I bought the SRQ049 reverse panda model. These are a real improvement over previous Seiko 8R46/48 chronographs in that they (finally) ditched the display back for a solid steel one and shaved between 0.5 and 1.0 millimeter off of those really thick predecessors. I owned the SRQ031 model which at 15.1mm was one of the thinner versions, with some as thick as 16mm. The bracelet and dials on these are just gorgeous. The jangliness of it just goes with the way that the main links are articulated at both sides by thinner polished inner links. Its kind of a cross between a beads of rice and a jubilee, only more flexible than either. I love the look personally and always take a bit of jangle for a more comfortably wearing bracelet. Great review, and I agree, the date wheel would be better on the scrap heap than anywhere on the watch.
Have the SRQ039 and love it, though I do wish it had the 12 hour subdial like this. I also love having a date, but they have really recessed this one deeply because of all the layers, making it harder to read.
Hi Barry, I'd choose a Hanhart Pioneer 417ES 1954 or a Guinand Flieger GMT (any Guinand chronograph actually...) over this Seiko, for similar or less money. I do actually like this Seiko (apart from the date display) but as you say, it's a crowded market place. What's your take on Longines movements from an engineering perspective? I really liked the Central Power Reserve model you reviewed recently but I don't know how well made Longines watches are under Swatch ownership. Have a good weekend Barry, LG Bob 🍻
I'm the same Bob and would take any of them over this Seiko, as it just doesn't have any personality to it at all there isnt anything which makes it stand out from the crowd
I got the the SRQ049 which is the reverse panda version of this watch. You pin pointed correctly the flaws of the watch, but my choice was made over any other ETA / Sellita watch due to the inhouse 8r48 mechanism, with vertical clutch and column wheel, features that you only see at high end (marketing) watches 3 or more times the price of this one. The limited edition comes with a fantastic calf strap with an excellent clasp only seen also in high end watches. My complains were related to the lack of screwed/signed crown, but this is not a diver watch, the never relevant date function, that luckily is almost unnoticeable in the charcoal dial and lastly the horrible X prospex logo. Besides of those, I'm pretty happy with my first and unique seiko watch of my collection, to the point that I'm now pointing to another seiko or grand seiko with spring drive. Said that, both Laco and Sinn are german monsters that are totally worth to have them due to their flieger tradition and tool watch quality
@ perhaps but it boils down to personal taste aesthetically, how well a watch is built, etc. Seikos higher level lines of watches like the SLA and SRQ’s offer excellent build and finish at their price points IMO. More desirable than Longines, Hamilton, and others but not quite on par with Omega, Breitling, Zenith, etc. Bought the SRQ053 reverse panda version of this watch preowned mint today as my first chrono and look forward to receiving it early next week.
Its a nice watch but Seiko need to upgrade their 8L movement its one of the few which still need a hour to switch the date over and with this one the amplitude drops so low when the Chronograph starts up which is concerning and unfortunately there was a mark on the chrono minute hand which you can see at 2:34. All the best John
Nice review. To me, it looks more like a 6138-8020 than any other Seiko from that era. As with other current automatic Seiko chronographs, this new one is too thick. This is too bad because the dials of the majority of current Speedtimers are really nice.
@@ClickSpringReview That's the SRQ039J1 which is the same movement with two subdials. They chose not to adopt this configuration for this watch. I have no idea why.
@@ClickSpringReview I've just ordered one. Prices are down. If you look closely you'll see they've recreated the vertical brushing on the dial just like the original. This is a superb watch
I lkie it, but.i bavent had a good experience with modular chronographs and I prefer a Valjoux derived movement at this price point. I've heard of there being alignment issues with the chronograph registers on tbis movement that are regarded as 'being within tolerance'. Also I find it hard to regard the base calibre as a premium product when the 7s26 it's based on used to be so cheap and worked but lacked refinement and accuracy. Do you think the drop in amplitude with the chronograph running is due to the module being driven by the running seconds? Tbink this is one for Seiko fans.
It could be but the amplitude didn't gain after the test , its almost like its slipping in the barrel to much , when I take the watch back I'm going to tell them something isnt right with it , I personally prefer the 7750 movement over this one everyday of the week
Its all down to accents try asking a Scottish person or say somebody for New York or even an Irish man to say the same word it will sounds very different.
Nope the Seiko 5 owns that one Sir , So out of interest why did you call it the Bruce Lee ? I'm a bit of a fan of the guy as I studied JKD for many years and even was an instructor in it.
This is the opposite to what Longines would do. Seiko is so bad at reissuing/reimagining their chronographs it's beyond me. Just make a cheap chrono movement and reissue all the pogues, pandas, bullheads and monacos from the 70s!
Got this one in today and couldn’t be happier with it. It’s the first chronograph in my collection.
Its always good to have a chrono in the collation 👍🏻
I bought the SRQ049 reverse panda model.
These are a real improvement over previous Seiko 8R46/48 chronographs in that they (finally) ditched the display back for a solid steel one and shaved between 0.5 and 1.0 millimeter off of those really thick predecessors. I owned the SRQ031 model which at 15.1mm was one of the thinner versions, with some as thick as 16mm.
The bracelet and dials on these are just gorgeous. The jangliness of it just goes with the way that the main links are articulated at both sides by thinner polished inner links. Its kind of a cross between a beads of rice and a jubilee, only more flexible than either. I love the look personally and always take a bit of jangle for a more comfortably wearing bracelet.
Great review, and I agree, the date wheel would be better on the scrap heap than anywhere on the watch.
Always good to hear of guys who actually own these watches 👍🏻
beautiful watch great cover
Cheers Sir
Have the SRQ039 and love it, though I do wish it had the 12 hour subdial like this. I also love having a date, but they have really recessed this one deeply because of all the layers, making it harder to read.
The date window works on yours far more than this one as it makes it look to busy I think ,
@@ClickSpringReview what do you think about the srq029?
beautiful watch ❤️⌚️👊🏻💯
I personally prefer the original 1972 model myself
Hi Barry, I'd choose a Hanhart Pioneer 417ES 1954 or a Guinand Flieger GMT (any Guinand chronograph actually...) over this Seiko, for similar or less money.
I do actually like this Seiko (apart from the date display) but as you say, it's a crowded market place.
What's your take on Longines movements from an engineering perspective? I really liked the Central Power Reserve model you reviewed recently but I don't know how well made Longines watches are under Swatch ownership.
Have a good weekend Barry, LG Bob 🍻
I'm the same Bob and would take any of them over this Seiko, as it just doesn't have any personality to it at all there isnt anything which makes it stand out from the crowd
I got the the SRQ049 which is the reverse panda version of this watch. You pin pointed correctly the flaws of the watch, but my choice was made over any other ETA / Sellita watch due to the inhouse 8r48 mechanism, with vertical clutch and column wheel, features that you only see at high end (marketing) watches 3 or more times the price of this one. The limited edition comes with a fantastic calf strap with an excellent clasp only seen also in high end watches. My complains were related to the lack of screwed/signed crown, but this is not a diver watch, the never relevant date function, that luckily is almost unnoticeable in the charcoal dial and lastly the horrible X prospex logo. Besides of those, I'm pretty happy with my first and unique seiko watch of my collection, to the point that I'm now pointing to another seiko or grand seiko with spring drive. Said that, both Laco and Sinn are german monsters that are totally worth to have them due to their flieger tradition and tool watch quality
Excellent glad your enjoying the watch, Out of interest what's the time keeping been like. I had problems with this one when the chrono was running
Hour hand does not jump, it moves same as chronographs minute subdial.
Hour hand normally never jump sir its only minute which normally 👍🏻
Seiko over all in that price range.
There are so many other options at this price point
@ perhaps but it boils down to personal taste aesthetically, how well a watch is built, etc. Seikos higher level lines of watches like the SLA and SRQ’s offer excellent build and finish at their price points IMO. More desirable than Longines, Hamilton, and others but not quite on par with Omega, Breitling, Zenith, etc. Bought the SRQ053 reverse panda version of this watch preowned mint today as my first chrono and look forward to receiving it early next week.
Its a nice watch but Seiko need to upgrade their 8L movement its one of the few which still need a hour to switch the date over and with this one the amplitude drops so low when the Chronograph starts up which is concerning and unfortunately there was a mark on the chrono minute hand which you can see at 2:34. All the best John
@@ClickSpringReview Merry Christmas and Happy New Year sir!
@@johnt1115 Right back at you John 👍🏻
Nice review. To me, it looks more like a 6138-8020 than any other Seiko from that era. As with other current automatic Seiko chronographs, this new one is too thick. This is too bad because the dials of the majority of current Speedtimers are really nice.
Thanks Sir, I see where your coming from regarding the 138-8020 to dare I say it I prefer that to this newer one
You're comparing it to the wrong vintage Seiko. The reference this one is homaging is the 6138 - 8020.
So why did they not make this one a bi compax Andy like the original
@@ClickSpringReview
That's the SRQ039J1 which is the same movement with two subdials. They chose not to adopt this configuration for this watch. I have no idea why.
Real shame
@@ClickSpringReview
I've just ordered one. Prices are down. If you look closely you'll see they've recreated the vertical brushing on the dial just like the original. This is a superb watch
I'm sure your going to love it Sir
I lkie it, but.i bavent had a good experience with modular chronographs and I prefer a Valjoux derived movement at this price point.
I've heard of there being alignment issues with the chronograph registers on tbis movement that are regarded as 'being within tolerance'. Also I find it hard to regard the base calibre as a premium product when the 7s26 it's based on used to be so cheap and worked but lacked refinement and accuracy.
Do you think the drop in amplitude with the chronograph running is due to the module being driven by the running seconds?
Tbink this is one for Seiko fans.
It could be but the amplitude didn't gain after the test , its almost like its slipping in the barrel to much , when I take the watch back I'm going to tell them something isnt right with it , I personally prefer the 7750 movement over this one everyday of the week
Pretty sure the 8R48 is an integrated chronograph movement, not a modular one.
Why do the British say wiv instead of with, and four firty instead of thirty. Do you have something against saying th ??
Its all down to accents try asking a Scottish person or say somebody for New York or even an Irish man to say the same word it will sounds very different.
Hmm. Different doesn’t always translate to ‘good’. Not for me.
Yeah I do prefer the older model over this one
The Bruce Lee.
Nope the Seiko 5 owns that one Sir , So out of interest why did you call it the Bruce Lee ? I'm a bit of a fan of the guy as I studied JKD for many years and even was an instructor in it.
This is the opposite to what Longines would do. Seiko is so bad at reissuing/reimagining their chronographs it's beyond me. Just make a cheap chrono movement and reissue all the pogues, pandas, bullheads and monacos from the 70s!
They could of done so much more with this but all we got was another chrono with nothing to do with the 1972 model
Seiko should have copied ;old model !!!
Yep exactly Samue 👍🏻
To thick
All auto chrono are about this size Mike unless you can afford a Daytona with its in-house movement