Seiko 5

The mechanical watches in the Seiko 5 collection have been enchanting watch lovers around the world since the early 1960s. It is one of the best-selling automatic watch lines worldwide and has always been aimed at sporty watch enthusiasts who are young at heart.

The day-date display found on nearly every Seiko 5 watch has become a defining feature of the collection. Seiko uses just one window to display this information at 3 o'clock. Their proprietary Hardlex glass protects the display. Hardlex glass is a typical feature of most Seiko watches. What's more, the in-house calibers inside the cases are equipped with Seiko's Diashock shock protection and an extremely resilient mainspring for increased robustness. The highly efficient Magic Lever System also found in numerous Seiko watches helps to rapidly power the movement.

In 2020, Seiko incorporated the 5 Sports series into the Seiko 5 collection. The collection thus comprises the Sports, Suits, Street, Specialist, and Sense series in addition to classic Seiko 5 models. While the Sports line mostly offers diving and pilot's watches, you'll find some colorful, stainless steel diving watches in the Suits line as well. The Seiko Sense and Street series are home to playful, multicolored designs. Lastly, the Specialist line features diving watches made of stainless steel, some of which have a bronze or golden exterior.

Fans of vintage watches will find the Sportsmatic 5 from the 1960s especially interesting. This wristwatch is the basis of the Seiko 5's current success. The watch features all the collection's most iconic features. Sportsmatic 5 watches in pristine condition are relatively rare on the secondary market.

You can buy a new Seiko 5 watch for as little as 100 USD. Models at this price point include the pilot's watch ref. SNK803K2 on a nylon strap. For around 150 USD, you can get the ref. SNXS79, a particularly elegant Seiko timepiece with a black dial and stainless steel bracelet. If you're looking for a classic Seiko 5 diving watch, check out the ref. SRPD55K3 for 245 USD. The limited edition Street Fighter V5 Sports Blanka ref. SRPF23K1 is sure to turn heads. This model changes hands for around 400 USD. If you're a Queen fan, you'll love the ref. SRPE83K1. This limited-edition watch pays tribute to guitarist Brian May and demands around 875 USD on Chrono24.

The majority of the watches in the Seiko 5 series have a modest, elegant design. The metal bracelets and LumiBrite hands and hour markers give the watches a hint of sportiness. As is typical of these models, the day-date display is located in a window at 3 o'clock. The model with the reference number SNXS77 is especially sought-after. This stainless steel watch makes a great unisex watch, with a diameter of 37 mm and thickness of 12 mm. The timepiece also features a blue sunburst dial that looks especially elegant. Its curved case and crown at 4 o'clock are reminiscent of models from the 1970s and 80s, giving it a retro flair.

The automatic caliber 7S26 ticks away inside the Seiko 5 SNXS77. This movement is robust, reliable, and durable. According to Seiko, the caliber 7S26 deviates a maximum of +25 or -15 seconds a day. The balance frequency is 21,600 vibrations per hour (A/h) and the movement offers a power reserve of over 41 hours. This Seiko 5 costs roughly 145 USD in mint condition.

The dial on the ref. SNKE01K1 has a similar layout, but is surrounded by a stainless steel bezel with five-minute gradations. This model also uses the caliber 7S26 and costs roughly 145 USD.

If you like gold watches, you may be interested in the ref. SNXL72. The design of this wristwatch closely matches that of the SNXS77, though the stainless steel case and bracelet are gold plated. Combined with the gold-colored dial, the SNXL72 looks especially regal. In addition, it gives off a proper 80s vibe, making it quite trendy. Both models are technically identical, though the SNXL72 is a little more expensive at around 160 USD.

There is a wide array of automatic watches with designs inspired by diving watches in the Seiko 5 Sports collection. These include the refs. SRPD51K1, SRPD63K1, and SRPD55K2. The first two models belong to the Seiko 5 Sports family, while the latter is part of the Specialist series. All three watches are similar in terms of technology and design.

All variants share a 42.5-mm stainless steel case and use the automatic in-house caliber 4R36. This movement offers a power reserve of 41 hours. Other common features include luminescent dot indices and, of course, a day-date window at 3 o'clock. The timepieces are also water-resistant to 100 meters (10 bar, 328 ft), so you can take them swimming and snorkeling.

Where they differ, however, is in their color schemes. The ref. SRPD51K1 features a blue sunburst dial and a matching blue bezel. Seiko pairs the watch with a stainless steel bracelet. Expect prices around 265 USD. The ref. SRPD63K1 has a green dial, green bezel, and stainless steel bracelet. Listings on Chrono24 for this model in mint condition come in around 255 USD. At roughly 235 USD new, the reference number SRPD55K2 on a NATO strap is the most affordable version.

The Seiko 5 "Military" are among the most sought-after sports watches from the Japanese watch manufacturer. The design of these automatic watches resemble field and pilot's watches.

The dial on the ref. SNZG13K1 has a distinct field watch design, including a triangle hour marker at 12 o'clock as well as large Arabic numerals filled with luminous material, in this case LumiBrite. One interesting detail on this Seiko 5 Sports is that the dial features both 12-hour and 24-hour markers. The 3 o'clock position has no numerals to make space for the day-date window.

The 41-mm case is 12 mm thick and made of stainless steel with predominantly polished surfaces. You'll find the automatic caliber 7S36 ticking away inside.

The ref. SNZG13K1 is paired with a three-piece link stainless steel bracelet. The ref. SNZG15K1 is an identical timepiece, but mounted on a textile strap. Both versions start at around 180 USD.

The Seiko 5 Military pilot's watch is even less expensive. The ref. SNK809 measures 36 mm in diameter and comes on a black textile strap. You should be able to find listings for around 115 USD. The model with the reference number SRP513K1 is also reminiscent of military pilot's watches. Seiko uses the somewhat higher-quality automatic caliber 4R36 with a stop-seconds mechanism and manual winding to power this watch. This brings the price up to around 225 USD.