Seiko recently announced a new model in the SAR line of mid-range dress watches. The new SARX range is powered by the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement and comes with a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display case back. The 6R15 is Seiko’s answer to the ETA 2824 and offers the hacking and hand winding ability not seen in their 7Sxx models. Measuring 40 mm across and 13 mm thick, the SARX series should suit any wrist but its styling may prove to be polarizing.
Precursor SAR lines features reserved styling and subtle details while the new SARX features massive markers and roman numerals at twelve and six. These new SARX models are nice looking watches, but we wonder how much more elegant the design might have been if the markers were 50% smaller. Available with your choice of a white (SARX001), black (SARX003) or blue dial (SARX005), this new range from Seiko appears to be available only in Japan with a list price of 68250 JPy (~$890 at time of publication) but grey market dealers will ship worldwide and their pricing is closer to $680 USD. This new design adds a considerable amount of depth and texture to the dial but the over sized markers may prove to be too flashy for an otherwise conservative design. Additional models after the jump.
One of the first decent watches I ever bought was a Seiko SKX007 diver. Its a lovely watch that can be had for very cheap but still carries the iconic Seiko diver styling, an excellent bezel, and great lume. The SKX series is arguably one of the most popular “gateway watches” that bring enthusiasts from cheap fashion brands into the exciting but often debilitating hobby of watch collecting.
Specific models like my 007 or the “Monster” SKX781/SKX779 are considered to be some of the best value that can be had in dive watches. These watches feature dependable and simple movements, 200m dive-ready construction, and sport excellent bezels and bracelets. I don’t believe there is a single “what should I buy for $200” thread on any watch forum on the internet that doesn’t have mention of a Seiko SKX diver. Seiko has realized this popularity and now makes a line of watches in their entry-level “Seiko 5 Sports” range that features much of the Monster styling at a lesser price. These new models fall into the SNZF range and today we will take a closer look at the SNZF45, aka the “white baby monster”.
As much as we love luxury watches with bespoke movements and astronomical price tags we also have a definitive soft spot for entry level timepieces that are both thrifty and fun to wear. This is the Seiko SNZF45 and it is generally called the “baby monster” as it was styled after the extremely popular Seiko SKX781 and 779 divers that have been carrying the “Monster” nickname for years. The Seiko Black and Orange Monster models are considered to be some of the best entry level divers available on the market and are generally a gateway drug for new collectors.
This Seiko 5 Sports model was given its infant nickname because it is not a true dive watch, boasting just 100m of water resistance and a crown which does not screw down. What this white-dialed Seiko lacks in marine-readiness it makes up for in price as this Japanese automatic can be had for less than $150 brand new and still features a stainless steel bracelet, Seiko’s 7S36B automatic movement, and about as much lume as Seiko can cram into a single watch. Very few brands with Seiko’s history and experience are making automatic watches at this price point. You can expect our review in the coming weeks and until then we will be giving this bargain Seiko a closer look to see if this deal is simply too good to be true.
The Seiko SBDC line, dubbed the “Sumo” or “Shogun” by online collectors communities, have been out for a couple of years. Nevertheless, they are worth a detailed review. Today we will be takeing a closer look at the SBDC005, which is the orange version of the Sumo. This particular example was purchased with the bracelet that is normally only available on the black or blue dialed models. The Sumo represents Seikos response to the modern dive watch, the SKX series and their 7S26 movements have been staples of the dive watch world for years, but movements and manufacturing processes have improved. Seiko responded by making a Prospex dive watch with the venerable 6R15 movement from the Alpinist line. How does it stack up against the competition or even its cheaper SKX siblings?
When I realized that most of my collection had shifted toward divers and sports watches, I started to keep an eye out for something a little more elegant — something that might be slightly more at home with dress shirt than a 15mm high piece of military equipment or a plastic digital G-Shock. The problem was that I refuse to sacrifice functionality for looks. I love handsome watches, but they have to work as well as they look, or I'm not interested.
The Seiko SBQJ015 is an excellent balance. It's a handsome watch with just the right amount of bling for me (meaning very little), and it has an incredibly impressive list of features:
Titanium case and bracelet tempered with a process Seiko calls Diashield which essentially makes the titanium much harder than stainless steel. (I've worn mine in all kinds of situations, and it doesn't have a single scratch.)
Sapphire crystal.
Perpetual calendar.
GMT hand.
Independently adjustable hour hand which allows you adjust the time when traveling between time zones without having to stop the watch or change the minutes.
Equipped with Sieko's famous 8F56 movement which is accurate to within ±20 seconds per year. That's about as much variance as you can expect to see per month in an average non-atomic quartz watch.
10-year battery.
Water-resistent to 100 meters, or about 330 feet.
A perfect 40mm in diameter (for my narrow wrist, anyway) excluding the crown, and about 44mm total.
Just announced at Basel is an interesting advance from Seiko: a bitmapped grey-scale E-ink display with 80,000 pixels and 300 dots per inch, comparable to a good laser printer. Claimed to be a real product and not just a concept, it has amazing promise for programmable, legible displays. Photo-accurate moonphase? Graphics of twilight? We've liked the E-ink watches we've seen so far, so this is tremendously interesting, and we'll be looking for a release date and price.
Also of note is the fact that each pixel can display four levels of grey — that's new on watches, though the Kindle and its ilk have had it for a while.
Without giving numbers, Seiko claims it uses 1% of the power previously required, so hopefully the battery life will be at least a year. I'm not fond of watches I have to recharge every week.
The Seiko SBCM023 is a deceptive watch. At first glance, if you look at the bezel, case, bracelet and dial, it appears to hail from their line of SKX mechanical divers. The guarded crown at four o'clock position, the SKX hands, and thick lume all conspire to deceive. A closer look at the dial with its "perpetual calendar" text tells the informed observer that this is, in fact, an unusual quartz movement.
Let's start with the impressive and somewhat unusual specifications:
316L stainless steel case and bracelet.
Screwdown crown and caseback.
Water resistant to 200m (660ft) — diving-rated according to ISO6245.
LumiBrite lume on hands, markers, and bezel pip
8F35 quartz movement: 192kHz, accurate within 20 seconds per year.
The Seiko Ananta collection we wrote about is hitting the streets in October, and to promote the launch, Seiko is running a contest to win one of the $3,200 chronographs pictured here.
The contest is called "I love my Seiko," and to enter you simply make a 15-45 second video of why you love your Seiko and email it to ilove@seiko-watch.co.jp
You can also see the Seiko channel on YouTube for more information; I assume they'll post the winner there.
The deadline is August 30th, only 4 days from now, so get shooting! Seiko has emphasized that the video quality is less important than the story, so don't let equipment be a barrier here. This watch is worth a try!
One of the frustrations of being a Seiko fan is that many of their finest watches are only released to the Japanese domestic market. At this year’s Basel watch fair, Seiko announced the global release of more models under a new line called Ananta. Described as “an exclusive collection of luxury timepieces with Spring Drive and
high-grade mechanical movements, targeted at those who truly understand
and appreciate fine watchmaking.”
Ananta includes both high-grade mechanical as well as SpringDrive watches, giving us Seiko fans ample material for appreciation. Look for more posts here as we learn more.
Introduced in 1961, the Alpinist line has been Seiko's product for upscale outdoorsmen. Designed for the 'Yamatoko' or 'mountain man,' these are watches for those who hike and climb mountains. Over the years, Seiko has introduced both mechanical and quartz versions, many with compass bezels and usually waterproof to an unusual 200m (660ft).
The Alpinists are now being redesigned with three new models set to drop in late July for the Japanese domestic market. The case shape has changed considerably, and the crown is now at the 4 o'clock position, and from these pictures, it appears that they're using a variant of the classic SKX-series divers' watch case.
The first one I want to talk about is the ion-plated black SARB063 (top right). List price on this is 71,400 Yen, or about $720 USD. For that, you get a plated case and bracelet which gives the watch a fashionable flat black look. The black-framed hands are a trifle less legible but still quite readable in my opinion. The white-on-black bezel pops visually, and looks very functional.
Seiko recently announced a new model in the SAR line of mid-range dress watches. The new SARX range is powered by the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement and comes with a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display case back. The 6R15 is Seiko’s answer to the ETA 2824 and offers the hacking and hand winding ability not seen in their 7Sxx models. Measuring 40 mm across and 13 mm thick, the SARX series should suit any wrist but its styling may prove to be polarizing.
