Seiko 5 Men's Stainless Steel Watch

I'm a big fan of mechanical automatic watches, and the Seiko 5 line is an excellent introduction to mechanicals at a low price. One of my favorite Seiko 5 lines is the "Military" series (there are two lines, actually, this one with the "Flieger" style dial featuring minutes, and another line with the hour numbers primarily shown). This watch is not too large, unlike many watches nowadays.I have never had any Seiko automatic watch fail, except for one of these that I dropped from a height of about 8 feet onto a tile floor, which cracked the back and stopped the watch. This one is running well so far and it looks great.Other reviewers who complain about accuracy may not be familiar with mechanical watches. You should not expect a mechanical to have anything close to the accuracy of a quartz watch. If you gain or lose a minute every few days, that's pretty good for a mechanical, especially in this price range. The 7S26 movement is robust for its cost and many, many, many of these movements have been produced through the years. A mechanical movement such as this would ideally be serviced every 5 to 10 years (relubrication, etc.) but at this price range, I will just replace the whole watch in 5 to 10 years if it isn't running well. If you really want this to be more accurate, it is possible to adjust the watch after it's "broken in", although you should know what you're doing before you attempt that, or should take it to a knowledgable watch shop with someone who has expertise in Seikos specifically. But if what you are really looking for is accuracy, you probably don't want a mechanical watch, you want a quartz watch. Honestly, how many of us really need our watches to be accurate down to the second?Most Seiko 5s I've owned, when fully wound, will run for about 30 hours before stopping. Since I have about 16 watches, I rarely wear the same watch two days in a row, so my mechanicals have usually stopped when I pick them up. I don't mind, I actually enjoy interacting with the watches to restart them and reset them. A Seiko 5 will start if you shake it a few times, and if you're even moderately active, it will be fully wound in the course of a day.By the way, if you are not very familiar with Seiko, you should realize that this company makes a HUGE array of watches that are not marketed in the United States. Seiko makes very high-end mechanicals (such as the Grand Seiko series) that cost thousands of dollars and which easily compete with Rolex, Omega, etc. (I think some would say that a Grand Seiko is significantly better than a Rolex), tons of mid-range mechanicals that cost a few hundred dollars (and are still some of the best watches made), and a wide variety of inexpensive, but high-quality, mechanicals in the Seiko 5 and Diver lines. Their movements are made in-house (I prefer this to the mid- to high-range brands like TAG Heuer, etc., that use movements made by other companies) and Seiko has many years of experience with making everything that goes into the watch, right down to the lubricants that are used on the moving parts.Overall, this is an excellent choice, especially for the money. This is a much better watch (in terms of quality as well as appearance) than almost anything in this price range. Way better than a Timex, Casio, etc.--I don't think you can find a better $50-$60 watch than this.

The SEIKO 5 SNK357 is a stunning watch. It fits comfortably on most wrists, though it’s worth noting that it’s slightly smaller than typical mechanical watches. The design is really striking when light hits the watch at certain angles, beautifully highlighting the Seiko 5 logo and its intricate background, as shown in the image.Do note that the day text displays in Arabic at night, which is something to keep in mind. Like most Seiko 5 models, it has the signature rattle, but it remains incredibly durable. I've been using it for a few months now, and even with regular biking, it continues to perform flawlessly. The night luminol glow is really gorgeous.The stainless steel strap is decent but not exceptional. If this is your first mechanical watch, I recommend visiting a specialized shop or jewelry store rather than attempting it yourself, as it can be quite challenging. The power reserve is modest, but as long as you wear the watch for at least 8 hours a day and maintain a relatively active lifestyle, it should function without any issues.Great watch, great price!

As a young woman beginning my foray into the watch world, I've found it difficult to see a lack of female representation in most Amazon reviews. I hope this review can help other women seeking to break into this hobby or just wanting to add another one to their collection!This is my first automatic watch. Seiko's heritage and reputation for quality craftsmanship made this a clear choice when I was browsing and I'm very happy I went with this SNK803, specifically. I have small wrists (5.5 in) and liked how this watch was more classically-sized at 37mm. This is not a "small" watch by any means, but with 42-45mm dominating a lot of the industry right now (at least in this general price range), I think the SNK80x series offers a nice option for people who are looking for something different.The strap it came with wasn't bad, but it was too big for my wrist and I didn't like the beige with the cream dial. I now have a myriad of strap options, but these pictures showcase one of my favorites––the OD green Barton canvas quick-release. The color of the dial makes it very easy to pair this watch with different styles and color options, though. Another one of my favorites is Barton's brown leather quick-release if I want to dress it up just a bit.The exhibition case-back is great, especially for someone just starting to get into watches, as you can see how it all works. The lume is fantastic, and is absolutely one of my favorite parts of this watch. It's a pretty blue/green and lasts through the night. Much better than checking the time on a bright phone if you wake up in the middle of the night.Overall, I'm very pleased with this watch. It's great for my day-to-day activities, and sturdy enough that I don't worry about it too much when I'm outdoors. I did ding it up just a bit on a recent adventure, but actually think it contributes to its field aesthetic. I'm hoping to expand my collection soon when I'm no longer on a grad student's budget, but think this guy will always be one of my favorites.