Seiko 5: All You Need to Know
Photo by Peter Gombos on Unsplash
Every watch enthusiast has that first watch that sparked their interest into the world of timepieces. Most people will not start with a watch that will cost them a small fortune. There are many entry level watch brands such as, Casio, Nixon, or Fila among others. However, it is important to note that each brand is known and specializes differently. Nixon, for example, is known to be a part of the California surf culture, some of their watches even have a surf reader on the watch. Casio, is the most popular digital watch company in the world; and Fila is known for their emphasis in fashion for the Fila Watch category.
You might ask yourself as to why I am talking about all these other brands when the title of the blog clearly mentions Seiko. I am just trying to highlight that each brand is known for something in particular. While they might produce a variety of watches in different categories they are known for usually just one thing. In the case of the Seiko watches, I would say that they are the experts at producing high quality affordable watches in the mechanical category. One of their most popular watches is the entry level dive watch the Seiko skx007. Unfortunately, these watches have been confirmed to be discontinued by Seiko. Instead they are taking some of the most beloved features in the Seiko skx007 and creating a generation of great watches.
The Seiko 5 family of watches has been around since the 1960’s. As the entry level Seiko watch, the Seiko 5 family of watches does not have the water resistance of the Seiko SKX family, which is a true dive watch. However, it does have the 5 attributes that Seiko believe make a timeless high quality watch.
The 5 Attributes
- Automatic Winding
- Date/Day Display
- Water Resistant (Not Dive Depth)
- Protected Recess Crown
- Durable Case and Strap
There are 27 watches in the new Sieko 5 Collection that Seiko divides into, no surprise here, 5 categories of use.
The 5 Categories
- Sport Style
- Suit Style
- Specialist Style
- Street Style
- Sense Style
Sport Style
The sport style Seiko 5 watches are the classic Seiko style that we all know and love. All these mechanical watches have a stainless steel case. There are a variety of strap options from Stainless Steel bracelets to nylon straps. Price ranges from $295-$350. The price change is mostly driven by the strap material. The 42.5 mm average case diameter makes this watch a great size for any wrist size.
Summary of Sport Style Specifications
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Strap Material: Stainless Steel Bracelet or Nylon
Crystal: Hardlex
Lumibrite: Lumibrite on hands and Indexes
Water Resistant: 100 Meters | 10 Bars
Case Thickness: 11.5 - 13.4 mm
Case Diameter: 40 - 42.5 mm
Case Length: 44.6 - 46 mm
Other Specs (on some of the watches): Screw Case Back, See-through Case Back, Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
Suit Style
As the name of the category implies, these Seiko 5 watches are meant to be worn with a suit or for any occasion that calls for elegance. The defining feature to this style of watch is the strap. All the watches have a shark mesh style strap. There is a variant in the strap material though. The majority of the Suit Style Seiko 5 watches have a stainless steel mesh strap but there are 2 options that have a mesh silicone strap which is very unique and adds a really nice and classy look to the typically, more casual silicone strap.
Summary of Suit Style Specifications
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Strap Material: Stainless Steel or Silicone
Crystal: Hardlex
Lumibrite: Lumibrite on hands and Indexes
Water Resistant: 100 Meters | 10 Bars
Case Thickness: 13.4 mm
Case Diameter: 42.5 mm
Case Length: 46 mm
Other Specs: Screw Case Back, See-through Case Back, Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
Specialist Style
Seiko's tagline for this style of the Seiko 5 watches is “A look for all times”. I believe they hit the nail on the head with this one. All the watches have the classic Seiko 5 Case with rotating bezel and durable engineering and material. However, the difference is once again brought by the change in strap material. Seiko utilizes a silicone strap with textured leather on the exterior on all 3 of the watches in the Specialist Style Seiko 5 collection.
Summary of Specialist Style Specifications
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Strap Material: Silicone with Textured Leather
Crystal: Hardlex
Lumibrite: Lumibrite on hands and Indexes
Water Resistant: 100 Meters | 10 Bars
Case Thickness: 13.4 mm
Case Diameter: 42.5 mm
Case Length: 46 mm
Other Specs: Screw Case Back, See-through Case Back, Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
Street Style
The street style Seiko 5 is defined more for the casual look that can blend with any casual outfits. Out of the 5 watches in this style, 2 have a stainless steel strap (1 is gold plated and the other is rose gold plated), while the remaining 3 have a black case, black face, black Nato Strap with the distinguishing features being the Lumibrite colors and accent colors on the bezel.
Summary of Street Style Specifications
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Strap Material: Stainless Steel or Nylon
Crystal: Hardlex
Lumibrite: Lumibrite on hands and Indexes
Water Resistant: 100 Meters | 10 Bars
Case Thickness: 13.4 mm
Case Diameter: 42.5 mm
Case Length: 46 mm
Other Specs: Screw Case Back, See-through Case Back, Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
Sense Style
As Seiko says when defining this style of watch, “creativity is all about the details”. There is no doubt that Seiko went the creative route with this style of the Seiko 5. The collection is defined by poping bright colors, textured and multi-colored faces, and even bezel designs. They really are pushing the envelope with this Sense Style Seiko 5. They are the perfect watches that offer both functionality and a way to express personality.
Summary of Sense Style Specifications
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Strap Material: Silicone, Leather, Nylon
Crystal: Hardlex
Lumibrite: Lumibrite on hands and Indexes
Water Resistant: 100 Meters | 10 Bars
Case Thickness: 13.4 mm
Case Diameter: 42.5 mm
Case Length: 46 mm
Other Specs: Screw Case Back, See-through Case Back, Unidirectional Rotating Bezel
The Seiko 5 collection is really one that can appeal to all. From their varying styles within the collection, there are options for everyone to choose from. Make sure you stay true to your style.