Seiko Flightmaster SND255 Review & Complete Guide
The Flightmaster from Seiko is a watch that has a lot going on, is sporty, and features all kinds of different functions that you may (or may not) need.
Regardless, the Flightmaster collection from Seiko is very popular as it combines sportiness with functionality, and perhaps most importantly, offers great value for money.
Like most Seiko watches, it is well-built, robust, and durable in relation to its price.
There are several different Flightmaster watches in Seiko’s collection, but in this article, we are looking closer at the Seiko Flightmaster SND255.
Seiko Flightmaster SND255 Review
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As its name suggests, this watch is made for pilots. And for many, the SND255 can certainly remind a lot of the Breitling Navitimer, which may just be the most iconic flight/pilot’s watch ever made.
As mentioned, this is a watch that has a lot going on. There are numbers everywhere, sub-dials, a date function, a chronograph, and much more. Having said that, this watch is truly functional. But regardless if you are actually going to use all the functions or not, it’s a tough and cool watch that many people appreciate.
But despite being sporty and functional, its blue color adds a sense of elegance to it which makes it surprisingly versatile. This watch works just as great on casual occasions as it does with more formal attire.
Without further ado, let’s review the Seiko Flightmaster SND255.
Seiko Flightmaster SND255 case
The watch features a stainless steel case that has a diameter of 42mm. The thickness is approximately 11mm. This is more or less a common size for sports watches. It’s not huge, but it will have some presence on the wrist, and therefore, it is most suitable for men with medium to large wrists.
The top of the lugs are satin-brushed for that sporty appearance, but this is contrasted by polished beveled lugs and polished sides. The beveling is really nicely executed and improves the impression of the finish of this watch. It’s definitely a detail we cannot take for granted on watches in this price range. The case also has crown guards which extend from the case on the right side. These keep the crown at 3 o’clock protected. On each side of the crown guards, we have two chronograph pushers that are used to operate the chronograph. The crown is not a screw-down but instead a push-pull.
The bezel of this watch stands out a lot due to its blue color as well as everything that is going on with it. The bezel is bidirectional and has compass directions as well as a pilot slide rule. This is to be expected on a pilot’s watch, and exactly what we find on the Breitling Navitimer as well.
On top of the case, Seiko uses its proprietary Hardlex crystal. It’s not as tough as sapphire crystal, but this is not commonly found on watches in this price range.
The watch has a water resistance of 100m/10 BAR/660 feet. This means it is suitable for showering, snorkeling, and swimming, but just not deep diving. But after all, a pilot’s watch isn’t really going to be used near water, at least not in theory.
Seiko SND255 dial
The dial is even busier than the bezel. We are presented with a blue dial that matches the color of the bezel perfectly. The dial has a 60-minute chronograph which is accurate to 1/20 a second, date display, and much more. The reheat is made to be used together with the bezel.
What we can say of course is that the dial is rather busy. But everything is made with a purpose.
The sub-dials are positioned at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. These display hours minutes and sub-seconds. The minimum duration is 1.20 seconds and a maximum of 720 minutes.
Positioned at 3 o’clock, we have the date window. This is simply a convenient function to have in an everyday watch.
The hands are relatively slim with a sword shape and pointy tip. They have polished metal frames and Lumibrite applied to them for legibility in the dark, which of course is crucial for a pilot’s watch. At least in the theory of course. The dial also has applied hour markers with metal frames and Lumibrite on them. The dial is mostly blue, but the chronograph is made in the contrasting colors orange/red which adds sportiness to the watch and makes it much more interesting.
Movement
The watch is powered by the in-house Seiko quartz caliber 7T92. This has a power reserve of 3 years and of course, offers the benefit of accuracy, which quartz movements do, compared to mechanical movements.
Another nice feature of this movement is that it has a hacking function.
The movement is reliable and accurate and is therefore perfect for a sporty watch like the SND255. In addition, if it would have been a mechanical movement, it would have been substantially more complicated and therefore made the watch much more expensive.
Bracelet
The watch is fitted on a stainless steel three-link bracelet with a width of 20mm. The bracelet has a folding clasp with a safety catch. If you don’t like the bracelet, you can easily replace it with a strap of your choice.
The bracelet has a satin finish which gives it the sporty look it needs, and it also goes very well with the design of the watch. The catch is that it does not feel 100% solid in terms of build quality. But this is to be expected from a watch in this price range since the bracelet is usually the part that is compromised with the most. It is not terrible, but there is definitely room for improvement here.
Specifications
- Crown: push-pull
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 11mm
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Bracelet: Fold over clasp
- Movement: 7T92 Quartz movement.
- Water resistance: 100m/10BAR/330 feet
- Power-reserve: 3 years
Conclusion
The Seiko Flightmaster SND255 is a watch that has a lot going on and is packed with functions and features. To some, it may be perceived as too busy or even cluttered, but all of these things do serve a purpose, and they also add to the coolness factor of this watch, because this is how pilot’s watches are meant to be made. Just look at the Breitling Navitimer, which is essentially the original.
But if you look at the price, this is definitely not a Navitimer. The SND255 is extremely affordable if you consider all of the things that are packed inside this watch, but also its build quality and finish.
The blue color on the bezel and dial makes it more appealing and perhaps more suitable for everyday wear.
With all of these things said, we can only say that you cannot go wrong with this watch. For the money, it is a great value. No question about that.
We would even dare to say that it is one of the best alternatives out there for those who are looking for an affordable and practical pilot-style timepiece.
The Seiko Flightmaster SND255 is available to order from Amazon.
