Seiko SDGM001 Brightz Review & Complete Guide
Seiko makes some of the best affordable automatic watches in the world. Taking pricing into mind, Seiko watches tend to offer great value for money both in terms of quality but also in terms of durability, and reliability.
Seiko has a wide array of models and collections to suit anyone’s taste. Furthermore, Seiko also has a wide price range, which naturally also reflects the quality and the type of watch. Seiko’s watches range from less than 100 USD up to tens of thousands of dollars for their most premium timepieces.
But what makes Seiko so immensely popular is that from a technical and build-quality standpoint, their watches tend to offer great bang for the buck.
In this article, we are going to look closer at the Seiko Brightz Automatic watch reference SDGM001.
Seiko SDGM001 Brightz review
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The SDGM001 is not the cheapest automatic watch from Seiko. It is priced at around 400 USD, but the general consensus is that this watch offers great value for money. And we definitely agree.
The Seiko Brightz is part of Seiko’s Prospex collection. Prospex means Professional specification, and this is a clarification that tells us the watch is better than its standard range of watches in terms of quality and finish.
When looking at the Seiko Brightz SDGM001, it is difficult to believe it ”only” costs 400.
The quality is superb and equally so is the finishing. It is an impressive watch both in terms of looks but also its internals in the form of its automatic mechanical movement.
Best of all, it is extremely universal. The best word that describes this watch is classic. It’s extremely clean and timeless.
In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko SDGM001 Brightz.
Seiko SDGM001 Brightz case
To begin with, the case of this watch shows quality and well-finishing already by looking at it. This is further confirmed upon close inspection of the watch and how it is finished.
The watch has a classic and traditional case shape. Nothing too bold here. It is made of full stainless steel and has a diameter of 40.5mm. It has a thickness of 11.5mm. This is a great size that appeals to a lot of people. It is not too bulky for small wrists, but at the same time, it has some presence even amongst those who have large wrists.
Like most quality cases, it combines polished and brushed elements for a nice finish. The upper parts of the lugs are brushed, whereas the bezel is highly polished. Equally so the side of the case. In terms of finishing, it really gives an impression of quality, and there is not much to complain about there.
The watch has a classic circular bezel and shape. The lugs taper slightly. Another nice detail is that the lugs are slightly curved downwards, which allows them to sit better on the wrist.
The watch has a crown positioned at 3 o’clock. The crown is slightly recessed into the case which allows for easy operation, setting, and winding. It has a black onyx attached to it. Generally, Seiko’s crowns are either non-branded or have the Seiko logo.
A detail people like about this watch is that it has drilled lugs. This allows for easy removal and changing of the strap or bracelet.
Fitted to the watch is a crystal with a so-called super clear coating on both sides. The crystal removes up to 99% of reflections according to reflections. Furthermore, the crystal also has also been treated with a water-repellent film to resist stains, grime, and scratches.
The watch has a water resistance of 100 meters. This is enough to handle splashes or to carefully swim, but it is not made for diving. After all, it’s not a dive watch.
Another interesting detail about this watch is that it has a Dia-shield coating on the metal which protects against scratches to keep it looking flawless for a long time.
Seiko SDGM001 Brightz dial
The dial is perhaps the most striking part of the SDGM001 Brightz.
It has an off-white color with a lovely ”striped” pattern from the center and out. It is similar to a sunburst dial but with much deeper groves. This allows the dial to reflect the light beautifully. The rich texture gives it great depth and ensures that you will never get bored. The dial finish also gives an impression of quality, since it is rare to find cheap watches with this type of unique dial.
The watch also has polished applied metal markers. A detail we love about the applied markers is the fact that they have bevels on the edges. Not only does this enhance the feeling of quality, but it also allows them to reflect the light and make them more alive. The markers are also quite tall which further adds depth to the dial.
The markers are rectangular shaped, and at 12 o’clock it has two parallel rectangular markers. Furthermore, the dial has a chapter ring with painted second markers.
The hands are another beautiful detail of this watch. It has a blue seconds hand and a polished hour and minute hand. The minute and hour hand tapers and are sword-shaped. A nice detail of the hands is that they have two angles that reflect the light beautifully.
Placed at 3 o’clock, we have a date window. The date window has a nice metal frame around it.
In terms of text, the only text we find on this dial is an applied Seiko logo and printed ”Automatic” text. This keeps it clean, minimalistic and prevents it from being cluttered.
Seiko SDGM001 Brightz Bracelet
The Seiko SDGM001 has a nice bracelet.
One of the easiest ways to tell a low-quality watch is to feel the bracelet. But this bracelet is actually well-finished for the price.
It is a stainless steel bracelet that combines polished and brushed elements. It has a deployment clasp and a dual-side button release to keep it locked and secure.
Seiko SDGM001 Movement
The watch is powered by the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement. This is a self-winding movement that offers manual winding and hacking seconds. The movement has a 50-hour power reserve. A 50-hour power reserve is quite good for a watch in this price range. The movement has 23 jewels. For cheaper Seiko watches, the hacking seconds and manually winding are two features we don’t usually get, so this is a nice addition.
The movement can be seen through the see-through case back in the back. It’s not the most beautiful or well-decorated movement, but considering its price, it is more than we can expect. It works as a reminder of the mechanical engineering and craftsmanship that has gone into making it.
The movement is robust and sturdy, and has proven to have a long-lasting quality.
Seiko SDGM001 Brightz specifications
- Diameter: 40.5mm
- Thickness: 11.5mm
- Lug width: 20mm
- Movement: Seiko 6R15 caliber
- Lug to lug: 48.6mm
- Water resistance: 10 Bar
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Weight: 5.6 oz (158g)
- Crystal: Anti-scratch and anti-reflective treated
- Jewels: 23
Conclusion
The Seiko SDGM001 Brightz is a watch that offers great value for money. It is exceptionally well-finished for the price. It is rich with details and equipped with a qualitative and durable movement. If you are looking for a clean and beautiful everyday timepiece at an affordable price, this is definitely a great choice that you cannot go wrong with.
The Seiko SDGM001 is available to order on Amazon.
