Seiko is a lot like Honda. They make the red bull F1 car, and they also make the civic. Both are extremely great cars. As goes for Seiko and GS watches.
Only make the engine there but not a bad analogy. I would probably say toyota is a better one because they have lexus as gc, and probably the LFA as the credor
It doesn't matter if we're referring to the more down-market or "mid tier" offerings from Alba or Lorus, or pricier options from GS and Credor: I firmly believe the Seiko group has one of the most well-rounded and diverse catalogues out of any watch group to date.
My Seiko stainless steel 7006-8040 in sunburst silver dial watch with the factory Bead of Rice bracelet, was made in June 1975 and features the Seiko Caliber 7006A 19 Jewel Automatic movement with the rare metal date corrector wheel. I purchased this Seiko for my ninth birthday on Dec. 15, 1979, after saving two-and-a-half years of my allowance. It was the most expensive item I had bought at the time with a manufacturer's suggested retail price in Canadian Dollars of $125. I kept everything that came with the watch such as the original packaging, guarantee booklet, and additional bracelet links. I have worn this watch since Grade 3 to now with my other timepiece being a 1972 Rolex DateJust Ref.1601 in stainless steel in grey linen dial with 18kt White Gold Fluted Bezel full set with the original sales receipt, that was gifted to me by dad on Christmas Day 1982.
Seiko recently came out and clarified that Credor is not really meant to sit above GS, but alongside it. GS has a particular design language that Credor doesn't share. Historically, Credor has played in the eye-watering territory, but I think Seiko has begun to realize they aren't selling at that price and they've introduced some more affordable Credor models.
Seiko had to do this as stupid Americans only consider Rolex for men & Cartier for women. Things should improve in their market, as long as they pay a well-known loudmouth Yank (most likely a golfer) to start advertising them. I own both Rolex Daytona & Seiko Le grande Solar chronograph (which absolutely BEATS the Daytona in everything but resale value). 🤗
Don’t hesitate to buy second hand Seiko because they’re so durable and easy to maintain. Additionally, their design grammar doesn’t change, though there’s a universe of variety. And there’s a whole fascinating mod community. It’s the heart of what I truly like about Seiko, a watch person can really collect to their unique tastes and budgets. Enjoy!
A lot of people confuse "made in Japan" with "made in china". China is interested in quantity over anything where Japan is all about quality craftsmanship. The best rifle scopes, paint guns, and the best, a lot of things come from Japan. Those people dedicate their lives to perfecting what they do.
Picked up a MAMACOO's watch as my first watch last month and I’m absolutely in love with it. Perfect size, looks elegant, very comfortable. Now my only problem is holding off from buying more watches so quickly!
And you won't get robbed owning a grand seiko either............unlike Rolex fanboys, we don't need or want to show off. We want the performance to beat and smash the big Swiss brands at their own game, without people knowing it. Look to see why Seiko is banned from competing in the Swiss chronograph competition. They smashed them at their own game, won everything and did for a fraction of the price and made the Swiss brands look like fools.
Buying a Seiko will get you back your Ex-Girlfriend, solve your chemical imbalance, give you six pack abs and basically make your life magically unshit itself
The first watch I ever laid my eyes on is a Seiko 5 and I was blown away by the fact that it has a display case back for the movement to be seen and many many years later the first wristwatch I ever bought for myself was a Seiko 5. It is a 7S26 caliber, stainless steel case, and stainless steel folded links bracelet that some people mistake for silver. For less than 150 dollars, it is a great value. In my home country, Seiko 5 is the entry level and slightly above it is the 5 Sport.
I bought a Seiko PADI dive -type watch, and it looks great. But i'll never buy another 'automatic' watch again! Take it off, and the next day it will have stopped. Both the time and the date will need to be reset. I also hate batteries, so I'd like a solar quartz, ideally !
I keep hearing that lower end Seiko movement (themselves) aren’t that accurate. I have a 4R34 regulated to +/- 2.5 seconds per day. It’s my only mechanical Seiko. But I can’t help wondering if the published specs are for the level of OEM regulation. Apparently, the movement itself is capable of much more.
mamacoo You are so well-informed about luxury watches. You've obviously done your due diligence and the comparison to the US is very informative...because of course, I live in New York. thank you very much
Have 2 Seikos, neither are current. First, a 7005 from 1970 that still works perfectly (looks like a King Seiko), and second a titanium AGS kinetic divers watch (with the 'ghost' dial). Undecided about buying a new one, prices are going up and quality seems to be dropping...
Been watching your videos for a while now and was inspired to start a collection. Started with the MaMaCoo , its specs for price and clean looks, now am looking for a dress watch to add.
My first watch was a 1978 Seiko Quartz (brown dial 4336-8019) that was new when I got it for my high school graduation in 1980. My last watch will be a Grand Seiko GMT SBGM 221.
Hamilton, Bulova, Tudor, etc. etc., all manufacture great watches, movements and bracelets. Seiko has been one 5he most innovative companies, ever. I sold them for 15 years back in the '70s & '80s. Sold 2 TV watches! A great brand always great movements. My watchmaker loved them. The innovation of quartz movts, digitals and Seiko was seemingly always in the forefront of the newest technology. Purchased an SRP55 sport watch. It loses about a minute every 7 or 8 weeks. Super easy to read.
I really wish Seiko would get a little bit better regulation of their movements. I get that its a cost thing but got to think a little bit more labor and final regulation work would help support their steadily rising prices. Ive got several swiss and a german and everything from a SKX i use as a beater to an SJE073 with the super decorated 6L35 movement but even that pales in comparison to even my Tag's caliber 5 and the almost identical Sinn sellita movement - all of them are absolutely left in the dust by any rolex movement. I keep saying I will get a timer and regulate the SKX myself (yet to happen haha) but im not messing with the front loaded super thin 6L movement.
Nerds don't get it. You can only get so much at every price point in today's "smart watch" dominated market. The industry is suffering it's 2nd "Quartz Crisis" equivalent thanks to them & Japanese + Swiss are suffering in Western World markets.
The world's first commercial quartz watch was under the Astron name; that name has a lot of important history behind it and I can't imagine who would think that's in bad taste.
I do not collect idle watches, I buy what I need only. And I have bought (or was given) a long line of SEIKOS over the years, including a silver series 5 with a dark blue dial I wore in college. Both my parents also wore Seikos for most of their life with me. We were utterly satisfied with all of them. The last one I bought cost $200 or so, new in 2006, and lacks NOTHING that the $2,000 and $3,000 Sucker Seikos you peddle have.
If you come a cross a Seiko with a 6R35 caliber it is a Spring Drive you don't have to buy a Grand Seiko 6R15 caliber basically adds hand winding and hacking mechanism to 7S26 and is yet less expensive than most of the mainstream Seiko movements. It operates with 23 jewels, beats at 21,600 vph and holds magnificent 50 hours of power reserve with +25/-15 sec/day, which makes it quite a premium workforce. It is just a step below “high-beat” movements, but has greater power reserves and a great accuracy (compared to the “high beat” calibers) due to its Spron 510 mainspring. Seiko caliber 6R15 became famous by Seiko’s SARB (Spirit) series on Japanese market and its fame went global with Seiko’s “SUMO”, “Alpinist” and “62MAS Re-edition” watches series a bit later. Seiko Sumo SBDC027 Prospex Diver Automatic 50th Anniversary Limited Edition, Seiko Prospex Thailand Limited SPB029J1 Silver Sumo 200m Diver Seiko Prospex Sumo Pepsi Bezel SBDC057 Diver 200m Seiko Prospex Japan Limited SZSC004 Green Sumo 200m Diver Seiko Prospex Sumo PADI SBDC049 Diver 200m Limited 1000 Pcs. Seiko Sumo SPB055J Zimbe Limited Edition Series 4 Automatic Watch
I am a big fan of Seiko, my first automatic watch was Seiko, and I will cherish it forever, but nowadays I would buy Citizen over Seiko any day of the week (in affordable section).
I actually got rid of my Citizen eco-drive I owed for 10 yrs free of any service maintenance needed and decided to change the scene with Seiko and never looked back.
I own a SPB 151J Willard, and a SPB317 Turtle, which i purchased this year 2023, and both are erratic time keepers the Willard can gain up to 2 minutes per day,and the Turtle can gain 1.30 minutes per day, this i find very annoying as i need to adjust both each morning. Seiko are nice quality and look smart, but surely a watch these days could keep accurate time. I will be sending both back to Seiko to be adjusted under the 5 year warranty... 😞
I love Seiko watches, but beware, even though it's beautiful it might be a smaller dial then you were expecting. Now I'm trigger shy because I have 3 that have small dials. I think their beautiful but the smaller dial keeps me from wearing it as much.
I cannot recommend this Seiko, as I bought it two months ago-an orange Seiko GTM-and it loses a couple of minutes per day, with the power reserve lasting only four and a half hours. Is this normal, or is the watch faulty? I appreciate any tips. I've taken it twice to the store where I purchased it, and they told me I need to manually wind the crown. The issue is that, even when I wind it, the power only lasts for four and a half hours. I’m not sure if this is normal, but I’ve stopped using the watch because, after two months, it makes me late for work. Thank you.
Seiko Turtle. Modern days is cheaper if not same price as the SKX. Wears fantastic, tons of charm. Has hacking and hand winding and if you luck out like me your basic seiko movement wil be 5+ seconds a day 😮😊
People who think display casebacks are a waste without a decorated movement really overlook the fact that a Seiko is often someone's very first mechanical watch and seeing a movement for the first time is mind blowing even if it's not decorated.
A very important part of seiko which you left out is the huge difference between the Japanese and International Market. You often have to pay for import, but „Made in Japan“ models usually keep their value much better than „K“ from Taiwan. Also many models are only available overseas and vice versa. Love your channel, keep up the good work.
As a former seiko employee, i can truly confirm that there is literally no difference between J an K models, except some minor cosmetic touches. For example 21 jewels text on the dial of skx. However, as perception belies reality, people collecting watches attributed such values to J models. On the other hand, JDM things are different, deserves the value they were attributed, often
Proud owner of the Bluemoon (SRPB41J1), King Turtle green (grenade), King Samurai (white) and a battered old sea urchin (snzf15), 4 watches that offer a great variety all for fantastic value.
Damn, a true watch person. Most Rolex owners can’t carry your water, no pun intended. The only Rolex owners with that creds are the ones with watches that they had scratched and dented.
Alba has been revived since last year and they've released stunning designs below $100. Automatic too. I think they're using the surplus 7s26 from the Seiko 5 range.
I became addicted to Seiko only last year. They are affordable so I got five or six of them over a brief period. Seiko overdelivers in quality per price, which is quite unusual in the watch world. Some models have fantastic dials. The fans give them funny names. Who doesn't want to wear a Captain Willard, Land Tortoise or Tuna. My favourite? Perhaps the Dress KX, an allround beauty, Explorer vibe, for almost nothing.
Its a little sad that you guys don't seem to know (perhaps seem is important there) the difference between hardness (resistance to scratching) and fragiity (shattering). This is the key behind understanding "why Hardlex". I get that its a hard thing to steer the understanding of the public, but feeding into this misunderstanding isn't the right approach.
Like this format. Would love to see such guides to brands, especially on the affordable end (or less discussed) like Oris or Vostok or even Seagull. What these brands do well, why & what are they known for, history, pros & cons etc.
I bought my SKX007 back in 2020 when I discovered they were discontinued. After that, I started collecting: SNXJ89, SVBR300, SSK001, SNK809, just to name a few. Seiko's my favorite, ever.
Seiko is great because you can get something guaranteed to fit your desire. Whether you want a watch with loads of history, or you just want something with a pretty dial, or if you just want a watch with a unique design, there is something for you and sometimes you can get more than one of those options in a single watch.
One thing to know before getting a Seiko, be careful of their QC, they are known for misaligned bezels and poor QC. Surprisingly, Orient, their sister brand seems to be better in QC, have seen less complaints. So I would suggest you sit down with your final choice and go through it carefully, before paying for the watch.
Agree on Seiko offering a huge choice of genuinely cool and interesting watches, as well as being a superb base for getting into mods/customisation. I've found their movements (in up-to £1,000 watches) very inconsistent day-to-day - they can be spot on one day, and off by 10 seconds the next, whilst others report perfect performance. As an entry-level automatic I've found Citizen a more reliable (and better QC'd) option, but they don't offer as many iconic designs as Seiko. Just know that things may well misalign in terms of fit, finish and mechanicals before you buy.
I can't get an answer for why there is, say, SUR531 and SUR531P1. There is no answer for what 'P1' means and they look identical. Does anybody here know??
I bought this popular video watch from nkuwan , which was originally priced at a few thousand dollars, but now it's only $380! It's really suitable to pick up feces!
Don't buy a Seiko until you read and test it out! Seiko service is atrocious. Bought a brand new Lake Suwa Ref SLGA021 with the Spring Drive in Japan after hearing how great GS was. It's supposed to have a 5 day power reserve. I got the watch for a family member as a gift thinking this would truly be a watch he could enjoy for years to come. Never wore or sized the watch. Absolutely brand new from authorized Grand Seiko dealer in Japan. I just opened it up and wound the power reserve to near full and hoped to see it last for up to 5 days. Two days later I go back to see the watch that's in the box and it's stopped running! Now this can't be normal right? Since I don't live in Japan I couldn't go back to the selling dealer. So I went to my local GS dealer in my country and he said this is not normal. He said let us bring it to our Grand Seiko watch repair center to see what they say. 4 days later they tell me oh this is something ONLY Japan can repair and because this model is so new we are not equipped to repair this! I said so I paid about for a new watch and it has to go back to Japan for about a month or more to get repaired? I requested that Grand Seiko simply replace the unit with a new unit and he said they could not do that. I find this practice to be unethical, poor business sense, and a quick way to lose brand loyalty, of which they have not even yet established yet. SO basically I have to pay in full, never get any use from the purchase, and it has to go to Japan for repairs for God knows how long. Not sure Grand Seiko Marketing or Director of Sales would find this remedy to be fair. Anyways, that's my experience with GS so far and no I won't recommend this brand to anyone. Pretty much at my wits end, if you have any suggestions or recommendations please send them my way. Thank you for your informative video.
As someone who has owned dozens of seiko's from $50 upwards of $1000+ and always wearing a watch...............I wear my cheaper seiko's more than my expensive ones and they all just keep ticking away without complaint. I will wear a top quality Japanese brand over swiss anyday. I will have a Grand Seiko eventually in my life..............and not even interested in Rolex at all. I value performance, technology and quality over a brand name.
My first Seiko was a Japan market SBDA005... the orange dialed "titanium Samurai" diver, purchased in 2005. The 7S25 movement... non-hacking/non-manual winding, left a bit to be desired, but the titanium case, unique styling and - at the time - sub $400 price point, as shipped from Seiya in Japan, sealed the deal. I've bought many Seikos since then, and although the Ti Samurai, which has yet to be serviced and loses about 30 seconds a day (the horror!) is still a favorite. In fact, I'm wearing it now.
My very first mechanical watch was my SARB017 Alpinist. This was followed up by my SRPK777K1. Quality wasn't 100% with the turtle. The first one had a badly misaligned bezel and hands. The second one runs quite fast. Regardless, no matter what I'm doing, I'm seldom seen without one or the other.
I just bought my third. Love my two different baby tuna's ( automatic ) and now will add a land turtle to the collection. Maybe at the very end of they year the emperor tuna.
Seiko is an ok day-to-day, and I don't mind syncing it at the start of a work week. Most important, the movement is robust, so servicing costs are reasonable. Not so much with high end brands, where the servicing costs will be more than the cost of the watch within a decade.
@@SomeOneOneOne get a standard full service on a 10 yo Ball, Mido, Certina, Hamilton, Longines … I can go on. There’s a reason why Citizen and Seiko are popular in developing nations where they are passed from fathers to sons.
Except for their lousy scratch resistance; my 033's bezel was very glossy and the wind would scratch it. The case wasn't much better - despite having their Diashield coating. My OSD300, on the other hand, seems nigh impossible to scratch. SEIKO needs to fix its QC issues (misaligned bezels and chapter rings, lack of anything resembling regulation before leaving the factory, for example). I'm much happier with my OSD300 than I was with my O33, tbh.
My first proper watch is a Seiko ( 5 sport more precisely ). It was a gift from my parents for my 18th birthday, I'm 28 now and it's still going strong after 10 years on my wrist - 10 years of water, salt water, mud , blood (literally since i'm a doctor). For the price Seiko offer crazy quality.
Nice summary. Agree with all your points (understandable, given I’ve got 5 Seiko 😁). To assist me in acquiring even more of them, it would be helpful if you could list the model numbers of the watches feature in the video, in the video description (or comments). Thanks!
you didn't speak about seiko lassale , i have a lassale that dates back to 1984 , a quartz 7 jewels mouvement , ultra thin you can't believe it when you see it , just super elegant , i have another vintage seiko all in gold , seiko was and is and will always be there for its seikoholics.
Picked up my first Seiko this month - a Premier White Dial - D from AMJ Watches on sale. This is a lovely dress watch if a little large but it's solar which is also something I've never owned and blows my mind.
The first ever cool watch I got to play with was my grandfather's Pogue back when I was a little kid. I didn't know what it was, but it was cool to a 5 years old with all it's buttons making the hand go, stop and reset. With the spinny thing inside that I had no idea what is for, but you can turn it with the crown. With the bizarre scale around the bezel which I had no idea how to use nor did I know that it is called bezel, but it was cool as F! I kind of grew up with that watch always being there. So thirty years later I got in to watches myself. Guess what was the brand I started researching first? Now some 15 watches later many of them Seikos (and I got that Pogue restored to almost new condition wearing it in the daily rotation) I got in to modding and custom watch building mainly using Seiko NH35 or NH34 movements for my builds. Saying that Seiko is the brand that opened the world of watches for me will be a massive understatement.
Seiko is a lot like Honda. They make the red bull F1 car, and they also make the civic. Both are extremely great cars. As goes for Seiko and GS watches.
Only make the engine there but not a bad analogy. I would probably say toyota is a better one because they have lexus as gc, and probably the LFA as the credor
You mean Toyota.
Its more Honda... Maybe Toyota more like Citizen..both reliable.@@LorianandLothric
Honda. Got jet and robot. And 70c bike
just picked up a Seiko today, so far so good. First watch in my collection that will definitely grow.
Do you have anymore watches today?
@@ConnorGrosseFilms not at the moment, saving up for a £1300~1500 one. life got in the way
It doesn't matter if we're referring to the more down-market or "mid tier" offerings from Alba or Lorus, or pricier options from GS and Credor: I firmly believe the Seiko group has one of the most well-rounded and diverse catalogues out of any watch group to date.
My Seiko stainless steel 7006-8040 in sunburst silver dial watch with the factory Bead of Rice bracelet, was made in June 1975 and features the Seiko Caliber 7006A 19 Jewel Automatic movement with the rare metal date corrector wheel. I purchased this Seiko for my ninth birthday on Dec. 15, 1979, after saving two-and-a-half years of my allowance. It was the most expensive item I had bought at the time with a manufacturer's suggested retail price in Canadian Dollars of $125. I kept everything that came with the watch such as the original packaging, guarantee booklet, and additional bracelet links. I have worn this watch since Grade 3 to now with my other timepiece being a 1972 Rolex DateJust Ref.1601 in stainless steel in grey linen dial with 18kt White Gold Fluted Bezel full set with the original sales receipt, that was gifted to me by dad on Christmas Day 1982.
Seiko recently came out and clarified that Credor is not really meant to sit above GS, but alongside it. GS has a particular design language that Credor doesn't share. Historically, Credor has played in the eye-watering territory, but I think Seiko has begun to realize they aren't selling at that price and they've introduced some more affordable Credor models.
Seiko had to do this as stupid Americans only consider Rolex for men & Cartier for women. Things should improve in their market, as long as they pay a well-known loudmouth Yank (most likely a golfer) to start advertising them. I own both Rolex Daytona & Seiko Le grande Solar chronograph (which absolutely BEATS the Daytona in everything but resale value). 🤗
Every single credor sold out immediately
I’ve recently bought my first Seiko and now am considering selling all my other watches (apart from GShock beater) to buy more Seikos. Love em.
Don’t hesitate to buy second hand Seiko because they’re so durable and easy to maintain. Additionally, their design grammar doesn’t change, though there’s a universe of variety.
And there’s a whole fascinating mod community.
It’s the heart of what I truly like about Seiko, a watch person can really collect to their unique tastes and budgets.
Enjoy!
... and some of the best Seikos are older ones
A lot of people confuse "made in Japan" with "made in china". China is interested in quantity over anything where Japan is all about quality craftsmanship. The best rifle scopes, paint guns, and the best, a lot of things come from Japan. Those people dedicate their lives to perfecting what they do.
Well lately China has been getting better too
Facts 💯🔥💥👍
@@tariqkhonji6556true but Japan was always like this… think about the samurai sword…
My "JDM" Sarb033 case is made in China. Loads of Swiss brands have Chinese parts to.
Man!! Japanese really are the shit!! Their gundam mobile suits are awesome!!
Seiko has a ton of Japanese domestic market gems and if you go vintage there is a lot to explore.
Seiko is the only brand that if every other brand disappeard - it could cater for every category for every customer
This is absolutely brilliant....and true. Maybe Citizen too 😅
I’m loving my SRPD57K1 more than anything I own to be honest can never go wrong with Seiko
Picked up a MAMACOO's watch as my first watch last month and I’m absolutely in love with it. Perfect size, looks elegant, very comfortable. Now my only problem is holding off from buying more watches so quickly!
Nothing wrong with being a SEIKO fanboy ,your not going to get mugged for a SEIKO 5
The term "fanboy" is beneath us Seiko collectors.
And you won't get robbed owning a grand seiko either............unlike Rolex fanboys, we don't need or want to show off.
We want the performance to beat and smash the big Swiss brands at their own game, without people knowing it.
Look to see why Seiko is banned from competing in the Swiss chronograph competition. They smashed them at their own game, won everything and did for a fraction of the price and made the Swiss brands look like fools.
Buying a Seiko will get you back your Ex-Girlfriend, solve your chemical imbalance, give you six pack abs and basically make your life magically unshit itself
I dont want her back
😂😂😂😂🎉🍻
"Seiko cured my adhd" 😂 I wish
Seiko cures ED
That's exactly what happened to me
The first watch I ever laid my eyes on is a Seiko 5 and I was blown away by the fact that it has a display case back for the movement to be seen and many many years later the first wristwatch I ever bought for myself was a Seiko 5. It is a 7S26 caliber, stainless steel case, and stainless steel folded links bracelet that some people mistake for silver. For less than 150 dollars, it is a great value.
In my home country, Seiko 5 is the entry level and slightly above it is the 5 Sport.
Please continue this series with other brands! Informative!
'Japanese. In some circles that may be a Neddy no-no'.
Yup. The same circles who know absolutely zilch about watches or watchmaking.
I bought a Seiko PADI dive -type watch, and it looks great.
But i'll never buy another 'automatic' watch again!
Take it off, and the next day it will have stopped. Both the time and the date
will need to be reset. I also hate batteries, so I'd like a solar quartz, ideally !
I keep hearing that lower end Seiko movement (themselves) aren’t that accurate. I have a 4R34 regulated to +/- 2.5 seconds per day. It’s my only mechanical Seiko. But I can’t help wondering if the published specs are for the level of OEM regulation. Apparently, the movement itself is capable of much more.
mamacoo You are so well-informed about luxury watches. You've obviously done your due diligence and the comparison to the US is very informative...because of course, I live in New York. thank you very much
Have 2 Seikos, neither are current. First, a 7005 from 1970 that still works perfectly (looks like a King Seiko), and second a titanium AGS kinetic divers watch (with the 'ghost' dial). Undecided about buying a new one, prices are going up and quality seems to be dropping...
Been watching your videos for a while now and was inspired to start a collection. Started with the MaMaCoo , its specs for price and clean looks, now am looking for a dress watch to add.
My first watch was a 1978 Seiko Quartz (brown dial 4336-8019) that was new when I got it for my high school graduation in 1980. My last watch will be a Grand Seiko GMT SBGM 221.
Hamilton, Bulova, Tudor, etc. etc., all manufacture great watches, movements and bracelets. Seiko has been one 5he most innovative companies, ever. I sold them for 15 years back in the '70s & '80s. Sold 2 TV watches! A great brand always great movements. My watchmaker loved them. The innovation of quartz movts, digitals and Seiko was seemingly always in the forefront of the newest technology. Purchased an SRP55 sport watch. It loses about a minute every 7 or 8 weeks. Super easy to read.
1881 Seiko founded :) Seiko 5 SRPK35 with 4R36 automatic w/ metallic orange dial diver style in stainless on my left wrist smiled at this video //
I really wish Seiko would get a little bit better regulation of their movements. I get that its a cost thing but got to think a little bit more labor and final regulation work would help support their steadily rising prices. Ive got several swiss and a german and everything from a SKX i use as a beater to an SJE073 with the super decorated 6L35 movement but even that pales in comparison to even my Tag's caliber 5 and the almost identical Sinn sellita movement - all of them are absolutely left in the dust by any rolex movement. I keep saying I will get a timer and regulate the SKX myself (yet to happen haha) but im not messing with the front loaded super thin 6L movement.
Nerds don't get it. You can only get so much at every price point in today's "smart watch" dominated market. The industry is suffering it's 2nd "Quartz Crisis" equivalent thanks to them & Japanese + Swiss are suffering in Western World markets.
How do you think Hamilton sits on the market compared to Seiko?
I personally love Seiko Astron. It is a little annoying that everyone thinks it's bad taste to have one.
Why is it bad taste to have one?
The world's first commercial quartz watch was under the Astron name; that name has a lot of important history behind it and I can't imagine who would think that's in bad taste.
@@glitchedoomEXACTLY right!
Bought 2 Seiko Presage in 2002, one for work one for dress both have served well & looking like ill kick the bucket before them.
I do not collect idle watches, I buy what I need only. And I have bought (or was given) a long line of SEIKOS over the years, including a silver series 5 with a dark blue dial I wore in college. Both my parents also wore Seikos for most of their life with me. We were utterly satisfied with all of them. The last one I bought cost $200 or so, new in 2006, and lacks NOTHING that the $2,000 and $3,000 Sucker Seikos you peddle have.
I have a chronograph and a gmt. Both are great. I could have a collection of only Seikos.
If you come a cross a Seiko with a 6R35 caliber it is a Spring Drive you don't have to buy a Grand Seiko 6R15 caliber basically adds hand winding and hacking mechanism to 7S26 and is yet less expensive than most of the mainstream Seiko movements. It operates with 23 jewels, beats at 21,600 vph and holds magnificent 50 hours of power reserve with +25/-15 sec/day, which makes it quite a premium workforce. It is just a step below “high-beat” movements, but has greater power reserves and a great accuracy (compared to the “high beat” calibers) due to its Spron 510 mainspring. Seiko caliber 6R15 became famous by Seiko’s SARB (Spirit) series on Japanese market and its fame went global with Seiko’s “SUMO”, “Alpinist” and “62MAS Re-edition” watches series a bit later.
Seiko Sumo SBDC027 Prospex Diver Automatic 50th Anniversary Limited Edition, Seiko Prospex Thailand Limited SPB029J1 Silver Sumo 200m Diver Seiko Prospex Sumo Pepsi Bezel SBDC057 Diver 200m
Seiko Prospex Japan Limited SZSC004 Green Sumo 200m Diver Seiko Prospex Sumo PADI SBDC049 Diver 200m Limited 1000 Pcs. Seiko Sumo SPB055J Zimbe Limited Edition Series 4 Automatic Watch
I am a big fan of Seiko, my first automatic watch was Seiko, and I will cherish it forever, but nowadays I would buy Citizen over Seiko any day of the week (in affordable section).
I actually got rid of my Citizen eco-drive I owed for 10 yrs free of any service maintenance needed and decided to change the scene with Seiko and never looked back.
just bought a Seiko Presage SSA441J and l am absoutly in love with it! it is also my first ever automatic watch.
I own a SPB 151J Willard, and a SPB317 Turtle, which i purchased this year 2023, and both are erratic time keepers the Willard can gain up to 2 minutes per day,and the Turtle can gain 1.30 minutes per day, this i find very annoying as i need to adjust both each morning. Seiko are nice quality and look smart, but surely a watch these days could keep accurate time. I will be sending both back to Seiko to be adjusted under the 5 year warranty... 😞
Any Seiko it’s probably going to be the least risky watch you buy. They rarely disappoint, unless you’re really picky ;)
Not to knock hardlex, but watch some TH-cam videos about scratch testing. Hardlex doesn't really hold up any better than regular mineral crystal.
I love Seiko watches, but beware, even though it's beautiful it might be a smaller dial then you were expecting. Now I'm trigger shy because I have 3 that have small dials. I think their beautiful but the smaller dial keeps me from wearing it as much.
I cannot recommend this Seiko, as I bought it two months ago-an orange Seiko GTM-and it loses a couple of minutes per day, with the power reserve lasting only four and a half hours. Is this normal, or is the watch faulty? I appreciate any tips. I've taken it twice to the store where I purchased it, and they told me I need to manually wind the crown. The issue is that, even when I wind it, the power only lasts for four and a half hours. I’m not sure if this is normal, but I’ve stopped using the watch because, after two months, it makes me late for work. Thank you.
Requesting to do a comparison between Seiko Prospex Flightmaster vs Citizen Promaster Skyhawk. Thank you.
Request granted, go ahead, Mongoose!
Seiko Turtle. Modern days is cheaper if not same price as the SKX. Wears fantastic, tons of charm. Has hacking and hand winding and if you luck out like me your basic seiko movement wil be 5+ seconds a day 😮😊
Got a Seiko Prospex Alpinist 1959 (SPB249J1) and think this screams Grand Seiko. Hands down the best quality/value in the Seiko line.
Seiko is just so rock solid.
Seiko makes a wide variety of very nicely finished pieces with prices from all ranges. Very impressed with them.
People who think display casebacks are a waste without a decorated movement really overlook the fact that a Seiko is often someone's very first mechanical watch and seeing a movement for the first time is mind blowing even if it's not decorated.
Agreed. I love all things mechanical so the see thru caseback on my both of my seiko 5’s is a treat. Love it.
Seiko Aston review please.......great watches
A very important part of seiko which you left out is the huge difference between the Japanese and International Market. You often have to pay for import, but „Made in Japan“ models usually keep their value much better than „K“ from Taiwan. Also many models are only available overseas and vice versa. Love your channel, keep up the good work.
As a former seiko employee, i can truly confirm that there is literally no difference between J an K models, except some minor cosmetic touches. For example 21 jewels text on the dial of skx. However, as perception belies reality, people collecting watches attributed such values to J models. On the other hand, JDM things are different, deserves the value they were attributed, often
That is why I will not buy a Seiko 5 GMT - all the ones in the UK are not made in Japan. If I can get a made in Japan one, I am getting it.
K models are also made in Malaysia I thought.
I got a SSJ017J1 ant is a 293 out of 1500, it's abs amazing
Proud owner of the Bluemoon (SRPB41J1), King Turtle green (grenade), King Samurai (white) and a battered old sea urchin (snzf15), 4 watches that offer a great variety all for fantastic value.
Damn, a true watch person.
Most Rolex owners can’t carry your water, no pun intended. The only Rolex owners with that creds are the ones with watches that they had scratched and dented.
I picked up the 2022 Astron and it's stunning and made in the Grand Seiko factory 🏭 so the fit and finish is amazing.
The Seiko SNE039 is the most underrated seiko ever.
It certainly is a classic.
Alba has been revived since last year and they've released stunning designs below $100. Automatic too. I think they're using the surplus 7s26 from the Seiko 5 range.
I became addicted to Seiko only last year. They are affordable so I got five or six of them over a brief period. Seiko overdelivers in quality per price, which is quite unusual in the watch world. Some models have fantastic dials. The fans give them funny names. Who doesn't want to wear a Captain Willard, Land Tortoise or Tuna. My favourite? Perhaps the Dress KX, an allround beauty, Explorer vibe, for almost nothing.
Its a little sad that you guys don't seem to know (perhaps seem is important there) the difference between hardness (resistance to scratching) and fragiity (shattering). This is the key behind understanding "why Hardlex". I get that its a hard thing to steer the understanding of the public, but feeding into this misunderstanding isn't the right approach.
I am planning yo get srpf79k1 save the ocean. Any suggestions?
Like this format. Would love to see such guides to brands, especially on the affordable end (or less discussed) like Oris or Vostok or even Seagull. What these brands do well, why & what are they known for, history, pros & cons etc.
I bought my SKX007 back in 2020 when I discovered they were discontinued. After that, I started collecting: SNXJ89, SVBR300, SSK001, SNK809, just to name a few. Seiko's my favorite, ever.
Seiko is great because you can get something guaranteed to fit your desire. Whether you want a watch with loads of history, or you just want something with a pretty dial, or if you just want a watch with a unique design, there is something for you and sometimes you can get more than one of those options in a single watch.
One thing to know before getting a Seiko, be careful of their QC, they are known for misaligned bezels and poor QC. Surprisingly, Orient, their sister brand seems to be better in QC, have seen less complaints. So I would suggest you sit down with your final choice and go through it carefully, before paying for the watch.
Seiko are the Christopher Ward of Asia just more heritage arguably the best watch brand in the world
If everything on your Seiko lines up correctly and the QC is excellent, its either a fake or been modified.
Go find flaws on a seiko(shield)5 dress watch... they are 👌🏻
Agree on Seiko offering a huge choice of genuinely cool and interesting watches, as well as being a superb base for getting into mods/customisation. I've found their movements (in up-to £1,000 watches) very inconsistent day-to-day - they can be spot on one day, and off by 10 seconds the next, whilst others report perfect performance. As an entry-level automatic I've found Citizen a more reliable (and better QC'd) option, but they don't offer as many iconic designs as Seiko. Just know that things may well misalign in terms of fit, finish and mechanicals before you buy.
Been wearing a seiko orange knight for well over a decade.
I can't get an answer for why there is, say, SUR531 and SUR531P1. There is no answer for what 'P1' means and they look identical. Does anybody here know??
I've got one word for a genuine alternative to a Seiko, and is arguably better value: Citizen.
I bought this popular video watch from nkuwan , which was originally priced at a few thousand dollars, but now it's only $380! It's really suitable to pick up feces!
Don't buy a Seiko until you read and test it out! Seiko service is atrocious.
Bought a brand new Lake Suwa Ref SLGA021 with the Spring Drive in Japan after hearing how great GS was.
It's supposed to have a 5 day power reserve. I got the watch for a family member as a gift thinking this would truly be a watch he could enjoy for years to come.
Never wore or sized the watch. Absolutely brand new from authorized Grand Seiko dealer in Japan. I just opened it up and wound the power reserve to near full and hoped to see it last for up to 5 days. Two days later I go back to see the watch that's in the box and it's stopped running! Now this can't be normal right? Since I don't live in Japan I couldn't go back to the selling dealer. So I went to my local GS dealer in my country and he said this is not normal. He said let us bring it to our Grand Seiko watch repair center to see what they say. 4 days later they tell me oh this is something ONLY Japan can repair and because this model is so new we are not equipped to repair this!
I said so I paid about for a new watch and it has to go back to Japan for about a month or more to get repaired? I requested that Grand Seiko simply replace the unit with a new unit and he said they could not do that. I find this practice to be unethical, poor business sense, and a quick way to lose brand loyalty, of which they have not even yet established yet.
SO basically I have to pay in full, never get any use from the purchase, and it has to go to Japan for repairs for God knows how long.
Not sure Grand Seiko Marketing or Director of Sales would find this remedy to be fair.
Anyways, that's my experience with GS so far and no I won't recommend this brand to anyone. Pretty much at my wits end, if you have any suggestions or recommendations please send them my way.
Thank you for your informative video.
You don't know what the Astron line of Seiko's are?
This is now the 4th or 5th video for you guys in a few weeks with the Seiko 5s … how much did they pay you to keep posting about them?
Look up who owns Watchfinder
@@KC-bv9kf OK so just had a curiosity I did. It’s not seiko. Help me understand where you’re going with us
Want a Seiko datejust hommage with crown on 3 and 36-38 mm diameter.
As someone who has owned dozens of seiko's from $50 upwards of $1000+ and always wearing a watch...............I wear my cheaper seiko's more than my expensive ones and they all just keep ticking away without complaint.
I will wear a top quality Japanese brand over swiss anyday. I will have a Grand Seiko eventually in my life..............and not even interested in Rolex at all. I value performance, technology and quality over a brand name.
My first Seiko was a Japan market SBDA005... the orange dialed "titanium Samurai" diver, purchased in 2005.
The 7S25 movement... non-hacking/non-manual winding, left a bit to be desired, but the titanium case, unique styling and - at the time - sub $400 price point, as shipped from Seiya in Japan, sealed the deal.
I've bought many Seikos since then, and although the Ti Samurai, which has yet to be serviced and loses about 30 seconds a day (the horror!) is still a favorite. In fact, I'm wearing it now.
Can you buy them second hand? And if so from where?
Oh shit I bought one yesterday and Id missed this video
i just got one today before i saw this
My very first mechanical watch was my SARB017 Alpinist. This was followed up by my SRPK777K1. Quality wasn't 100% with the turtle. The first one had a badly misaligned bezel and hands. The second one runs quite fast. Regardless, no matter what I'm doing, I'm seldom seen without one or the other.
Shame you don't stock them. The SLA models are better than half the makes you stock.
Since My first Turtle, I've been absolutely hooked.
Seiko Stressless & Sleek✨
I just bought my third. Love my two different baby tuna's ( automatic ) and now will add a land turtle to the collection. Maybe at the very end of they year the emperor tuna.
Seiko is King
Seiko is an ok day-to-day, and I don't mind syncing it at the start of a work week. Most important, the movement is robust, so servicing costs are reasonable. Not so much with high end brands, where the servicing costs will be more than the cost of the watch within a decade.
Doubt that
@@SomeOneOneOne get a standard full service on a 10 yo Ball, Mido, Certina, Hamilton, Longines … I can go on.
There’s a reason why Citizen and Seiko are popular in developing nations where they are passed from fathers to sons.
I recently got my first Seiko, and it hasn't left my wrist.
Seiko was my first watch as well. You can see why Seiko is amazing in th-cam.com/video/jQ1wLrY_1e8/w-d-xo.html.
Seiko SLA models are amazing
Except for their lousy scratch resistance; my 033's bezel was very glossy and the wind would scratch it. The case wasn't much better - despite having their Diashield coating. My OSD300, on the other hand, seems nigh impossible to scratch. SEIKO needs to fix its QC issues (misaligned bezels and chapter rings, lack of anything resembling regulation before leaving the factory, for example). I'm much happier with my OSD300 than I was with my O33, tbh.
Another great video
I've been studying the brand today and it seems like Seiko is Toyota and Grand Seiko is Lexus.
My first proper watch is a Seiko ( 5 sport more precisely ). It was a gift from my parents for my 18th birthday, I'm 28 now and it's still going strong after 10 years on my wrist - 10 years of water, salt water, mud , blood (literally since i'm a doctor). For the price Seiko offer crazy quality.
got the purple dialed presage sharp edged akebono for 650+ USD, love it
If Rolex is an f1 car, seiko is the hot hatch market and the gr86. Greatly enjoyable cars that are attainable by an average joe
Nice summary. Agree with all your points (understandable, given I’ve got 5 Seiko 😁). To assist me in acquiring even more of them, it would be helpful if you could list the model numbers of the watches feature in the video, in the video description (or comments). Thanks!
I agree on the model numbers being helpful.
62MAS diver. Enough said. Magical piece to own.
i love my spb147. gold hands on brown backround looks amazing
you didn't speak about seiko lassale , i have a lassale that dates back to 1984 , a quartz 7 jewels mouvement , ultra thin you can't believe it when you see it , just super elegant , i have another vintage seiko all in gold , seiko was and is and will always be there for its seikoholics.
Picked up my first Seiko this month - a Premier White Dial - D from AMJ Watches on sale. This is a lovely dress watch if a little large but it's solar which is also something I've never owned and blows my mind.
I've never understood peoples problem with Hardlex, I've yet to scratch one in 20 years so I don't know what people are doing with their watches.
The problem is that sapphire looks better.
I think u keep your hands in your pockets. Im careful, but it doesnt take much to scratch these watches….. not just from me.
please can you review the Astron ?
Fit for purpose! But don't be fooled by sapphire glass, it scratches.
Not it doesn’t. U are making it up. No scratches on 10 watches i have with sapphire crystal for longer than a decade. Stop spreading fake news.
Great watches. Thanks guys
The first ever cool watch I got to play with was my grandfather's Pogue back when I was a little kid. I didn't know what it was, but it was cool to a 5 years old with all it's buttons making the hand go, stop and reset. With the spinny thing inside that I had no idea what is for, but you can turn it with the crown. With the bizarre scale around the bezel which I had no idea how to use nor did I know that it is called bezel, but it was cool as F! I kind of grew up with that watch always being there. So thirty years later I got in to watches myself. Guess what was the brand I started researching first? Now some 15 watches later many of them Seikos (and I got that Pogue restored to almost new condition wearing it in the daily rotation) I got in to modding and custom watch building mainly using Seiko NH35 or NH34 movements for my builds. Saying that Seiko is the brand that opened the world of watches for me will be a massive understatement.
I love the presage style 60s but it’s a fixed bezel.
I love Seiko 😍
SRPH78 cocktail time is my favorite. Stunning dial.
if you only value swiss you are not a real watch collector