Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 Review & Complete Guide
Seiko makes some great affordable automatic watches.
In fact, Seiko’s 5 Sports collection is considered one of the best collections of affordable automatic watches in the world.
Few brands can compete with the quality, durability, and finish in relation to the price that Seiko offers.
Amongst the wide range range of affordable watches that Seiko offers, we have the 2019 novelty Seiko 5 SRPE67K1.
Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 Review
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The Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 is a clean and elegant everyday timepiece equipped with automatic movement and built to a quality finish that punches well above its own weight. If you are looking for an affordable everyday timepiece that is equipped with a reliable and durable automatic movement and which can be worn for most occasions, the SRPE67K1 may just be the watch for you.
The watch is refined to only include the necessary elements to give a clean look, with a focus on durability and legibility.
In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko 5 SRPE67K1.
Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 case
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm. It has a lug width of 22mm and a thickness of 12mm. With that said, this is a moderate size that can fit a large number of people and is kept from being too bulky and large. It’s just a clean and elegant case that works for many different occasions, both in terms of design and size.
The case has a brushed top, which includes the sides of the case as well as the side of the bezel. This combination of brushed and polished shows that Seiko has put a lot of effort into the details, which really enhances the watch’s feeling of quality. This combination also keeps it from being too formal, but also too tool-like. In other words the best of two worlds for an everyday timepiece. It’s clean and it’s elegant, yet at the same time very durable. What more can we say?
Sitting on top of the case is a Hardlex crystal. This is Seiko’s proprietary mineral glass which has proven to be much more scratch-resistant than regular mineral glass. It is not as tough as sapphire crystal, but it is still very resistant to scratches. A sapphire crystal would have been nice, but this would also likely mean an increase in price, and for an everyday timepiece, the question is if a sapphire crystal is really necessary.
In traditional Seiko 5 fashion, the case has an offset crown positioned at 4 o’clock, which sits protected between two crown guards which extend from the case. The crown is a push-pull crown which does have an effect on the water resistance of this timepiece. The SRPE67K1 offers a water resistance of 10/330 ATM. This is enough for everyday wear as it can be worn when swimming and snorkeling in reasonable depths. You are probably not going to go deep diving with this watch anyways.
Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 dial
The watch has a clean and refined black dial which goes well with the concept of an everyday timepiece. At 3 o’clock, it has a window that displays the day and the date, which of course can come in handy, and thanks to the large markers and hands, it provides good legibility.
The watch has applied markers with a polished metal frame around it. The markers as well as the hands have a generous amount of Lumibrite applied to them which ensures a long-lasting bright glow, enabling readability even in low-lit conditions.
The watch has the traditional Seiko 5 sports hands with an arrow-tipped minute hand and a pointy hour hand. For additional depth to the dial, it has a black chapter ring on which the second markers are printed in silver.
Overall, this monochrome dial is just clean and elegant. It also keeps the dial printing at a minimum, with an applied Seiko logo at 12 o’clock, a Seiko 5 logo beneath it, and the text ”Automatic” beneath the center of the hands.
Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 strap
The watch is presented on a black NATO strap which is made from nylon material. The use of a NATO strap rather than a steel bracelet makes this watch more casual but also more comfortable to wear. NATO strap also means it can fit any wrist without having to remove links.
The black NATO strap goes well with the black dial and adds a touch of everyday casualty.
With its industry-standard lug width of 20mm, you have a wide array of straps to choose from shall you wish to change. If you wish to change to a different strap other than a NATO, the drilled lugs make changing straps a breeze.
An issue with affordable watches is often that their bracelets rattle due to hollow end links and folded links, but Seiko’s choice of skipping the bracelet and going for a NATO strap instead means a low-quality bracelet doesn’t harm the overall quality impression of this watch which is a nice thing.
Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 movement
Turning the watch around will reveal the automatic SRPE67K1 movement through the see-through case back. The movement has 24 jewels and offers a power reserve of 41 hours.
The SRPE67K1 is Seiko’s upgraded movement which has two key improvements which include the manual winding function and hacking seconds. The movement is often found in Seiko’s more premium models, so to find this movement in this watch is a really great value proposition. The movement beats with a frequency of 21,600 beats per hour.
The movement uses Seiko’s Diashock technology which improves the stick resistance. The movement has an accuracy of +45 / -35 seconds per day but in practice, owners have reported a much better accuracy.
The movement is not decorated or finished which can be seen as a downside, but the purpose of this movement is to be durable and reliable, and that is exactly what this movement is. In fact, it is often called a workhorse movement as it can continue to work for years without needing a service.
Having said that, the point of this movement is not to be finished to a Patek Philippe standard, but rather to be durable and reliable for everyday wear.
Specifications
- Diameter: 40mm
- Lug width: 20mm
- Accuracy: 45 / -35 seconds per day
- Movement: Seiko caliber 4R36. Automatic with a rotor.
- Frequency: 21,600 BPH
- Thickness: 12mm
- Jewels: 24
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Water resistance: 100M/330feet
Conclusion
All in all, the Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 is a perfect watch that offers exceptional value for money. Its build quality and finish punch well above its own weight and thanks to its clean design, it is surprisingly versatile. If you want to dress this watch up, you can add a stylish leather strap, and if you want to go for a more casual look, the NATO strap works great.
You really cannot go wrong with this watch, and with a price of less than 300 USD, it’s a no-brainer.
The Seiko 5 SRPE67K1 is available to order on Amazon.
