Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 Review & complete guide
When it comes to automatic affordable watches, Seiko is definitely a brand worth looking at. Seiko is widely appreciated by watch enthusiasts and non-watch enthusiasts for its long-lasting and durable timepieces that have a high build quality and offer exceptional value for money.
Amongst all of the watches the brand offers, one of the most popular collections from the brand is the Seiko 5 collection.
These watches are sporty, robust, and built to last.
But with so many watches to choose from in this collection, choosing only one can be difficult.
Obviously, narrowing it down to which type of watch you are looking for is a great start. And if you are looking for an everyday timepiece that is sporty yet still elegant for everyday wear, the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 may be a good option for you.
In 2019 and 2020, Seiko announced big news about its Seiko 5 collection. It discontinued its iconic SKX diver which had been in production for more than 2 decades and to replace it, the brand presented 27 new watches that would become the successor. In terms of design, they stay true to the SKX but have been revised and refined.
In addition to this, Seiko presented a new line of watches that is based on the new diver, but where the unidirectional rotating bezel has been replaced with a polished fixed metal bezel instead. With that said, these are not dive watches, but rather dive-inspired watches timepieces made as sporty everyday timepieces. And amongst these watches, the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is one of them.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 Review
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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 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
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 has the same case shape as the new Seiko 5 diver, with reference starting with SRPD. It has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm, a thickness of 11.5mm, and a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. It has a sporty look and presence on the wrist and is suitable for men with medium to large wrists. Having said that, the watch still sits well on the wrist, and because the bezel has been removed, it slips under a cuff more easily than the SRPD diver.
The case has a nice combination of polished and brushed elements which gives a better impression of quality. The top of the case is brushed in a circular motion, and the sides of the case are polished. The fixed steel bezel is also polished. This allows for a cleaner and more refined look.
It’s good that Seiko decided not to make the whole case brushed or the whole case polished, as this would lead it to either look too shiny and flashy or too sporty and tool-like. The SRPE61K1 has really found a good balance between the two in my opinion.
The signature design feature of a crown positioned at 4 o’clock is present, and the crown is protected by crown guards which seamlessly extend from the case. The crown guards are not just flat and boring either, but have a nice curved design and are polished on the top as a nice detail. Since this isn’t a dive watch, it doesn’t have a screw-down crown, but instead a push-pull. This means it doesn’t provide as good of a guarantee against water resistance as a screw-down does, but that’s not a major issue. The watch still has a water resistance of 100m/330 feet which makes it suitable for swimming.
It’s not advised to take this watch deep diving, but the fact of the matter is that most owners won’t consider doing so either. After all, the SRPE61K1 is built as an everyday timepiece and most owners will find it on the wrist whilst desk diving at the office or for everyday wear. But shall you decide to go to the beach or take a few swimming laps in the pool, it will work as a trusted companion also. Having said that, better water resistance isn’t really necessary.
The 4 o’clock position of the crown is not only done for the sake of aesthetics either. It also improves the comfort of wearing the watch since it prevents the crown from digging into the wrist when wearing it.
The watch uses Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal to keep the dial protected. Whilst it would have been nice to see a sapphire crystal is used on this watch, it’s priced in an awkward price range where we can’t demand it to have one, but at the same time not a low enough price range where we don’t expect it to have it either.
The good news is that the Hardlex crystal has still proven to be much more resistant to scratches than regular mineral glass, so that is a plus.
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 features a see-through case back which is a nice feature. This means you can see the automatic movement beating inside.
This of course brings us to the next point…
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 movement
The movement used in this watch is the automatic mechanical in-house Seiko caliber 4R36.
As is revealed when looking through the case back, the movement is not decorated. But if you feel this is a downside, I would actually argue you fail to see the concept and idea of this watch.
The SRPE61K1 is built as a sporty and robust tool watch for everyday wear. And with that said, it’s function before form. The concept and purpose of this movement are to be as robust and reliable as possible, and this is something the 4R36 has proven to do exceptionally well.
To some extent, a movement decorated to the max in a sporty tool watch could be seen as a ”contradiction” in a way, because on one hand, you have a beautifully finished movement usually found in dress watches built like pieces of art, but on the other hand, it’s a sports watch built for function.
Whilst it is certainly not the most beautiful movement, it’s still a nice feature that is particularly appreciated by watch enthusiasts as it still works as a reminder of the beautiful piece of mechanical craftsmanship beating inside.
If you are looking for a robust and long-lasting timepiece that will continue to tick for years and requires little to no service for many years to come, the SRPE61K1 and the caliber 4R36 is definitely a horse worth betting on.
The 4R36 beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and is equipped with 24 jewels. Compared to the movement found in the previous diver, the SKX, this movement has both hacking seconds and a manual winding function, so it can be seen as a huge improvement in terms of technicality.
For improved resistance against shocks, the movement incorporates Seiko’s Diashock technology.
On paper, the movement has an accuracy of +45 / -35 seconds per day. But in practice, owners have reported much better accuracy which is good news. Plus, you can also have a watchmaker regulate it for even better accuracy.
The 4R36 is great for the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 and definitely built for the job and with the same ethos as the watch itself.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 dial
What stands out about this watch is its grey dial with a lovely sunburst brushed finish.
A sunburst dial is always a nice detail in watches as they reflect the light beautifully. Especially when direct sunlight hits it.
The watch has an angled chapter ring around the outer part of the dial. This is flat grey and on it, the seconds markers are printed in silver.
As mentioned, the case is exactly the same as the SRPD, and the same goes for the dial. It’s clean, simple, and of course, offers great legibility. The dial has large applied hour markers with polished metal frames around them which enhance the impression of quality and finish. The hour markers have Lumibrite applied to them for legibility in the dark.
At 3 o’clock, the hour marker has been removed in favor of the Seiko 5 iconic day and date window. This is a signature of all Seiko 5 watches and is particularly convenient for this watch as they are both practical functions to have in an everyday timepiece. The legibility of this is great as it has a white background and the printing is made in black.
The hour hand is made in a cathedral style with a pointy tip, and the minute hand has an arrow tip. The Lumibrite ensures the watch is legible even in the dark as it glows brightly and for a long time.
At 12 o’clock, it has an applied Seiko logo, and beneath it the new Seiko 5 logo. Beneath the center of the hands, the text ”Automatic” is printed. Having said that, Seiko has kept the dial clean by not putting too much dial text, which is a good decision in order to avoid cluttering it.
Grey dials are not super common in a watch world where most dials are black, but the gray sunburst dial actually looks really great and makes it slightly more casual.
Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 bracelet
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 features a grey NATO strap that matches the dial of the watch perfectly.
A common issue with affordable watches is that the bracelet is usually the part that is compromised with the most. This generally means a feeling of low quality and rattle. This watch doesn’t have this issue thanks to the NATO strap, which helps it give a great first impression.
It’s fun to see that Seiko chose to present this watch on a NATO strap from the factory as it shows that Seiko has listened to its customers since many owners tend to change between different NATO straps on their Seiko watches.
If you would like to change to something different, you can easily do so. And if you wish to change to a bracelet or other type of strap, you can also do so easily thanks to the drilled lugs this watch has. And since it uses the industry standard of 20mm lug width, there are plenty of straps to choose from.
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
With the above information in mind, I can conclude that the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is a watch that offers great value for money. It is solid and robust and has a great finish in relation to its price. It is equipped with a durable and long-lasting automatic movement that will continue to tick for years.
The sunburst effect gives the watch a more appealing personality, and the grey color makes it slightly more casual and suitable for everyday wear.
It combines sporty and elegant lines to create a versatile watch that works all around for everyday wear. The watch works exceptionally well for casual everyday wear, but also works for more formal occasions. Especially if you change it to a more elegant strap, for example, leather, or a black NATO.
If you are on the hunt for a durable and long-lasting timepiece with automatic movement at an affordable price, you cannot go wrong with the Seiko 5 SRPE61K1.
The Seiko 5 SRPE61K1 is available to order on Amazon.
