Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is a brand that is popular amongst devoted watch geeks but also everyday people who are in no way watch nerds but simply trust the Seiko brand and its products.
Seiko has a ton of different watches for all kinds of preferences. The general public, and in particular watch enthusiasts have a special presence and appreciation for the Seiko 5 watches as they are amongst the best value watches you can find.
The Seiko 5 watches are affordable, equipped with automatic movement, and are affordably priced. But despite this, they are also surprisingly well-made. Although their affordable price tag, the watches are built to last and can continue to tick for years.
The Seiko 5 collection contains a huge number of watches today, with plenty to choose from. Amongst those, it is particularly the sporty dive watches that receive the most praise.
One of those is the Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 which is the watch we are going to look closer at in this article.
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Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 Review
The SRPB85k1 was presented in 2018 and has a dive-watch-inspired design. Just like all Seiko 5 watches, it is equipped with automatic movement, and it is also affordably priced.
This watch is perfect for people who enjoy the design and sportiness of dive watches but don’t necessarily need a professional dive watch that can go hundreds of meters below the surface. Seiko has understood that most people who wear dive watches don’t actually need them for diving, but simply buy them because they enjoy the design and sporty nature.
The SRPB85k1 watch is equipped with all of the features you’d expect in a sporty dive watch, including a robust design, and wrist presence, but partly due to its affordable price, it doesn’t feature all of the performance elements, which seems like a pretty reasonable compromise if you won’t have any use for it either.
Without further ado, in this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko 5 SRPB85k1.
Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 case
The watch is presented with a sporty stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm without the crown, a lug-to-lug of 50mm, a thickness of 12mm, and a lug width of 22mm.
With that said, it is a big watch that will have a presence on the wrist, which makes it perfect for those who enjoy big sports watches, and in particular dive watches.
As a dive watch should, it is equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel, and this is also the most distinct part of this watch. The bezel is actually made of solid stainless steel and does not have an insert like many other dive watches. The bezel has large and distinct ”grooves” (similar to gears) for improved grip and easier operation of the bezel. What stands out about this bezel, however, is the fact that it has a nice blued color. This adds color to the watch and provides a nice contrast against the bright stainless steel color of the case. It has 120 clicks for one rotation.
The blue color of the bezel comes from a PVD process which also has led it to be shiny and have a slightly polished look.
Sitting on top of the case, Seiko uses a flat Hardlex crystal. This is to be expected for a watch in this price range, but it does not have an anti-reflective coating.
The case of the watch is satin-finished on the top and contrasted with polished sides. This makes it so that it is not 100% sporty, since most people will wear it for their every day, and secondly, it enhances the impression of quality. Another nice feature is that the lugs curve downwards which helps it sit more planted on the wrist, and also sit better on smaller wrists.
The crown is positioned at 3 o’clock, has grooves, and is unsigned. It is a push-pull crown, and this is part of the reason why the watch does not have a water resistance higher than 100m/330 feet. The water-resistance means it is suitable for swimming and showering with, but not scuba diving.
Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 dial
Moving on to the dial, you’ll probably notice its distinct chapter ring, blue color, and crosshair design.
The dial has a dark blue matte color which matches the color of the bezel, and in the center, a crosshair painted in white. The chapter ring slopes and has grooves similar to the edge of the bezel. The chapter ring has the seconds markers printed in white on it and for the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions, dots with Lumibrite to help with legibility in the dark. Since the chapter ring is raised, it also gives the dial some depth.
Speaking of legibility, it is quite good on this watch, but the dial does not have the same generous amount of Lumibrite applied that Seiko’s more serious dive watches have.
Discreetly positioned between the 4 and 5 o’clock, Seiko has also added a date window. The background is colored black and the date is printed in white. The date function is a helpful feature that is obviously very practical to have on a daily watch.
What perhaps stands out the most is the Arabic numerals printed in white on the dial. This gives the watch a distinct look and can also help make it easier to read the time.
The hour and minute hands are broad and sword-shaped. They have a polished metal frame around them and have applied Lumibrite.
The watch is mostly blue and white, but the ”sports” logo printed on the dial adds a touch of sportiness to the watch. Looking at the dial, it can appear quite busy with the many lines of text and the pronounced chapter ring, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel cluttered. Seiko has found a nice balance here.
Bracelet
The watch is presented on a sporty three-link bracelet. With a lug width of 22mm, the bracelet is quite broad. It has a three-fold clasp with a secure lock and push-button release.
As is very common with affordable watches is that the bracelet is the part that is the part that is compromised with the most, and this is also the case for this watch. This is partly because the links are not solid but instead folded. They also use friction pins and not screws. With that said, it does have a slightly rattly feel and does not feel 100% solid (because it isn’t).
A nice feature, however, is that the bracelet tapers from 22 mm at the lugs to 20 mm for improved comfort.
The good news is that if you want to change the bracelet for something else, you can easily do so thanks to the drilled lugs.
But all in all, with its satin finish, the bracelet goes very well together with the sporty design of the watch.
Movement
The watch is equipped with the in-house automatic Seiko caliber 4R35B. This movement has manual winding and hacking seconds functions, which is really nice to see as it is not something that Seiko’s most affordable automatic has.
If you turn the watch around, you’ll notice that this watch is equipped with a see-through case back. Whilst the movement is not decorated, it is still a nice feature to have as it reminds of the mechanical piece of engineering and craftsmanship beating inside. It’s certainly a feature that watch nerds will appreciate.
The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH (3 Hz). It has 23 jewels and offers a power reserve of 41 hours. According to specifications, it has an accuracy of +45 and -35 seconds per day, but owners have reported a much better accuracy in practice.
Specifications
- Movement: Seiko in-house caliber 4R35B. Automatic
- Diameter: 44mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug-to-lug: 50mm
- Water resistance: 110m/330 feet
- Jewels: 23
- Accuracy: 45 and -35 seconds per day,
- Frequency: 21600 BPH (3 HZ)
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 is a sporty and affordable dive-inspired watch that is perfect for every day.
This watch will be particularly great for those who are looking to dip their toes into the world of automatic watches, or for those who are looking for a robust beater that can take a beating and which you don’t have to think twice about shall you accidentally knock it, due to its affordable price.
Yes, it has some downsides such as the bracelet and some play in the bezel, but at this price point, it’s still safe to say that it offers great value for the money.
The Seiko 5 SRPB85k1 is available to order on Amazon.
