From October 2020 to January 2021, Seiko launched an initiative that we can only applaud, relying on its vast fan base to create a watch that reflects their expectations. Named the “Custom Watch Beatmaker,” this campaign offered the opportunity to create your own watch by selecting and combining five watch components (case finish, dial, bezel insert, hands, and bracelet). After that, the community was given the chance to choose from no less than 48,000 models… And one of them collected an impressive amount of “likes” – gathering 8,500,000 votes out of 16,000,000 votes worldwide. Why such a plebiscite? Well, look at it closely, and you'll see that its color codes are quite iconic for Seiko… Think of the Pogue! Here are the cool, super-affordable Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker Limited Edition SRPH19K1.
Something Like the Pogue
Seiko owns many iconic watches. Many belong to the dive category, but Seiko offers much more than models focused on water sports. The brand has a rather impressive history in chronographs. Remember that with its model ref. 6139, Seiko was one of three brands to release an automatic chronograph in 1969. One particularly noteworthy model is the 6139-6002, also known as the “Pogue.”
The historical significance of these watches lies not only in the innovative mechanism and belonging to the 1969 trilogy but also in being space watches. Indeed, these were the watches Colonel William Pogue wore during the Skylab 4 space mission in 1973, possibly making them the first automatic chronograph in space. Hence, the watch naturally gained a new nickname.
The Seiko 6139-6002 Chronograph “Pogue” also holds a special place in collectors' hearts due to its appearance. It's hard to find a more late-1960s design than these watches, with a tunnel-shaped case and, notably, the combination of a gold dial with a red and blue tachymetric bezel. The combination of the Pepsi bezel and the sunburst gold dial may seem odd, but the result, however colorful, is quite unique. And this very unique style has reappeared in the collection, all thanks to Seiko fans (see, customers are usually right…)
Seiko 5 Sports SRPH19K1 in Pogue Style
So, let's make it clear from the start. Seiko is not bringing back the Pogue. The new SRPH19K1 is essentially an embodiment of these emblematic watches, with a color scheme chosen by the brand's fans. I must say, despite being quite showy with its bright color combination, it does a great job of being cool. Not to mention, it's a Seiko 5, meaning it's quite affordable.
What's impressive is that this design was chosen from 48,000 proposals, and despite the vast variety, it managed to garner more than half the votes. To say Seiko fans eagerly awaited the reissue of the original Pogue model or at least its color scheme would be an understatement. This also demonstrates that brands should listen to their collectors and watch enthusiasts in general – which Seiko successfully did with the “Custom Watch Beatmaker” campaign – because they not only buy watches but also know exactly what they want and have the knowledge to want the right things. Kudos to Seiko for this initiative.
What we see in these Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker Limited Edition SRPH19K1 watches is quite simple. It's just a new color combination on an existing technical base… But we all know color can make a watch. Starting with the Seiko 5 Sports base, the edition with an external bezel, the brand did two things. First, the aluminum insert on the rotating bezel is done in red (for the first 20 minutes) and blue (for the rest). The so-called “Pepsi,” reminiscent of the tachymetric bezel in the Pogue model.
The other evolution concerns the dial, which is done in a bright gold color, with a sunburst pattern that will undoubtedly enhance its color. It is necessary to confirm the actual color of the dial, which appears less saturated than in the Pogue model. This will be confirmed when the watch is in metal… Otherwise, the dial of this SRPH19K1 model retains the traditional applied indexes and hands characteristic of all other Seiko 5 Sports watches.
As for the technical specifications, nothing has changed here. These Pogue-style watches have the same case, bracelet, and movement as other members of the 5 family. This means a 42.5 mm stainless steel case with the unmistakable SKX007 look, a crown at 4 o'clock, a screw-down transparent case back, Hardlex crystal on top, and 100 meters of water resistance. Although not a dive watch, it features a unidirectional bezel.
The SRPH19K1 watches, released in a limited series on a 3-link bracelet, are equipped with the caliber 4R36, a well-known movement found in many Seiko collections. This automatic movement beats at a frequency of 3 Hz and maintains a power reserve of up to 41 hours.
Availability and Price
The Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker Limited Edition SRPH19K1, probably one of the coolest models in the ever-growing 5 collection, will be released in a limited run of 2,021 pieces and will be available on select Seiko Boutique Online sites in August 2021. The price will be the same as other watches in the collection – 290 euros.
For more detailed information, visit seikowatches.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – SEIKO 5 SPORTS CUSTOM WATCH BEATMAKER LIMITED EDITION SRPH19K1
Case: 42.5 mm diameter x 13.4 mm height – 46 mm lug-to-lug – stainless steel case, brushed and polished – unidirectional rotating bezel with red/blue 60-minute aluminum scale – Hardlex crystal and screw-down transparent case back – push-button crown – water resistance 100 m
Dial: gold-colored dial – applied silver-colored markers and hands with luminous coating
Movement: Seiko Calibre 4R36, in-house – automatic – 24 jewels – 21,600 vibrations/hour – power reserve 41 h – hours, minutes, seconds (hacking), day-date
Bracelet: 3-link matte stainless steel bracelet with tri-fold clasp and push-button release
Reference: SRPH19K1
Availability: Limited run of 2,021 pieces. Available on select Seiko Boutique Online sites in August 2021
Price: 290 EUROS