Seiko 5 SRPD91 Review & Complete Guide
In 2019, Seiko presented a ”new” collection of watches. I say ”new” because technically, it is not new. Just the successor of the previous, legendary, SKX which had been in production for more than two decades. Having said that, although extremely popular and having established an almost legendary status amongst collectors for its great-value-for money (many actually say it is the best entry-level automatic sports watch ever made) it started to become outdated. Primarily in mechanical technicality but also in design.
Said and done, Seiko presented a new collection of Seiko 5 sports watches based on the SKX. However, because changing an already winning concept is something you don’t want to do unless absolutely necessary, Seiko made sure to stay true to the original design of the already loved and appreciated SKX.
The new model line is therefore very similar in design but has been refined and improved in terms of quality and mechanical technicality. One of the watches in the new collection is the Seiko 5 SRPD91.
Seiko 5 SRPD91 Review
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The Seiko 5 SRPD91 is undeniably very similar to the predecessor. And this of course means having a sporty look, as well as a solid build quality, and all of the design elements that define the Seiko 5.
What makes this exact reference stand out is its all-black case as well as mostly black design. This adds sportiness to an already sporty timepiece and makes I
As expected with new and improved build quality, the SRPD91 has a higher price than the Seiko SKX, and can generally be found on Amazon for less than 300 USD. But if you consider all of the improvements made with this new watch, and study it in detail, it’s very evident that it’s a watch that offers exceptional value for money.
So to help you with your decision, that’s exactly what we are going to do in this article. In this post, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko 5 SRPD91.
Photo: Worn & Wound
Seiko 5 SRPD91 Case
At their core, all of the watches in the new collection are identical. What sets them apart is their case color, strap option, bezel color, and dial color.
Having said that, the SRPD91 has a stainless steel black PVD case with a diameter of 42.5mm. The case has a thickness of 13.4mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. This is by all means not huge, but the watch still has some presence on the wrist, which of course is what we expect in a sporty watch.
The top of the lugs are brushed and the sides of the case are polished, which creates a nice contrast. The case has the crown positioned at 4 o’clock in traditional Seiko 5 fashion, and it is protected by two crown guards. Important to note that unlike the SKX, this watch has a push-pull crown and not a screw-down crown. This naturally affects the water-resistance of this timepiece and is one of the reasons why this watch ”only” has 100M/330 feet of water resistance, compared to the 200M of the SKX.
This may on paper seem like a huge downgrade, and technically it is, but a 100M water resistance is enough for swimming and snorkeling with, just not deep diving, and the fact is that that is as much contact with water they will ever have. Most people who buy a dive watch buy it because they enjoy the design, not necessarily because they absolutely need it for deep diving. Plus, Seiko has a bunch of other more serious dive watches that offer just that.
The watch has a unidirectional rotating bezel which has also been PVD coated to match the case, and it has knurled edges for improved grip. The bezel sits relatively tall on this watch and allows free access and grip from most sides. The bezel in turn has an aluminum insert with a 60-minute graduation scale which has been printed in silver.
Sitting on top of the case is Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal. There has been some disappointment over the fact that this watch does not use a sapphire crystal, but it’s worth keeping in mind that this would have also meant a higher price. The question is if it would have been ”worth it” anyways, but I leave that up to you to decide.
Seiko 5 SRPD91 dial
Moving on to the dial of this watch, the SRPD91 has a black dial with a slightly matte finish. Around the outer edge of the dial, we have a chapter ring that is slightly angled towards the dial. On the chapter ring, the seconds markers are printed in silver.
The dial has applied hour markers with a polished metal frame around them. The markers have a generous amount of Lumibrite applied to them which ensures a strong and long-lasting glow, which is what we want in a sports watch. The Lumibrite is not completely wight but has a touch of yellow hue (note, just a touch and nowhere near a faux patina).
The watch has the standard Seiko 5 hands with a minute hand with an arrow tip, and a shorter hour hand with a pointy tip. Just like the hour markers, they have Lumibrite applied to them. The seconds hand is thin and made in a metal color, apart from the end of the opposite tip, which is painted black and has a round circle to it on which Lumibrite has been applied so that you can also read the seconds in low-lit conditions.
It keeps the dial printing at a minimum with an applied Seiko logo and a printed Seiko 5 logo just beneath it. Beneath the center of the dial, the watch simply has the wording ”Automatic”.
Overall, it’s just a clean and simple dial with great legibility. It’s also similar to, at least what I think of when I think of a dive watch. Probably because the iconic dive watch of dive watches, the Rolex Submariner is rather similar to this dial as well in many ways.
Lastly, at 3 o’clock, we have the classic Seiko 5 day and date window. This has a white background with black printing.
Seiko 5 SRPD91 movement
The movement is a huge improvement from the SKX. This watch is equipped with the in-house automatic caliber 4R36. Two things that people often complained about regarding the SKX was that it does not have hacking seconds or manual winding functions, but this movement has both of these functions, so that is a huge plus.
The movement, just like the previous, is built to last and is a tried and true workhorse movement. It beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 24 jewels. The movement offers a power reserve of approx 41 hours.
All in all, the 4R36 is a movement that is built to last and is extremely durable, which is perfect for a sports watch like the SRPD91. The movement will continue to tick for years without needing a service.
Seiko 5 SRPD91 strap
The watch is presented on a green nylon NATO strap which goes very well with the overall design and looks of this timepiece. The buckle and holders are PVD treated to match the case. The military green color of the NATO strap adds sportiness and give sit more of a casual tool-like look, which is probably what most people are going to wear this watch as. But (un)surprisingly, the watch is extremely versatile and will even look great with a suit if you change the strap to something more toned-down, classic, and discreet.
The case has a lug width of 22mm in case you are considering getting alternative straps for this watch. And if you wish to switch to something different than a NATO strap, changing straps is easy thanks to the drilled lugs (again, a great feature that did not exist on the SKX).
Specifications
- Thickness: 13.4mm
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Length: 46mm
- Jewels: 24
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Water-resistance: 100m/10ATM/330 feet
- Lug width: 22mm
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
Conclusion
To conclude this review, the Seiko 5 SRPD91 is definitely a watch that offers great value for money. It maintains the classic and iconic look of the SKX whilst improving the quality and reliability. The all-black case gives it a sporty edge and makes it look more tool-like. Because of this, it’s not a watch for everyone, but it is a watch that works great as an everyday timepiece.
The Seiko 5 SRPD91 is available to order on Amazon.
Main Photo: Worn & Wound
