5 Men's Stainless Steel Watch

Daily required to adjust time.

This is the 4th 7S26 powered Seiko 5 I've owned and the second "Speed Racer." I had an SNK375 (same dial!) previously and to be honest, there was nothing wrong with that watch, except that I didn't like the curvy case. Owning a watch can be senselessly subjective like that. I sold that watch literally 2 months ago and I ended up buying this one because I realized my other automatic watches, including a Seiko SARB017 Alpinist and a SRPB41 Cocktail Time "Blue Moon", didn't have a day of week, and I just missed having a fun, light, car-inspired watch without needing to put on a chunky chronograph. Is this a technically advanced watch? Not by a longshot. At this point, with the new line of Seiko 5s out for a year (or more?), this is a previous generation Seiko 5, powered by the 7S26 automatic movement. It has no hand winding, no hacking (stopping the second hand when setting time) and is probably half a minute off each day, depending on how good or bad your luck is with your movement. The bracelet? It's jangly, it's terrible and will definitely pull out arm hairs. But even so, there's something honest and refreshing about strapping on one of these. It runs because you, the wearer, moved enough for it to run. If it's stopped, shake it a few times, and it springs to life. The car tachometer style accents including the red stripe from 12 to 4 o'clock, the hollowed out hour hand (adds lightness!), and the red second needle all evoke the feeling that I should step away from my desk, fire up the car and rev the motor out to redline a couple of times. It's a cool, fun watch to own, wear and look at. Yeah, I think I'm going to go for that drive now.

I currently own and have previously owned several different watches of various styles and at various price points. I have affordable watches from Seiko, Citizen, and Orient, mid and lower tier Swiss watches (Hamilton, Mido), a TAG Heuer, a vintage Omega - the list goes on. This is probably my cheapest watch. I was looking for something fun and cheap; I guess you could say this one was sort of an impulse buy. What I really like about this watch is it’s simplicity and versatility. It gives a nod to the Rolex Datejust 36 with its case size and shape, as well as the handset and index markers used. The bracelet is similar to a jubilee in design, but still has its own distinct style. This is not, however, a complete ripoff of a Rolex; it has some attributes that are distinctively Seiko, like the recessed crown at 4:00 that has been typical of the Seiko 5 lineup since its inception. Furthermore, the “5” logo pattern on the dial is likely a borrowed design idea from the Grand Seiko SBGH267, which features embossed Grand Seiko branding on its blue dial; while these two watches are not anywhere in the same league, it is clear that they share the same DNA. The dial on this watch really has a lot of depth and detail, especially for the price. The “5” pattern is not visible in most lighting; it is subtle. The dial makes this look like a different watch in different lighting situations; sometimes it looks black, other times it looks like a metallic blue sunburst, sometimes the fives make it look like a linen patterned dark blue, and sometimes the fives just stand out as fives against a deep blue. Almost all of the markers and logos are applied rather than painted on; the only things painted on are the words “Automatic 21 Jewels” at 6 o’clock. The lume on this watch is surprising; I am pretty sure it is the same lume used on Seiko divers because of its color and brightness. However, it does not last nearly as long as Seiko divers because it is very conservatively applied in comparison. It will last about halfway through the night if you charge it with a flashlight before bed, which is still better than a lot of other watches with lume that only lasts for a few minutes. The bracelet is a folded link type; keep your expectations realistic here, this is a budget watch. As far as folded link bracelets go though, this one is decent and definitely serviceable. You even get a push button clasp instead of the friction lock type, and the end links fit snugly against the case with no play. It is not much of a rattler; it starts off as a bit of a squeaker, but that goes away. Expect to spend at least an hour trying to size it though; the links are very tightly folded, so if you are not determined then you may want to have a jeweler do it for you. If you do it yourself, use a cheap flathead jeweler’s screwdriver that you don’t mind breaking or dulling the blade; you will have to hammer the screwdriver into the link repeatedly until it finally gives, then use pliers to yank out the tabs; I also applied some oil to the link to help it along - it was that bad, and my fingers were sore by the time I was finished. However, you only have to size it once, and once it is done it is comfortable enough. Actually, the whole setup is very lightweight and really disappears on the wrist. It is great as a daily wearer because it does not get in the way. Accuracy out of the box was acceptable for the price. On the first day, it seemed on track to lose about ten seconds in 24 hours. Not bad, but I knew it could do better, and I prefer fast over slow. I regulated it, and it has been pretty much spot on ever since (worn daily for about a week now). If I want it to speed up a few seconds overnight, I rest it dial up on my nightstand; if I want to reel it in a few seconds, I leave it crown up on its side. Theoretically, I can get away with never resetting it this way. I have not tested the power reserve yet, but it lasts through the night without winding down enough to become erratic. These basic Seiko movements are known to be robust workhorses that can go long stretches without maintenance, and are simple enough for watchmakers to service with ease when that time does come (if you choose to do so instead of replacing the movement or the watch). Overall, this turned out to be a great buy. It is nice to have a modest, simple, lightweight, affordable daily-wearer in my collection. It can pass as both casual or dressy for those who only want one watch. I recommend this to anyone looking to get into mechanical watches, or watch enthusiasts such as myself looking for a daily beater that is versatile and comfortable. The only drawbacks are the mineral crystal (to be expected at this price though) and only 30m water resistance. There are tons of Seiko mods available, so I plan to eventually swap the crystal with sapphire. I can’t do anything about the water resistance, but 30m should be acceptable for most people’s daily lives. The bottom line is: This watch is great, and it’s cheap. If you are considering it and you like the look, you should just buy it. You won’t regret it. Five stars for price to quality ratio.

Value and elegance .

Cerco di essere il più sintetico possibile scrivendo che questo orologio è un must buy, anche a questo prezzo. Perfetto every day watch! Unico punto negativo è il bracciale che "sibila" un po' ed è abbastanza leggero, ma esteticamente rende davvero molto bene. Se rapportiamo al prezzo secondo me sono cinque stelle che è difficile non dare (parliamo di orologi che quando sono stati messi sul mercato costavano intorno ai 100 euro). Un plauso secondo me va fatto al quadrante con questo pattern. Lo consiglio a chi cerca un orologio per tutti i giorni, non costoso e che sappia anche abbinarsi ad un abito

Den Seiko som den ska ersätta är närmare 20 år, det säger en del. Det går bra att justera längden på armbandet själv.