Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko is appreciated both by watch enthusiasts and regular watch owners for making high-quality watches that offer great value for money. There are few brands in the world that have the history and reputation of Seiko, and at the same time build long-lasting, durable, and reliable timepieces that punch well above their own weight in terms of price.
With its vast collections and timepieces, there really is a Seiko watch for everyone. But one of the most popular collections from the brand is the Seiko 5 Sports range. These watches are robust, sporty, and built to last. In this collection, Seiko has a diving-style range of timepieces that carry the reference SRPD.
In 2019, Seiko presented the new SRPD range of dive-inspired sports watches. Presented was not just 1 or 2 watches. In fact, 27 of them. One of them is the green SRPD61K1.
The SRPD came to replace the legendary and widely-appreciated SKX diver. This watch had been in production for more than 2 decades, and with that said, Seiko found it was finally time to upgrade and improve this model.
But how do you actually go about changing an already winning concept?
Well, the answer to this question is rather complex, because if you discontinue a popular model, you will always disappoint a lot of people. At the same time, it puts even greater pressure on replacing the discontinued model with something new. But since you are basing it on an already winning concept, it’s best to try to stay true to the original in terms of design. Fortunately, Seiko proved it understood this concept by primarily focusing on the build quality and durability, and making only small visual changes.
With so many watches to choose from in the new collection, it can be overwhelming and difficult to decide on one. To help you make a decision, we will look closer at one of them in this article -specifically the Seiko 5 SRPD61K1.
Photo: Mrmontre
Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 Review
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The Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 has a very classic and traditional dive watch design. The design you think of when you think about a dive watch is likely not too far away from how the SRPD61K1 looks.
It has a sporty and tool-like presence, but at the same time, a clean and minimalistic design. For a sports watch, it is clean and refined with no unnecessary elements and details.
If you enjoy the design of dive watches and are looking for a sporty and durable timepiece that will be able to take a beating, but at the same time work as a versatile everyday timepiece, the Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 could actually be a great choice for you.
As you know by now, this watch is part of the Seiko 5 sports collection. But what does this mean?
The ”5” stands for the criteria these timepieces have in order to fit into the collection. These criteria are:
- An automatic movement
- A day/date window
- A relatively good water-resistance
- A sporty recessed crown/positioned at 4 o’clock
- A durable case and bracelet
Photo: Mrmontre
Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 case
The new SRPD61K1 is very similar to the predecessor SKX in terms of design. In fact, it may even give the impression that they are identical.
The stainless steel case has a diameter of 42.5mm, a thickness of 12.4mm, and a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. Having said that, it is a relatively big watch, but by no means huge. After all, a watch should have a sporty presence on the wrist. It is mainly suitable for men with medium to large size wrists.
Seiko has decided on a satin circular-brushed finish on the top of the lugs. As a nice contrast, the sides of the case have been polished. This achieves a perfect combination of sporty elegance, which helps make this watch more versatile. It also shows that Seiko has paid attention to the details.
The watch has its crown positioned at the 4 o’clock position which is an iconic feature of many Seiko 5 watches. The crown is protected by crown guards which elegantly curve out from the case. As a nice touch, the top of the crown guards is polished, too. Apart from giving the case a distinct look, it also has a practical benefit which is that the crown and crown guards will not dig into the wrist when wearing it.
An interesting decision for this watch is that it has a push-pull crown and not a screw-down, unlike the previous SKX. Since dive watches must have a screw-down crown, we can’t really call the SRPD61K1 a full-on dive watch. And it’s not meant to be either. Seiko built this watch as a sporty and durable timepiece for people who enjoy dive-watch designs. And it is possible that when the brand made this watch, they recognized that the vast majority of SKX owners wore these watches because they liked them, not because they were crucial diving tools. Plus, if you do need just that, Seiko has tons of other professional dive watches which are actually built for the purpose.
At the same time, the SRPD61K1 has decent water resistance which will be enough for most people. The Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 has a water resistance of 100m/330 feet/10 ATM/10 BAR. This means it is suitable for swimming and snorkeling, but not for deep diving/scuba diving.
Sitting on top of the case is Seko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal. This is a hardened mineral glass, which has been made to be much more scratch-resistant than regular mineral glass. It would have been nice to have a sapphire crystal on this watch, but this watch sits in an awkward price range where it is too affordable where we cannot require it, but at the same time not affordable enough where we don’t expect it.
Since this is a dive-style watch, it of course has a unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel sits relatively tall on top of the case and therefore allows a good grip from the sides. Around the edges, the bezel is knurled to improve the grip further. The bezel has a green/emerald-colored aluminum insert on which the 60-minute markings are printed in silver.
Photo: Mrmontre
Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 movement
A sporty timepiece needs a durable and robust movement, and that is exactly what the Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 has.
The watch is powered by the automatic mechanical in-house Seiko caliber 4R36. This movement is essentially an upgraded 7s26 caliber, which the SKX had. The two primary improvements of this movement are that it has both hacking seconds and a manual-winding function. It beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 24 jewels.
If you turn the watch around, you’ll notice that this watch is presented with a see-through case back. This allows you to see the movement beating inside. The see-through case back will be particularly appreciated by watch enthusiasts as it works as a reminder of the mechanical art and piece of craftsmanship inside this watch.
It is not decorated and therefore looks robust and industrialized. But is this a bad thing? Actually, this decision is likely very well-thought-out from Seiko. Generally, the most decorated movements can be found in elegant dress watches. In particular, the most exclusive ones are made primarily as pieces of art that proudly highlight the art of fine watchmaking. But for a sports watch, the single most important thing about a movement is functionality and long-lasting durability.
And this is of course exactly what the SRPD65K4 is. And with that said, the industrialized look actually goes very well with the concept and ethos of this watch. The movement looks robust and sturdy, just like the watch itself, and that is exactly what it delivers.
All in all, the 4R36 has proven to be a reliable workhorse that will continue to tick for years without needing a service.
Photo: Mrmontre
Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 dial
What stands out about the SRPD65K4 is of course its bold emerald-green color. This makes this watch from being a ”boring” and ”traditional” black dive watch into something very special and different.
The watch is presented with a turquoise/emerald dial with a lovely sunburst-brushed finish. This means it reflects the light beautifully and also changes its color depending on the light. The dial really is something else and must be seen in reality to be fully appreciated.
In terms of layout and design, however, it’s not a whole lot different from the previous SKX, and if you own this watch, it will look very familiar.
Seiko has opted for applied hour markers for this watch with polished metal frames around them and with applied Lumibrite. This helps with legibility, even in the dark as they glow long and bright.
The dial has an angled chapter ring around it on which the seconds markers are printed in silver, and it helps give it some depth.
As we expect, the watch has a day and date window positioned at 3 o’clock which is an iconic and crucial element of the Seiko 5 design. In my onion, this is a nice feature since, after all, most people will wear this watch as a daily wearer, and the day and date window help make it more practical.
Just like the hour markers, the hands have polished metal frames around them and applied Lumibrite. The hour mark has a cathedral-style tip which is pointy. The minute marker has a broad arrow at its tip.
Seiko has done a great job of keeping the dial clean and refined. It only has 3 lines of text on the dial, which is the applied Seiko logo at 12 o’clock, the new Seiko 5 logo applied beneath it, and the text ”Automatic” printed right beneath the center of the hands.
Photo: Mrmontre
Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 bracelet
The Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 features a stainless-steel three-link bracelet which is made in a Rolex Oyster bracelet design. For sportiness, the bracelet is satin-finished.
A common downside of affordable watches is that they are often the part of the watch that is compromised the most. Generally, this means hollow links, hollow end links, and a rattly, low-quality feeling.
The good news is that the bracelet actually has high quality and finish in relation to its price. Of course, it’s not the best bracelet on the market, but considering its price, it is quite good.
The case has a lug width of 20mm which is the industry-standard size for watches. This means that you have a lot of straps to choose from shall you which to change the bracelet for something else. Speaking of changing the bracelet, the case has lug holes which makes it extremely easy to remove it.
The bracelet goes well with the overall design of the watch.
Specifications
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Movement: Seiko Automatic caliber 4R36
- Thickness/height: 13.4mm
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Lug-to-lug: 46mm
- Water-Resistance: 10bar/100M/330 feet
- Jewels: 24
- Accuracy: +45 to -35 seconds per day
- Lug width: 20mm
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 is based on a watch that has established itself as iconic, loved, and appreciated by collectors. However, the SRPD65K4 has taken the best of the SKX in terms of design and refined its build quality, movement, and finish. The movement is a big improvement from the predecessor, and the finish is equally so.
With its emerald green color, the Seiko 5 SRPD65K4 is a bold and bright timepiece with a sporty presence that stands out from the crowd. With its unique sunburst green dial, it really stands out from the crowd.
In terms of build quality and finish, the watch certainly punches well above its own weight. So if you are looking for a quality diving-inspired sports watch that is built to last and has great value for money, this one is definitely worth considering.
The Seiko 5 SRPD61K1 is available to order on Amazon.
Main Photo: Mrmontre
