Rolex Explorer II Alternative? | SEIKO 5 Sports Field GMT 'Deploy' (SSK023) | Watch Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- 2024 SEIKO 5 Sports Field GMT 'Deploy' (SSK023K1) on bracelet | Rolex Explorer II 226570 Alternative | 4R34 Automatic Watch Unboxing, First Impressions and Review
The Seiko 5 Sports Field collection was created with an ‘in the field’ military design -taking inspiration from a style originally called a ‘trench watch,’ created to be robust and reliable in tough conditions - echoing the Seiko 5 Sports characteristics.
‘’5’’ represents the original five key features of every Seiko 5 still present today: Automatic movement, Day-date display, Water Resistance, Recessed crown and Durable case & bracelet.
There are also the following versions:
5 Sports Field GMT 'Deception' (SSK025)
5 Sports Field GMT 'Polar' (SBSC009) [Japan Exclusive]
What's your thoughts on this watch? Please leave any comments or questions below, hit subscribe and look me up on IG :)
I have the white version arriving tomorrow. Very excited, although every time I see the black version, I wonder if I’ve made the right choice.
@@matthewtobin878 Can't go wrong either way. Let me know how it looks!
@@TheLumeRoom will do
Very nice in white, just need to sort some strap options out. Not a fan of the bracelet it comes on.
@@matthewtobin878 I don't mind the bracelet, but there's defo some great strap options
I just managed to pick one up from my favourite online AD here in Australia for $399AUD (approx £205GBP)! Just waiting for it to arrive (should be early next week!)
Bargain! Well played
Great review, mate! Thanks
This is the first Seiko that has cought my attention in a looong time.
I think they nailed the design.
Appreciate you watching, my friend. It looks even better in person! Excellent watch for the money
Your voice is so calming. Enjoyed hearing about the freshly released watch a lot, loving the new Seikos, I agree the bracelet is gorgeous, much cooler in terms of design than the jubilee. And ofc I subscribed. Thanks for the video.
Haha, glad you enjoyed the video... and my voice! Much appreciated, thank you
The case and bracelet are lovely but the dial is WAY too busy with the two sets of hour markers, in addition to the GMT bezel.
I don't think it's too busy, but I appreciate your comment. It's definitely functional.
I actually like the numerals all around. It improves legibility for me.
@@arielspalter7425 I'm with you
Hi, i have the white and the black one. Perfect watches, a little bit smaller than the rolex, but i love both. Greatings from vienna, and the white one comes from Tokio.
Yes, a few mills smaller than the Explorer II. Glad you like them!
Wish the JDM White dial (not unlike a Rolex Explorer II) was available in the UK.
Same here, it looks cool
just got one for $262 from my jewellers. i love it, i looks more expensive than the price suggest.
Excellent price! Enjoy
How thick does it feel on the wrist compared to the orange SSK?
Pretty much the same. Maybe a hair thinner
Will pick one up when the price settles down (off of msrp)
Most online retailers do 10% off with their newsletter ;)
4:06 come on Seiko, Sign the CROWN
I know, but probably reserved for their dressier / more expensive pieces
The bracelet looks better than the nato strap option.
The bracelet is solid and a great choice
looks so much better than the explorer lmao. amazing what companies do when they give a shit about their customers and know they won't just buy literally whatever.
It's definitely a fantastic alternative to the Explorer II
Only two things would make this watch better: Sapphire crystal/back and a screw down crown. That being said, I did just order the SBSC009, which is this watch, but with a cream dial only released in Japan (JDM), and should be to me in the states in about a week. Really looking forward to getting this watch.
The white dial is cool. Sapphire and screw down would have made it more expensive.
I got this watch for 315.00 USD tax in. Love the design and size. Really love it for the price I got it for! 😎👍🏼
Not sure why so many people don't like the S/5 logo. I kinda like it.
Same here 👍🏻
Hardlex is fine. Years ago i was a naval architect and marine engineer. Seiko hsrdlex was tested in the harshest of conditions for 7 years, never a problem..
@@rev.waynet.oleary7387 I'm with you on that. Works perfectly well. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing. i have been waiting for someone to review this watch. its beautiful.
😍
Glad you enjoyed. I'm really enjoying it, excellent watch.
Great review. It's so much nicer that they didn't include any writing on the case back like they did on the SSK005 as this allows better appreciation of the movement.
Appreciate your support and glad you enjoyed the vid!
I have this watch. Its excellent, apart from...the clasp!!!
@rev.waynet.oleary7387 Seiko clasps are never great. Have you thought about a third party strap?
Why everything has to exist in function of Rolex?
Not everything does. Just some
I have the blue SSK GMT and I absolutely love it. Plan to buy that field version as well. Personally it's too hard to choose so I'd just like to have both 😅😅
The blue SSK is a sweet choice too. These Field GMT's are worth the purchase!
Too many numbers. If they got rid of the 13-24 it would be cleaner/ better layout especially as a 4-hander.
I get it, but I like the military time and think it suits this field watch. Lots of other non field GMT's out there which may look samey
Love it! Love the JDM white dial one too :) I’ve bought too many GMT’s in 2023, but I think I’m gonna need this one too 😂
I was just informed of the JDM white version... I shouldn't... but I might... 😅
Looks much better in video than in the press images. Great review!
And even better in person! Thanks for your feedback and for watching!
I was glad when I read the news of the seiko 5 field gmt. Divers or dive style watches aren't to my liking. I'm going with the black dial with bracelet. I have the srpg27k1 on stock bracelet and hamilton khaki field automatic 38mm in black dial on factory bracelet.
Good choices and thanks for watching!
Damn the stamped clasp. Think ill still go for this one though.
Haha, will Seiko ever change that clasp
Interesting but shame about the hardlex, wish it was sapphire glass 🤦♂️ ... better stick to the explorer 2 😂
Haha, that's a huge price hike if you just want the sapphire glass. Cheers
@TheLumeRoom fair enough I get what your saying 🤣 tbh wish the explorer 2 was a 39mm or 40mm
@h.l6344 I hear. 42mm is big on the average wrist. Super legible, I guess
One of the best field watches is almost exclusively seen on a bracelet- the Rolex explorer
A great field watch, for sure!
Congrats on getting one of these so quickly, I was really looking forward to seeing reviews for this one. Personally, I think I might try and get the JDM version, and have the real "Polar" look
Oh, there's a white JDM one?!? I'll have to check it out if there is. Thank you for watching :)
@@TheLumeRoom yeah, SBSC009
@@Horizontalvertigo WOW, that white version looks class!
Two main problems with this otherwise fantastic watch: no sapphire and useless see trough case back.
I think those two things are preferences, not problems. Appreciate your comment though 👍🏻
yes, obviously this is only my opinion; when I first started collecting watches I was keen to having see trough case backs but then I understood the advantages of having a thinner watch overall. thanks for the review @@TheLumeRoom
Ni, See trough cases are for dresswatches. You dont need such fancy stuff on a professionel watch. But anyway, this watch looks nice, but is not a tool watch
Just got mine, couple of days back .. looking awesome in hand..
Great piece, enjoy!
Hii.. can u please tell me from where did u buy this in India and at what Price? On Amazon it's available but seller has 2-3star rating so can't trust if he's a genuine one.
Seiko does still produce very good watches however this Seiko GMT sport is not as great as their competition such as San Martin. I have been a fan of Seiko watches as far as I can remember going back to 1979 when I served in the U S Army..
My first nice new watch back then was a new good looking Seiko for around $120 U S dollars. This reviewed Seiko watch again is nice but for $335.00 U S dollars and with a busy dial with much writing in the dial it does need a little less writing to make it cleaner with less clutter in the dial.
New on the fly adjustment clasp should have been available with this watch. Thank you for your channel and in depth review. In my humble but sincere opinion considering the factors both good and not entirely good and open to improvement my score to this Seiko GMT I score at 7 points out of 10 points scale. 70 percent out of 100 is not terrible but does calls out for higher degree of a greater observation by Seiko to catch up with the watch global market..
Rick in Florida USA..
🇺🇸
@RicardoValdes-r6w San Martin make terrible clone watches and are no competition for Seiko.
I do agree with your point about a clasp upgrade would be good on this Seiko.
I really like the dial on it too, that's personal taste. Cheers
@@TheLumeRoom
Well I guess that my collection of San Martin in your opinion are a bad collection of clone watches..!
Your accent is a breath of fresh air. Thank you for the review. Love from PH.
This is my favourite comment! Thanks for your support. Love from Scotland.
Great video. I think I like SSK003 better although I think the minute hand looks goofy. I'm thinking to buy both SSK003 and SSK023 and swap hands, lol (just kidding).
Haha, both good watches. Appreciate you watching
A sapphire crystal away from perfection this one. I may have to pick one up and mod it.
Sapphire probs would bump the price up, going by their pricing model. A replacement / mod isn't difficult though 👍🏻
@@TheLumeRoomSeiko should do it tho.They know they can get away with it lol recently they got the ice blue n something red dial gmt seiko 5 limit to 1000 sold out during the exhibition only in Asia,retail more expensive than this one but discounted on the exib.I just ordered the white one from ebay since I lack a white dial and gmt.But i still be wearing my sbtm319 since is just hassle free.
None of these Rolex Explorer replacements can be so unless they have "traveler" GMT functionality, which is truly what you need when you fly around and explore the world. And if they are "caller" GMTs, then they need to at least have a rotating 24-hour bezel to track local time. Just looking like an Explorer is not enough. I've purchased one too many "caller" GMT watches thinking I could work around their limitations when I travel, only to feel disappointed in the end. If you travel often enough, you will understand how much easier it is to fly with a watch where the local 12-hour hand jumps instead of the GMT 24-hour hand. My workaround to use a caller GMT for travel, specifically my Glycine Airman, is to set the 12-hour hand to the destination time the night before I travel, and to rotate the 24-hour rotating bezel to track local time. However, if you don't have a 24-hour bezel, it just becomes too cumbersome to use a caller GMT for travel. The only sub $500 watch that I owned which I could actually consider an Explorer replacement in function was my Seiko Kinetic GMT, which actually was a traveler GMT. Unfortunately, I cracked the mineral crystal on that one and had to sell it, which then led me through multiple hollow relationships with caller GMTs in search of the perfect travel watch.
Appreciate your comments and thanks for watching.
This is a beautiful piece. Why is the heck won’t Seiko just put a screw down crown on these otherwise great watches.
Haha, I know. Maybe just for their divers... cheers
This will be my next addition in the collection I think. Although I’m not sure whether I prefer the black more. Need to see them both in the flesh I think.
Although if the polar was easier to get that would be first choice…….maybe I’ll just take the gamble and get a white.
I'd love to see a side by side comparison
@@JedeyeCoffee I need to see the white one in person
Great review!
Great looking watch too. I believe 39 mm is too small for my 7.5" wrist though...
Appreciate you! Give it a try, might be okay 👍🏻
field watches are "supposed" to be on nato/leather but they look way better on bracelets. it's deceiving because you expect dress/dive to be bracelets and the field's lack of bezel kind of makes the bracelet frame it in a pleasant way. it's unexpected and I think makes the field watches much more masculine.
Yeah, I reckon this watch looks good on anything! Cheers
They lost me at Hardlex. My cheap Timex hand-wind field watch has sapphire. No excuse.
Not an issue for me, but each to their own opinion
It really looks good! Perfect tool watch. Military time & GMT. Suggestion though is seiko should have made it with a screw down crown.
I highly rate it. Screw down crown might have been nice.
Great review. Good Copy from seiko.Thinner would be better no need for see through case back.Signed crown would be nice.
Appreciate the feedback! A few good points there too.
This looks great! Also happy the crown is now at 3 and not at 4, my personally preference. Also prefer this dial over the white one. Great vid 👍 liked and subscribed
Thanks for the sub! I agree, I think the black dial is more versatile
You failed to mention how many mm it is.... should mention it at the beginning. Dial diameter, lug to lug and thickness.
You failed to watch the video, as I do go over measurements.
This new GMT definitely has a Rolex Explorer 2 vibe to it and definitely has got my attention. I own the SSK003 blueberry GMT and love mine . I did rate that as my Seiko watch of the year for 2023 . I would like to add this watch to my collection in 2024 👍🏻
Well worth checking out and picking up!
Beautiful Seiko. Checks all the boxes for me. Great review sir. 👍
@@FabioBarahona Appreciate the comment. It's a brilliant watch and affordable too!
Great video, I am going to buy one as well.
There is a leather strap in the background, it looks very nice. Can you please share where you get it?
You won't be disappointed! The tan leather strap is from Zelos. The black canvas strap is Barton
Both are stunning. A decision made specifically for a GMT, it makes more sense for me I'm the field watch. Then pick any colour standard 5kx.
Agree, both excellent watches
Seiko and their busy dials. That inner 24hr is not needed it just clutters up the dial. Otherwise this watch looks beautiful.
I don't mind the military time scale on the dial. Appreciate your comment. Cheers
Had mine for a week, replaced the bracelet with a black leather strap a big improvement. Next job sapphire crystal. Love it.
5:55 5:56
Nice! Enjoy the watch
I would prefer military one. Probably will get the black version with black leather nato strap.
A cool option
Nice review. Look wise I still like the Alpinist GMT a little more, but that cost 2X as more as the Field GMT. Really good value here.
I prefer the standard Alpinist over the GMT version. As you said, the Alpi GMT is 2x the price of this Field GMT... how?! Cheers :)
Love it... But love it more if it...
1. Had a white dial
2. Had a day function (just a day wheel to add to the movement)
There is a white dial version ;)
I wish they made it a screw in crown. It’s possible it might get caught on something and pop out in accident.
It's not a diver, so I think this level of protection is sufficient and suits the watch
I think this watch will help me find a wife. In Eastern Europe.
Pozdravi
Best of luck, my friend
Yep MUST BUY for me …actually just ordered it from Seiko Australia AUD$675
Good to hear. Enjoy the piece!
Just got same one in today and I’m impressed I love it definitely my Favorite watch I’ve bought this year❤
Mine too! Enjoy :)
Good review, good info without waffle! Great.
@rev.waynet.oleary7387 Glad you found my review helpful
Maaannn idk if I want that one or the white face JDM one. They both look soooooo good
Both cool, depends on your personal taste
Thanks for a brilliant review, this watch is love at first sight for me and definitely one for my collection. Cheers and Happy New Year :-)
Glad my review helped! Have a great 2024 :)
Are the endlinks of the bracelet full or hollow?
Solid end links
@@TheLumeRoom It seems that the bracelet of this watch is a small step forward for Seiko. Thanks for your reply. Nice review.
@@Poldek.Misiak 100% agree! Thanks for the support
Love it, but still don't understand Seiko's hardlex miserliness. Well I do, which makes it worse. When accountants dictate to designers and engineers.
I get it, we all want sapphire. Honestly though, it's not a deal breaker and you'd have to really whack the crystal to scratch the Hardlex
@@TheLumeRoom It's not so much about the resilience but more the look. Hardlex looks like Hardlex. Sapphire is to me, better aesthetically. Yes, I'm that shallow.
@@RandallSlick Haha, you like what you like, I guess
Would like to see this with some cool leather straps and canvas straps as well!
Check out my IG... ;)
Hi, Looks great. Always confused, How do you show the time for UK and also fot New York (5 hours behind) Cannot grasp what hand does what, Thank You. Cheers
While a normal hour hand travels around the dial once every 12 hours, the (orange) GMT hand travels around the dial only once every 24 hours. The GMT scale on the bezel is in 24-hour, military time, so you will never confuse AM and PM when you travel.
Set the (orange) GMT hand to your home time, then adjust the main hands to local time, wherever you are. That way, you always see your home time at a glance and you'll know whether it's day or night.
@@TheLumeRoom Thank You for your explanation, very much appreciated. I am torn between this model and the Black Grape’ GMT SKX Re-Interpretation Watch SSK001K1. Thanks again.
@@Lensman3333 My pleasure. Happy watch hunting
Thank You @@TheLumeRoom
Great Informative video. Thanks. Is there any difference between Automatic with Manual Winding vs Mechanical Winding?
& Any difference in movement of GMT vs other Automatics ?
Sorry if I've asked Silly questions but I really don't have any understanding of watch and I just wanna buy bcz or Astrological Purpose.
I need an authentic Automatic Watch.
Generally speaking; automatic watches wind themselves with the rotor, whereas mechanical wind watches require human interaction to power them.
GMT movements have an extra hand / complication to consider vs a standard 3 hand watch. Google search will give you deeper descriptions if you want more info.
Am I the only one who wishes the bezzle was movable? I think that would really make it a 10/10 watch
I like your sentiment, but field watches should have fixed bezels.
@@TheLumeRoom sorry if this is a dumb question, but why should field watches have a field bezzle? Isn't it one less function than a rotating bezel?
@davidleizer1611 It's more about what typically has been done in the past. Field and trench watches were used by military personnel, not high-flying jet setters, therefore basic functionality overrides anything superfluous or anything deemed glamorous.
Thanks for the review, purchased the watch and subscribed
Glad I could help! Enjoy the watch, my friend
I even got a nice hand written letter from the Japanese store I ordered from and they even made me a cool origami that made it even more special I even put the origami in my watch box in a unused spot lol
That's a nice touch
I thought you are just joking until I got mine today with same hand written letter and a origami.I got the white one and forever will remember it as the tax import fees watch.Had I buy it in my own country is even cheaper.......but it was sold.Got a rude shock in the morning asking me to pay admin fee and import fee from DHL.😢
@@JohnDoe-zo2xo Nice touch on the origami
Gorgeous watch.
But No sapphire and no AR at this price point is a massive no no.
Unless you are a collectionner who is never going to consistently wear the watch and will just keep it in a box.
Seiko rarely, if ever, do sapphire on the 5 Sports range. Appreciate your comment though.
Do they have lume?
Yes, watch the vid, I do a lume shot
This is thicker than the seiko 5 gmt??
About the same
How does it look in the sun??
Great
That watch looks great I want one!
I highly recommend!
it looks even better "live" than in the press shots! But hardlex is a deal-breaker for me. Would've gladly paid $50-100 more for sapphire.
Thanks for your comment. The press shots don't do it justice. I'm okay with Hardlex, but I get the desire for sapphire. Cheers!
@@TheLumeRoom I'd prefer Sapphire. Might be OK with Hardlex if it's recessed like on the SSK but this crystal is domed and sticks out ready to catch door knobs and other things which will have it scratched real quick. Wish Seiko didn't cheap. $80 AliExpress watched with Seiko movements have sapphire.
@H3rBz92 1mm domed crystal is "ready to catch door knobs and other things". Best over-exaggeration I've heard in a long time 🤣
@@TheLumeRoom Just my experience with many Hardlex Seikos. You can get lucky with divers with flat crystals, sometimes the bezel will take the impact. Field 5 are slightly worse because the crystal takes impacts directly. The worst is the cocktail time because of that extremely domed crystal, they're gorgeous but they scratch up the easiest especially on the edge where the crystal curves into the case.
@TheLumeRoom as a lefty who wears my watch on my left wrist, it's only a matter of time that I scratch up that hardlex (which I have in the past).
it's like a budget version of a Seiko PROSPEX Alpinist GMT - 110th Anniversary or a Rolex explorer 2
Is it
Blue lume? Wow😊
Seiko rarely disappoints in lume department
Great review, great watch.
Much appreciated, pal
Great looking watch
Thank you, I agree. Appreciate you watching!
Love it👍🏻😊
Cheers pal!
I guess Seiko saw the profit in being ripped off, so they decided to rip off Rolex.
Similarities, but I wouldn't call it a ripoff
I don’t like the design of the GMT hand. It’s kind of ugly.
I like it as it's unique and not just copying every other GMT (large triangle) hand
So big question. Why do you think it’s an Explorer II alternative? It’s a desk GMT so not an alternative in any way. Click bait?
Not click bait. It has the look, feel and most of the functionality of the Explorer II at a much more affordable price point. I'm not saying "It's the same" but it's definitely an alternative for a lot of people.
The steel bezel definitely reminds me a lot of the Explorer II, especially in the white dial JDM version
@@ajmarion Same here
Where did you buy it?
UK online watch retailer
Meh looks kind of cheap. I prefer the one on the jubilee.
How so? The jubilee is a great watch too
The jubilee looks cheap. Hahaha.
@@psyteo3130 How so?
Love it. I only wish it had a screw down crown. Like some others I'm going to try to get the JDM Polar dial.
That Polar dial looks amazing! Harder to aquire
It's almost as nice as a $150 GMT using a Seiko movement. Of course, it's not as nice, since it doesn't have the specs as the $150 GMT. But, ya know, everyone is free to overpay if they insist.
So true. Seiko 'went upmarket' without providing any added value and now losing competition to micronrands and Chinese copies using the same movements but with superior value in other departments.
Does this '$150 GMT' have a brand or specs? Seems vague and somewhat salty.
San Martin
@@TheShotenZenjin 😂
@@TheLumeRoomth-cam.com/video/RaxO_WCQoOM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_jdZgNnHmQ1th3zA
There is no alternative to Rolex Explorer 2. Period.
There's perhaps nothing better if you want that watch, but there is other alternatives
Well said by someone who probably don’t even own one
@@psyteo3130 i have 2021 y. So stfu.