’s a lot of watch for $525. Pick one up here
The second is the SRPG59, which is a spin on one of Seiko’s other iconic designs. Known for its shrouded case and cylindrical shape, Seiko’s shrouded dive watches tend to be fairly large. This model, however, is scaled down to 43.2mm, which still might sound large, but the lug-to-lug is about the same, making it wear very well. It also features the 4R35 automatic, making it one of only a handful of mechanical watches with this design. A truly fantastic and tough little watch, this one is available for $550.
And there you have it, the launch collection for Seiko and Seiko 5 in the Windup Watch Shop. So, take a minute, browse around, and perhaps get yourself a nice new watch while you’re at it. And stay tuned too, we’ll be sure to add more great Seiko watches to the shop in the near future.
