Seiko 5 SNXS79 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko 5 SNXS79 Review & Complete Guide

When a lot of people look for an affordable automatic watch, the first brand to turn to is Seiko. And there is of course a good reason for that. Seiko makes some great watches at very attractive prices, and their quality and finish in relation to price are exceptionally high. Worth pointing out of course is the fact that Seiko has a wide array of watches in a wide array of price ranges. In this article, we will focus specifically on one watch, which is part of Seiko’s sports 5 entry-level collection. Few other watch brands in the same price category offer as good build quality, durability, and finish, as Seiko

Seiko 5 SNXS79 Review

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The Seiko 5 snxs79 is a classic and elegant timepiece with a clean design that is great for everyday wear.

The SNXS79 has a price of just under 300 USD, and when you look at the value it offers, it’s easy to see why it is such a popular choice for people who want something classic that works for just about any occasion. In fact, this watch is something called an Oyster Perpetual Homage, and with this in mind, they do have some similarities.

To begin with, this watch is part of the Seiko 5 collection. This collection is Seiko’s entry-level watch collection which all meets 5 criteria (hence the name 5). Amongst those criteria, they all have automatic movements, decent water resistance, a durable case, and a recessed crown, to mention a few. This collection in particular is praised for the great value it offers in relation to its price.

In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko 5 SNXS79.

Seiko 5 SNXS79 case

As you can tell, the case of the SNXS79 is clean and elegant and does not have a bunch of fuzz or fluff. It’s just simply elegant. The case has a diameter of 37mm, a lug width of 19mm, a thickness of 13mm, and a lug-to-lug measurement of 42mm. Having said that, it is quite a small watch – which of course is what we expect from a classic timepiece. The watch may not be suitable for those with large wrists or those who have a preference for smaller watches, but its relatively small proportions contribute to making it versatile.

In true Seiko 5 fashion, it has an offset crown positioned at 4 o’clock. This has become a distinct feature of many Seiko 5 watches and has the benefit of not digging into your wrist when wearing it. The crown is recessed which means it sits almost flush against the case, allowing for almost seamless integration into the case. The catch, however, is that the crown is relatively small, so it can be relatively difficult to grip and operate it. It helps with design and comfort, but it does not benefit the ease of operating.

 Overall, the all-stainless steel design adds some sportiness to the case design, but its all-polished case makes it lean more towards a classy dress watch than a sporty tool watch. But don’t let that fool you, because the Seiko 5s are notoriously known for being robust and durable.

Sitting on top of the case is Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal. This is a hardened mineral crystal that is much more durable and scratch-resistant than regular mineral glass, but it is not as tough as sapphire crystal. But at this price point, a sapphire crystal is rare.

Seiko 5 SNX79 dial

The dial of the SNX79 keeps it from being boring. The watch has a lovely ”dark rhodium”/ dark grey dial with a striking sunburst finis. This makes for a playful dial that reflects the light beautifully. 

The sunburst finish makes the dial reflect the light beautifully and create a light show when direct sunlight hits it. In darker surroundings, the dial looks almost black, but in the sunlight, it really pops. It’s really easy to appreciate the execution of this dial and it makes the relatively simple and clean look of the watch something out of the ordinary.

The watch has applied hour markers with a polished metal surrounding which enhances the watch’s look of being well-finished. The hour markers are rectangular-shaped and relatively broad, which makes for good legibility. 

Positioned at 3 o’clock, the watch has a window where the day and date are displayed. The window has a metal frame around it which, as well, gives the impression that this watch is well-finished. Naturally, the dial would look even cleaner if the day and date window would have been omitted, but at the same time, it is a signature of the Seiko 5 collection, and in an everyday watch, it is also quite practical.

The hands are clean and elegant. They are made of polished metal and are rectangular but with bevels on each side so that they reflect the light. And oh does this watch reflect the light well. The hands have applied Lumibrite on them for legibility. The lume is good but it’s not exceptional. But that’s not really what we need in an everyday watch anyways.

The text on the dial is kept at a minimum in order to retain the watch’s clean look and dial design. At 12 o’clock, we have an applied Seiko logo, and right beneath it, an applied Seiko 5 logo.

Beneath the center of the hands, there is a small ”Automatic” printing.

Seiko 5 SNX79 movement

The SNX79 is equipped with the automatic mechanical Seiko caliber 7S26. This movement is found in a majority of Seiko 5 watches and is Seiko’s entry-level sports automatic movement. The movement is not the most accurate, beautiful, or technically advanced but it does its job exceptionally well – to keep on ticking.

The 7S26 is often referred to as a workhorse movement as it will continue to tick for years without any issues. The movement is robust and sturdy and can take a beating. Two ”downsides” to this movement are that it does not have hacking seconds or manual winding functions. These functions are reserved for Seiko’s more expensive watches.

Regardless, to have a sturdy and reliable automatic movement at this price point is still a great value proposition from Seiko.

The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 21 jewels.

Seiko 5 SNX79 bracelet

The watch is presented on a stainless steel bracelet which is satin finished and made with 3 links. The issue with affordable watches is often that the bracelet is the part of the watch that is compromised with the most, and the bracelet on the SNX79 is no exception.

The bracelet is light, rattles, and does not give a reassuring feeling of quality and premium finish. This is the reason why many people tend to opt for replacement straps for their affordable watches.

The bracelet is not terrible, but if you want a heftier premium feel or just a more premium touch, you may want to change it to a leather strap or a replacement metal strap made of better quality.

The issue with this bracelet is that it has folded links and hollow end links. The bracelet does not use screws which means that in order to size it, you need to hammer it quite aggressively.

It has a full satin finish, which, in my opinion, creates a nice contrast to the all-polished case, but since there is no other element of the watch that is bushed, it can give the impression that this bracelet was not made for this watch. But at least I think that the brushed end links which sit against the polished case create a nice contrast. It would just have been nice if at least some of the other parts of the bracelet would have been polished as well.

The bracelet has a flip-lock clasp, which, just like the bracelet, does not give an impression of quality or reassurance that it will keep the bracelet in place no matter what. The good news is that despite the fact that the bracelet feels cheap, it does wear comfortably on the wrist, which can be attributed to its lightweight.

Specifications

• Lug to lug: 42mm
• Lug width: 19mm
• Diameter: 37mm
• Thickness: 13mm
• Movement: Seiko Automatic caliber 7S26
• Frequency: 21600BPH
• Jewels: 21

Conclusion

All in all, the Seiko 5 SNX79 is a watch that offers exceptional value. It has a clean and elegant design which is complemented by a striking grey sunburst dial. It is of course equipped with a robust and durable automatic movement which has proven to be a workhorse.

The watch has some downsides, but these are things that at least I can live with when factoring in the price. There are few other brands that are able to offer such great finish, reliability, and build quality as Seiko with automatic watches, and the Seiko 5 SNX79 definitely lives up to the expectations.

If you are looking for a versatile everyday watch that can be worn on practically any occasion, you really cannot go wrong with this watch.

The Seiko 5 SNXS79 is available to order on Amazon.