#Seiko 5 automatic divers watch iso#

For me, it was hard to get past at first, but the more I wore the watch, the more it made sense. On the right side of the case at 4 o’clock, you’ll notice a guarded push down crown. The 4R36 movement, visible through a display case back. Even though the movement might not be decked out with intricate hand finishing, it’s still fun to look at. For those newcomers to the world of mechanical horology, it’s fascinating to see the inner workings ticking away. Previous “5” watches have all had the transparent case back, which I think is a really cool thing on an entry-level watch. Instead of a solid steel case-back, there’s a display window so you can see the 4R35 doing its thing inside. Since the case-back bubbles out beneath the watch, it will settle into most wrists, giving the feeling of a thinner watch than the measurement suggests.įlip the watch over, and you’ll see something a bit different. The 13.5mm height is divided evenly between bezel, mid case, and case-back. It’s comfortable to wear, and the case shape is a contributing factor. In profile, the case is rather curvy, featuring gently rounded sides that nestle into your wrist. The bead blasting on the SRPD77 “Sense” is something I haven’t seen from Seiko before and looks and feels great. Out of the three models on hand, I like the gunmetal case on the SPRD91 with both polished and brushed surfaces. The SRPD isn’t going to be winning any awards in the finishing department, but it’s more than passable for something in the price range. There are brushed and polished surfaces on the stainless example, and the transitions between the two are decent at best. The finishing on the cases is nothing crazy. Each model features Seiko’s own Hardlex mineral crystal lens that boasts better shatter resistance than sapphire, but is more susceptible to scratches. There’s also a unique brown option with matching dial that stands out from the pack. I’ve got a sample of the gun metal, a bead blasted gun metal, and a standard stainless steel. Across the lineup, there are a bunch of different color bezel inserts, dial colors, and textures, and even a few different case colors. It feels a lot like the bezel on my Turtle. There’s very little (if any) play once you’ve set the bezel to where you want it. The action is stiff and a little “mushy” with a muted click sound as it turns. A unidirectional 0-60 timing bezel surrounds the dial. From the top down, you’ll notice the crown and guards sitting in the signature 4 o’clock position. The 42.5mm diameter sounds big, but it’s more than made up for by the very reasonable 46mm lug-to-lug distance. The SRPD line rocks the same case size and design of the last generation SKXs. The SRPD71, part of the “Suit Style” family, on the wrist.Ĭan this new take on the Seiko SKX hold its own? Let’s take an in-depth look at a few watches from the extensive SRPD lineup (appropriately nicknamed the “5KX”) and see if they do justice to the long history of the Seiko 5 and the iconic divers that they’re so closely based on.Ī quick look at the case dimensions and shape, and you should recognize this design pretty quickly. The new SPRDs earned the 5 badge on their dial by meeting each of these key elements of design. They needed an automatic movement, a day/date display at 3 o’clock, some degree of water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a case and bracelet built for durability. These watches have a history dating back to the early 1960s and were created to be durable and versatile everyday watches that had 5 key features.

#Seiko 5 automatic divers watch iso#

The decreased water resistance and lack of screw-down crown immediately jumped out to me as potential problems with what used to be a rock-solid, ISO certified diver. While most of the serious dive watches in Seiko’s lineup now reside in the PROSPEX line, the overall design of the SKX is now part of the “Seiko 5 Sports” lineup. I’m a long-time owner (and huge fan) of an SKX173, and after hearing that the legendary SKX line has been discontinued, I scrambled to see what was released in its place. That’s a bit what my experience with the new line of SRPDs is like. Some things have changed and some things have stayed the same, but at their core, the personality remains largely the same. Popping the SRPD on your wrist is a bit like catching up with an old friend after a few years of not seeing each other.