Few brands have had as much impact on the watch industry as Seiko. Founded in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori (with continuous family involvement to this day), Seiko introduced the world's first quartz watch, the Astron, in 1969. This is perhaps the greatest breakthrough in watchmaking history, among many firsts and major innovations by the brand. The Seiko 5 collection shook the world in 1963 by setting specific standards of quality and features that are still maintained today, while always remaining affordable. The newest Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG27 model offers everything you need at a price most can afford, and all of it is manufactured in-house.
HISTORY
We reviewed the Seiko 5 SNK809 model in 2018 and concluded that it was the best price for mechanical watches at around $100 USD. The latest Seiko 5 Sports SRPG27 is a kind of continuation and brings several improvements, both mechanical and aesthetic. Both models share the five established standards of the collection, hence the name Seiko 5, although something is significantly different this time - the crown. There are two lists describing the five standards: Seiko's list and, ironically, a more accurate 'unofficial' list that is widely accepted. Seiko claims the five standards are water resistance, automatic winding, day/date complication, a crown at the 4 o'clock position, and a durable case. This is not only incomplete but also inaccurate. For starters, the latest Seiko 5 Sports model has a crown at the 3 o'clock position, not 4 o'clock, and two significant innovations are omitted.
The Seiko 5 Sports collection introduced the signature Diaflex mainspring, which is virtually unbreakable, and the Diashock shockproof system, which competes with the Swiss Incabloc system. Accordingly, in the more accurate 'unofficial' list, the 4 o'clock crown and durable construction are replaced by the Diaflex mainspring and Diashock. These standards are no longer exclusive to the Seiko 5 Sports family but remain guiding principles for every Seiko 5 Sports watch. One could add a sixth - price. They are always affordable.
Affordable field watches are the pickups of the watch world. Rugged and reliable, utilitarian, and suitable for almost any occasion. The brand most associated with them is Hamilton and the popular Khaki Field collection. I have nothing but positive reviews for Hamilton and its Field watches, but Seiko stands out among them in several significant ways. Hamilton counterparts start at about twice the price, the movements are not in-house (but still very, very good), and Seiko offers more features within its class. Hamilton wins with a longer power reserve and slightly better accuracy, but is that alone worth the premium? I also look at brand history, and Seiko has been a consistent Japanese brand with family involvement for 140 years.
Hamilton was an American brand until it ceased production in 1969 and became a Swiss company now under the Swatch Group umbrella. Some will always favor the prestige of the Swiss Made label, but I prefer the history and in-house production of a brand like Seiko.
CASE AND DESIGN
The 316L stainless steel case has a matte bead-blasted finish, resistant to glare and scratches. With a diameter of 39.4mm and a height of 13.5mm, it suits many wrists. The curved Hardlex mineral crystal (produced by Seiko) is not as scratch-resistant as sapphire but more than adequate for the price. The same material is used for the case back, and I have yet to see a scratch or mark on either side. The crown is rather flat, especially compared to the Khaki Field model, but still convenient for winding and setting the time/date. It is not screw-down, but the case is still water-resistant to 100 meters.
Watches with black dials can have reflection issues, even with anti-reflective coatings, but this Seiko 5 Sports SRPG27 model handles them well. I've never had trouble clearly seeing the dial outdoors, and photographing the watch was easier than expected. I believe this is partly due to the dial's texture, but more on that below. This model comes with an oyster-style stainless steel bracelet that matches the case well, albeit with a slightly more matte finish. And, pleasingly for Seiko, it costs the same as the NATO strap variant (model SRPG37).
A small note on bracelet adjustment, which most will need to do, as it is huge out of the box. Many Seiko bracelets come with a pin and collar system, where a tiny separate collar pairs with a pin inside each link. These collars fall out and can be easily lost during adjustments. This bracelet has one pin (with a springy end) and no collar, making the process easier. Just use a simple link removal tool, which costs a few dollars on Amazon, etc., and save some time and money from visiting a local jeweler. You can even use the tool to fully seat and slightly recess the pin after removing the necessary links. Just follow the arrows on the bracelet's underside for pin extraction. After adjustment, the bracelet is very comfortable even for smaller-than-average wrists like mine.
INFORMATIVE DIAL
The matte black dial has a subtle texture visible only in bright light. As mentioned above, this seems to help manage reflections. The applied Arabic numerals are made of steel, adding some class and sophistication to the dial compared to plain printing. A second set of 24-hour military time numerals is printed inside the primary numbers, a must for true field watches. The silvery hour and minute hands are coated with Seiko's LumiBrite luminescent paint. I generally prefer it over Swiss Super-LumiNova, as it is often brighter and glows longer.
Small hour markers on the outer perimeter and the triangular-tipped second hand are also LumiBrite-coated. The 3 o'clock position houses the date/day window, one of the five Seiko 5 Sports standards, not to mention one of the most useful complications overall. The Seiko 5 logo has been updated with a modern, somewhat abstract '5' and placed below SEIKO at the top. Available dial colors include blue, blue/gray, green, and brown.
CLASSIC CALIBER 4R36
The watch is powered by the Seiko automatic caliber 4R36, designed exclusively for Seiko watches, unlike options like the Seiko NH36 available for other brands. Fortunately, it can be manually wound, as the previous Seiko 5 SNK809 model with caliber 7S26 was only automatic. The caliber has 24 jewels, a frequency of 21,600 vph (3 Hz), and a 41-hour power reserve. Functions include central hours, minutes, seconds, and a day/date complication. The accuracy is rated at a rather unremarkable +45/-35 seconds per day, although during a week of testing, my watch was off by no more than 20 seconds per day. These figures simply indicate the maximum allowable deviation. Looking at the watch through the exhibition case back, it is simple and undecorated, yet interesting to observe. And it's an in-house caliber, making the watch 100% Seiko. That holds a certain weight for me, regardless of technically superior watches like Hamilton's Khaki Field Mechanical.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Switzerland is undoubtedly the capital of watchmaking. Like many of you, I appreciate the Swiss Made stamp on dials. However, Japan is a horological juggernaut, with brands like Seiko, Citizen, and Casio among the largest in the world. Seiko stands out for its incredible versatility, producing a continuous stream of affordable mall kiosk watches, some of the most capable diving watches like the 1968 'Hi-Beat' Re-Creation SLA039J1, and true high horology watches like Grand Seiko (and everything in between). The brand continues to use quartz technology to create a vast portfolio of affordable, accurate, and reliable watches, but I'm most impressed by the affordable mechanical collections.
The Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG27 model offers an in-house automatic movement with a Diaflex mainspring, day/date complication, and 100 meters of water resistance for less than $300 USD. That's less than many brands' steel bracelets, and Seiko adds a beautiful bracelet at no extra charge. It's a complete package and one of the best deals in the industry.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Seiko 5 Sports SRPG27 retails for just $275 USD or 270 EUR and is available on the Seiko website and retail stores worldwide. Of course, there are flashier Seiko 5 models, like the Brian May Limited Edition SRPE83K1 or the Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker Limited Edition SRPH19, but these field watches offer an elegant, no-nonsense wrist companion that goes from water to hiking trails to the office without missing a beat. And with such a proven and reliable movement, I mean that literally.
For more information, visit seikowatches.com.
SPECIFICATIONS – SEIKO 5 SPORTS FIELD SRPG27K1
Case: 39.4mm diameter x 13.5mm height – 316L stainless steel (matte bead-blasted finish) – curved Hardlex crystal with anti-reflective coating – flat crown – exhibition Hardlex case back – water resistance 100 meters
Dial: matte black with fine texture – applied steel Arabic numerals – printed 24-hour numerals – silvery hour and minute hands with Seiko LumiBrite luminescent coating – hour markers and second hand tip with luminescent coating – date/day window at 3 o'clock
Movement: in-house Seiko 4R36 – automatic – 24 jewels – 21,600 vph (3 Hz) – 41-hour power reserve – central hours, minutes, and seconds – day/date at 3 o'clock – Diaflex mainspring – Diashock resistance – accuracy +45/-35 seconds per day (maximum allowable deviation)
Bracelet: three-link stainless steel with oyster-style folding clasp
Reference: SRPG27K1
Price: $275 USD, 270 EUR