Seiko 5 SRPE51K1 Review & Complete Guide
For a lot of people who are just dipping their toes into the world of watches and are just starting their hobby, Seiko is oftentimes a brand that they come across.
And it’s easy to see why.
Seiko makes some of the best affordable watches on the market that offer much better value for money than many of the competitors in terms of finish, build quality, and finish.
What is interesting is that Seiko is generally a highly appreciated and well-regarded brand both by novice collectors and die-hard enthusiasts. This has a lot to do with their durable automatic movements that are fitted in nice designs and with a good build quality for the price. It is therefore a great brand to start with or to consider if you are simply looking for a nice and high-quality automatic daily wearer/beater.
One of the most popular collections from the brand is the Seiko 5 collection. This collection consists of sporty and tool-like watches, all equipped with an automatic movement, and of course, are offered at an affordable price. But have in mind that there is a huge difference between cheap and affordable. The difference lies in the quality and the value proposition they offer.
Seiko 5 SRPE51K1 Review
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The Seiko 5 SRPE51K1 is built as a sporty watch with a dive-watch-inspired design.
In 2019 and 2020, Seiko presented big changes to its lineup of Seiko 5 watches. The biggest news was that the iconic and appreciated SKX was discontinued. This was after having remained unchanged for more than two decades. Seiko didn’t leave us hanging, however, and presented a whopping 27 (!!) new watches to take their place, carrying the reference SRPE. This new diver was relatively similar in design to the SKX, but was primarily improved and refined in terms of quality, reliability, and finish.
In addition to this, in Seiko presented yet another model line, the SRPE, which is actually based on the new diving collection SRPE. Side-by-side, you will find that they are identical, apart from one major change, which is the bezel. On the SRPE, the unidirectional rotating bezel which is a crucial trait of a dive watch has been replaced with a fixed polished bezel.
Having said that, this watch is clearly not made as a dive watch. Instead, the concept behind this watch is to make a sporty everyday watch with a dive-watch-inspired design (after all, apart from the bezel, they are identical). This helps make the SRPE more versatile, elegant, and less sporty. This means it will look exceptionally well with a suit but is still sporty enough to work for casual everyday wear, too. It’s perfect for those who like dive watches, but are looking for
It’s a really interesting and fun concept that Seiko has succeeded very well with. In this new collection, Seiko presented a number of watches with different dial colors and iterations. One of those is the Seiko 5 SRPE51K1, and this is the watch we are going to review and look closer at in this article.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 Review
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is the perfect watch for someone who enjoys the design of dive watches but wants something less sporty and more elegant and versatile. The twist of removing the bezel to create a brand-new model is an interesting (but well-executed) decision from Seiko.
The result is a timepiece that is more casual and elegant, but one that still has a sporty presence to it. And of course, in terms of build quality and durability, it is built just the same. On paper, this sounds like the perfect daily watch, doesn’t it?
To learn more about this watch, we are therefore going to review and look closer at the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 in this article.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 case
If you are familiar with the Seiko SRPD previously mentioned, the case of the SRPE61K1 will be very familiar. This is because, apart from the bezel, they are similar in shape.
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of 11.5mm. The lug-to-lug measures 44mm. The lugs have a brushed satin finish on the top, and the sides of the case have been polished.
The case combines sportiness with elegance, but still has a sporty and robust feeling on the wrist. Because it doesn’t have a rotating bezel, it feels smaller on the wrist, and it can also slide under a cuff more easily. The polished bezel is a nice feature that gives it a sleek and refined look.
Seiko has done a great job with combining polished and brushed elements, as it enhances the watch’s impression of quality and also shows that Seiko has really paid attention to the details. At the same time, it’s a perfect balance between sporty but at the same time not too elegant.
On the case, we have the crown positioned at the Seiko 5 iconic 4 o’clock position. The crown sits protected between two crown guards which protrude from the case. As a nice touch, the top of the crown guards is polished. The practical benefit of the crown position is that it doesn’t dig into the wrist when wearing it.
The crown is a push-pull and not a screw-down, and this can be seen as a downside as it doesn’t provide the same guarantee against water as a screw-down. With that said, this watch offers a water resistance of 100M/330 feet. This means it is suitable for swimming and swimming, but not diving. Considering the SRPE61K1 is made as an everyday watch, this should be sufficient for most people. And if you need a watch for serious diving, Seiko has plenty of them.
Seiko has opted for its proprietary Hardlex crystal for this watch. Whilst it would be nice to have a sapphire crystal, the watch is positioned, price-wise, in an awkward position where it’s too affordable for us to demand it, but at the same time expensive enough where it could have it. Still, the Hardlex crystal has proven to be more resistant to scratches than regular mineral glass.
If you turn this watch around, it will reveal a little surprise, which is that it has a see-through case back which allows you to see the movement inside.
This of course brings us to the next point…
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 movement
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is powered by the Seiko in-house automatic caliber 4R36. Compared to Seiko’s cheaper automatic version (which could be found in the SKX, for example), this movement features both hacking seconds and a manual winding function. It beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 24 jewels.
The movement incorporates Seiko’s Diashock technology to improve its resistance against shocks. Speaking of that, the watch is built as a robust and durable movement that is made to last. This movement is all about durability and longevity. This of course goes well with the sporty and durable concept of this timepiece. Having said that, the movement is not decorated. It simply looks industrialized and tool-like. To some, this may be viewed as a downside, but have in mind that it is built for the purpose. In other words, function before form.
Despite the non-decorated movement, the see-through case back still works as a nice reminder of the beautiful piece of mechanical craftsmanship that powers mechanical watches.
If you want a movement that will continue to tick for years that requires little to no maintenance, the SRPE61K1 is therefore a great candidate. The 4R36 has proven to be a workhorse movement that just goes and goes.
The accuracy of this movement is specified to +45 / -35 seconds per day, but the fact is that owners have reported much better accuracy in practice.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 dial
Moving on to the dial, the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 features a lovely grey dial with a sunburst finish.
The grey dial helps make the watch more classic and discreet, and thus also more versatile. The grey dial goes well with the design of the watch and will make it suitable for any occasion. It’s not too much, but at the same time, the lovely sunburst finish ensures that it is still interesting and beautiful to look at.
Around the outer edge of the dial, the watch has a grey chapter ring which is slightly angled. On this, the seconds markers are printed in silver.
The dial has applied metal markers with polished metal frames around them. The hour markers have applied Lumibrite to ensure legibility even in the dark. Since this dial is identical in design to the SRPD, it brings a sporty touch to the watch, and of course, offers great legibility. The hour hand has a cathedral-style, with a pointy tip, and the minutes hand has an arrow at its tip. The hands also have Lumibrite applied to them.
Seiko has (of course) positioned the day and date window at 3 o’clock, which is an iconic trait of the Seiko 5 watches. This helps make this watch more practical as these functions can come in handy for everyday wear.
The dial is kept clean by not having too much text on the dial. The Seiko logo is applied at 12 o’clock, and just beneath it, we have the new Seiko 5 logo. Beneath the center of the hands, the text ”Automatic” is printed.
It’s nice and refreshing with a grey dial since black is generally the standard color. The grey dial actually helps with making it more casual but at the same time, it is elegant.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 bracelet
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 features a stainless steel three-link bracelet with a satin finish. Since the bracelet is completely polished, it has a sporty presence to it.
In terms of quality, we can’t expect the best bracelet at this price, but it is still relatively good. It doesn’t have as much play and rattle as is common for watches in the affordable price range.
But thanks to the lug holes, it is easy to change the strap shall you wish to do so. It looks great on a wide array of straps. The industry standard of 20mm lug width, you have plenty of strap options.
Specifications
- Movement: Seiko caliber 4R36 (automatic with hacking seconds and manual winding function)
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Diameter: 40mm
- Thickness: 11.5mm
- Lug-to-lug: 44.6mm
- Water resistance: 10bar/100m/300 feet
- Thickness: 11.5mm
- Jewels: 24
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Accuracy: +45 / -35 seconds
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is a perfect sporty and elegant timepiece for everyday wear. It is an exceptionally great watch if you want a versatile watch at an affordable price that simply works for any occasion.
The grey sunburst dial keeps it classy and refined, but at the same time, the beautiful sunburst finish keeps it interesting and beautiful. With its automatic caliber, it will continue to tick for years and require little to no maintenance.
You really cannot go wrong with this watch, and at this price point, it really offers great value for money.
The Seiko 5 SRPE51K1 is available to order on Amazon.
