Seiko 5 SNXS73K Review & Complete Guide
If you are looking for a clean and elegant automatic everyday watch that you can count on, Seiko is definitely a brand you should look at.
More specifically, Seiko’s popular ”5” collection includes a large number of timepieces that tick those boxes.
The Seiko 5 collection is especially popular amongst watch enthusiasts for its value proposition in relation to the price. The watches have a high build quality and finish, and are powered by reliable and durable automatic movements which will continue to tick for years.
Seiko 5 SNXS73K Review
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
The Seiko 5 SNXS73K is a simple and clean watch with a touch of sportiness to it which makes it extremely versatile. Its clean and classic design ensures that it does not stand out too much, making it suitable for formal occasions, but its sporty touches also make it great for casual everyday wear. Like all Seiko 5s. It is powered by robust and reliable automatic mechanical movement. This is great for an everyday watch as it ensures you can just throw it on the wrist and it is ready to go at any time.
In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko 5 SNXS73K.
Seiko 5 SNXS73K case
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 35mm. It has a thickness of 12mm. With that said, it’s actually quite a small watch. This makes it most suitable for men with small or medium-sized wrists, and even women who enjoy wearing sporty steel watches.
In addition, its small size together with its sporty touches makes it extremely versatile. It is small and classic enough to slide under a cuff and sit discreetly on the wrist with formal clothing, but at the same time sporty and durable enough to be worn as an everyday timepiece.
In traditional Seiko 5 fashion, the crown is positioned at 4 o’clock and is slightly recessed into the case which keeps it protected. The crown is a push-pull and not a screw-down. This naturally affects the water resistance of this watch, which is 30 meters. This is suitable for water splashes but not for swimming or diving.
The case is more or less completely polished, including the lugs, sides, and bezel. This of course enhances the watch’s elegant look.
The watch has Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal, which is what we can expect from a Seiko in this price range. This is a good thing as other affordable watches in this price range tend to use regular mineral glass, which is less resistant to scratches than Hardlex.
Seiko 5 SNXS73K dial
The Seiko 5 SNXS73K has a matte silver dial with rectangular applied markers with polished metal frames around them and applied Lumibrite on them. The dial gives it a wonderful look as it reflects the light beautifully. It has a minute and hour hand made in polished metal with bevels which allows them to reflect the light beautifully as well. The hands, similar to the hour markers, have rectangular shapes, and also applied Lumibrite on them.
The seconds hand is simple and clean, and made of polished metal.
In traditional Seiko 5 fashion, it has a window for displaying the day and the date. This has a metal frame around it which, again, enhances the premium feel and look of this watch.
Around the outer edge of the dial, the watch has the seconds markers printed in black.
All in all, the dial is clean and very refined. This helps make it especially suitable for all kinds of occasions.
Seiko 5 SNXS73K movement
The watch is powered by the automatic mechanical Seiko caliber 7S26.
This movement is built to be a durable and long-lasting movement that can continue to tick for a long time, and that is exactly what it has proven to be since first being released in 1996. Having said that, it is however not the most modern movement in terms of technology.
Two functions that it lacks are a manual winding function and hacking seconds. Both of these can be found in Seiko’s upgraded version of this movement which is usually found in more premium watches.
Still, the movement does its job well and will likely never let you down, which is a great thing for an everyday timepiece.
The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH (6 beats per second) and has 21 jewels.
The movement can be seen through the case back if you turn the watch around. What you will see is that this movement is not decorated or finished. This could be seen as a downside, but it’s important to remember that the purpose of it is 100% focused on function.
Seiko 5 SNXS73K bracelet
The watch is presented on a satin-finished bracelet with a rounded three-link layout. The feedback that this watch has received is the fact that an all-satin finished bracelet does not match the all-polished design of the case. It’s perhaps a bit too much of a contrast. At the same time, it does add a touch of sportiness.
As is common with affordable watches, the bracelet is the part of the watch that feels like it has been compromised with the most. It has some rattle and doesn’t give a 100% impression of quality.
There is certainly room for improvement with the bracelet, but at this price point, I guess we can’t complain too much. The good news is that this watch looks great on a NATO or leather strap as well, so you can switch if you would like to.
Specifications
- Movement: Seiko caliber 7S26
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Diameter: 35mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Water resistance: 30M/99 feet
Conclusion
As we have come to expect from the Seiko 5 collection, the Seiko 5 SNXS73K is a well-built timepiece that offers exceptional value for money. It has a nice finish and attention to detail, whilst also being built as a solid and robust timepiece. Its automatic movement is a workhorse that will continue to tick for decades, and its lovely silver dial and small size help make this watch extremely versatile whilst also maintaining a touch of sportiness.
The Seiko 5 SNXS73K is available to order on Amazon.
