Seiko 5 SRPD81 Review & Complete Guide
In the watch industry, Seiko is considered to make some of the best affordable automatic watches in its price range.
One of the most appreciated and loved affordable automatic dive watches in the world is the Seiko SKX. Having been in production for more than two decades, this watch has established itself as an icon.
But in 2019, Seiko announced the discontinuation of this watch. The reason for this was that Seiko deemed it appropriate to upgrade and refine this model by replacing it with a new model line. The SKX was loved, but after more than two decades without any changes, it started to become outdated. Both in terms of design and technology.
But how do you go about updating and replacing an icon?
The answer is that this is always sensitive. People will lose out on a model they love, and it is always extremely difficult to replace the original.
But looking at the response the new model line received, it seems like Seiko did a pretty good job.
The goal was not to make a completely new watch, but primarily to improve and refine the existing model to improve its performance, where a movement upgrade was the main focus.
The brand presented a new Seiko 5 sports collection of dive-inspired watches similar to the SKX. The collection consists of 27 watches to start, so there is definitely a watch for everyone.
Seiko 5 SRPD81 Review
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The Seiko 5 SRPD81 is one of the watches in the new collection. At their core, the watches are all identical, but they differ in looks, use of colors, and bracelet.
The Seiko 5 SRPD81 is a bold and unique watch with a great presence on the wrist. It is certainly not for everyone, but for those who are looking for something different and sporty with a fun twist, this is an interesting alternative. With its fallback look, contrasted by appealing blue accents, this is a sporty and robust timepiece that will stand out.
In this article, we will review and look closer at the Seiko 5 SRPD81.
Seiko 5 SRPD81 case
Starting off with the case design, it’s evident not much has changed from the SKX as it looks more or less identical. The case has a diameter of 42.5mm and has been PVD-treated to give it a bold blacked-out look. It has a thickness of 13.4mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. The case isn’t huge, but it’s not small, either. It is what you expect from a sporty dive watch. It has some presence and heft on the wrist which is what many people are looking for in a dive watch. The lugs have a width of 22mm.
The case has an offset crown in the standard Seiko 5 4 o’clock position, protected by crown guards that emerge from the case. Unlike the predecessor, this crown is not a screw-down, but rather a push-pull crown. The downside to this is that it affects the water-resistance. The Seiko 5 SRPD81 offers a water resistance of 100M/10ATM, unlike the SKX which has a water resistance of 200M. What is interesting about this new model is that Seiko chose to reduce water resistance.
But there are two key motivations to this as we see it. The new SRPD collection is not designed to be a full-on dive watch. Seiko has other watches to do that job. In addition, most people do not a water resistance greater than 100M. This is enough for swimming and even diving, but not deep diving. Have in mind that most people don’t come any closer to water than washing their hands.
Being a dive-inspired watch, it of course features a unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel has also been PVD treated to match the all-black look. The bezel sits quite tall on the case which gives it free access and makes it easy to operate. The bezel has a black aluminum insert with blue 60-minute markers. The blue color used for the bezel is unique and looks great against the black. It of course also matches the blue dial accents perfectly, but more on that further on.
Sitting on top of the case is a Hardlex crystal. This is Seiko’s proprietary version of mineral glass which has been hardened and proven to be much more durable and scratch-resistant than regular mineral glass. It would be nice with sapphire crystal, but this would mean the price of this watch would be higher. And the question is if it is worth it.
Seiko 5 SRPD81 movement
The biggest upgrade to the new collection is the movement.
Two key upgrades to this watch are the movement’s hacking seconds and manual-winding functions, which are two features that many people requested and were missing in the SKX.
Powering this movement is the in-house Seiko caliber 4R36. This movement has 24 jewels and features a rotor (automatic). The movement beats with a frequency of 21,600 VPH.
If you turn the watch around, you’ll be able to see the movement beating inside through the see-through case back – when the NATO strap isn’t covering the movement, that is.
The movement is not decorated or finished, but it’s important to have in mind that this is not the purpose of it, either. The Seiko 5 SRPD81 is built as a robust and durable sports watch, and it needs a movement to reflect this. And this is exactly what the 4R36 does. Both in terms of looks but also in performance. It is robust, durable, and known as a workhorse. It will continue to tick for years without needing a service. It’s certainly one tough movement.
The movement has a specified accuracy of 45 to -35 seconds per day, but in practice, owners have reported a much better accuracy from this movement. It is also possible to have it regulated by a watchmaker for improved accuracy.
Seiko 5 SRPD81 dial
To go with its (almost)all-black look, the watch has a matte black dial. It has the signature day and date window at 3 o’clock and applied indices. The indices have a metal frame around them which has also been PVD treated. The markers have Lumibrite applied to them. What is interesting about this is that the Lumibrite has been colored blue. Colored lime is rather unusual and unique in watches, and therefore, it makes for a very special and cool look. The hands are also PVD coated and have blue Lumibrite.
Around the outer edge of the dial, the watch has a chapter ring with the seconds markers printed on them.
The word ”Automatic” has been printed beneath the center of the dial in a baby blue color. The watch has an applied Seiko logo and a painted Seiko 5 logo.
The mostly black dial contrasted with the blue details gives this watch a very sporty and different look, but because of the colored markers and hands, the legibility is not terrible. As we expect in a dive watch, the rich amount of luminous mass applied means it glows long and brightly.
Seiko 5 SRPD81 strap
The watch is presented on a black nylon strap with a PVD-treated buckle and keepers to retain its all-black look.
The choice of a NATO strap for this watch is a great idea as the issue with affordable watches is often that the bracelet is the part that is compromised with the most. This often means hollow links, hollow end links, and a rattly feel. By presenting it on a NATO strap, SEIKO saves this watch from giving the impression of low quality just because of the bracelet.
You can’t go wrong with a NATO strap, but if you wish to change to a different type of strap, you can easily do so with the drilled lugs.
Specifications
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Thickness: 13.4mm
- Lug-to-lug: 46mm
- Movement: 4R36
- Accuracy: +45 to -35 seconds per day
- Jewels: 24
- Water-Resistance: 100m/10ATM
- Crystal: Hardlex
Conclusion
To conclude this article, it’s no news that the new Seiko 5 dive watch collection (SRPD81) is a great success. It is well-built, has a classic and appreciated look, and of course great build quality and performance for the price.
In this collection, the SRPD81 is a watch for someone who wants something different and bold. Its all-black look contrasted by blue accents makes it stand out in the crowd and makes for a refreshing timepiece.
There are few watches that can compete with Seiko’s build quality and finish in their affordable price ranges, and the Seiko 5 SRPD81 is definitely a watch that offers great value for money.
The Seiko 5 SRPD81 is available to order on Amazon.
