Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is considered to make some of the best affordable automatic sports watches in their price range. They are widely appreciated for their affordable price yet solid build quality and finish. Seiko’s watches offer exceptional value for money.
The Seiko 5 collection is one of the most popular affordable sports watches in their price range. They are sporty, robust, long-lasting, and equipped with solid automatic movements.
Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin Review
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The Seiko SNZF15 Sea Urchin can be found on Amazon for a price of less than 200 USD. There are few watches that offer as much as the SNZF15 does for this price, and in this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the SNZF15 to understand what it is all about.
The watch is classic, sporty, and actually quite similar to the SKX which has become an icon in the watch industry.
Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin Case
The watch comes presented in a stainless steel case with a diameter of 41.5mm and a thickness of 13mm.
The case is sporty in its design and look. It looks bulky and quite robust, which means it does have some presence on the wrist with a 49mm lug-to-lug measurement. The lugs are, however, slightly curved which allows them to ”hug” the wrist and offer a more comfortable fit. The top of the case is satin-finished and the sides are polished. At the same time, the watch is quite light at 165 grams.
On the right side of the case, we have crown guards that extend from the case. The crown guards are not huge but large enough to provide protection for the crown. The crown is a push-pull and not a screw-down which naturally affects the water resistance of this timepiece. This is part of the reason why the SNZF15 Sea Urchin offers a water resistance of 100m/330 feet. In terms of dive watches, this is not wildly impressive, but if we factor in the fact that this is made as a dive-styled everyday timepiece, the majority of people who wear it will never come close to water, and of course, its price, the 100M water resistance seems reasonable. The crown is not huge but actually quite discreet which keeps it toned down.
With a 100M water resistance, it is suitable for swimming and diving but not deep diving. This is also the most water people will subject the Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin to.
Sitting on top of the case is a unidirectional rotating bezel in true dive watch fashion. What stands out about this bezel is of course its ”Pepsi” color scheme. The bezel mixed red and blue which adds a bit of color and personality to the watch. The bezel rotates a full rotation with 120 clicks.
Sitting on top of the case is a Hardlex crystal. At this price point, the fact that Seiko chooses not to use sapphire crystal is understandable. Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal has proven to be much more durable and scratch-resistant than regular mineral glass.
Turning the watch around reveals the see-through case back of the SNZF15. This allows you to see the movement beating inside, and is a nice feature that most watch enthusiasts will appreciate. Although the movement is not decorated, it still reminds us of the mechanical piece of craftsmanship beating inside.
Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin Dial
Overall, the dial design of the SNZF15 is clean and very much aligned with how we visualize a dive watch. The watch has a dark blue dial with a slightly matte finish. The blue dial is a nod to the dark blue depths in which you can find sea urchins, which of course is a perfect match to the watch’s name.
The rich dark blue dial creates a beautiful backdrop against the large applied markers and broad hands. Speaking of markers, they have metal frames around them and applied Lumibrite which is applied in a generous amount. This ensures that the markers glow bright and long.
It perfectly matches the thick, white hands and index hour markers, making the watch face highly legible. Both the hands and hour markers are filled with luminescent material that shines brightly in the dark. The Sea Urchin also has a day-date window positioned at the 3 o’clock location.
Around the outer edge of the dial, the watch has a dark blue chapter ring with wide seconds markers printed in silver. The dial has circular markers and rectangular markers at 6 and 9 o’clock and a double triangle at 12.
In Seiko 5 fashion, the watch has a day and a date window positioned at the o’clock position. The window has a broad metal frame around it.
The minute and hour hands are very broad, in particular the hour hand. These as well have a rich amount of Lumibrite applied to them. Safe to say the legibility of this watch is excellent.
Positioned at 12 o’clock, we have an applied Seiko logo, applied Seiko 5 logo, and the text ”Sports” beneath it. At 6 o’clock, Seiko flaunts some of the movement’s specifications with the dial printing. This is the depth rating, Automatic, and jewels.
Photo: Watchdig
Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin Movement
The watch is equipped with the automatic Seiko Caliber 7S36. This movement has 23 jewels and a power reserve of about 41 hours.
Few competitors are able to manufacture a watch in this price range with this type of finish, quality, and of course an automatic movement.
The movement is not made to be the most beautiful, but instead, it is made to be durable, robust, and long-lasting. And Seiko has actually succeeded well with this. The caliber 7S36 is often referred to as a workhorse movement as it will continue to tick for years.
Two ”downsides” of this movement is that it does not have a manual winding function or hacking seconds. These features are reserved for Seiko’s more premium watches. Again, having in mind the price of this watch, these are features that at least we can live without.
But all in all, it is a robust and reliable movement.
Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin bracelet
The watch is presented on a sporty and robust three-link bracelet similar to the Rolex Oyster bracelet. The catch, however, is that for affordable watches, the bracelet is often the part that is compromised with the most. And to be frank, at this price range, it’s understandable that it has been compromised with. The bracelet is not terrible, but it is what we would expect in this price range.
The watch has a polished clasp with a safety latch and is also micro-adjustable. A downside is that the links are not solid but instead folded. This creates rattle and a less qualitative feel. The good news is that the bracelet matches the design of the watch well and looks
Specifications
- Weight: 165g
- Jewels: 23
- Movement: Seiko caliber 7S36
- Diameter: 41.5mm
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Thickness: 13mm
- Lug-to-lug: 49mm
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin is a watch that offers exceptional great value for money. It has a classic and stylish design with a fun ”Pepsi” twist on the bezel. For the price, it is very well-finished and punches well above its own weight in terms of movement quality and durability.
If you are looking for an affordable sporty dive watch that is well-built and can take a beating, the SNZF15 is without a doubt one of the best alternatives out there.
This watch can take a beating, and at this price, you don’t have to worry too much about scratches and dings.
The Seiko 5 SNZF15 Sea Urchin is available to order on Amazon.
