Seiko 5 SRPE77K1 Review & Complete Guide
The Seiko 5 collection has been around for several decades. Today, this collection contains countless different watches in numerous executions and for all kinds of purposes. From dress watches to sporty dive watches.
The fact of the matter is that the Seiko 5 watches are some of the most popular affordable automatic watches on the market. This is because they offer exceptional value for money if you look at the build quality and finish. In fact, there are few brands that offer as great value as Seiko does with its ”5” collection, and with that said, it is easy to see why it has come to be so popular.
The most popular of the bunch is the SKX, which has acquired an almost cult following and established an almost legendary status. But in 2019, Seiko announced that the SKX was discontinued. And shortly thereafter, Seiko replaced it with a new collection of watches, which are in many ways very similar to the SKX but have a few core differences. One difference, which is also the primary reason for discontinuing the SKX, is a new movement inside.
One of the new watches is the Seiko 5 SRPE77K1, and this is also the watch we are going to look closer at in this article.
Seiko 5 SRPE77K1 review
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The Seiko 5 SRPE77K1 is similar to the SKX, primarily the dial layout and the case design, but Seiko has worked to make it better, more durable, and of course to upgrade it with a better performing automatic movement.
The design of the watch has not changed dramatically, and therefore, it is a timepiece that people can instantly love and appreciate.
It is affordably priced, yet still has a solid and well-finished case, but is also powered by a durable automatic movement which has proven to be a reliable workhorse which can continue to tick for years. This particular reference has also been executed with a vibrant blue color that stands out and makes it eye-grabbing.
Without further ado, in this article, we are reviewing the Seiko 5 SRPE77K1.
Seiko 5 SRPE77K1 case
As mentioned, the case of the watch will feel very familiar to the SKX. It is equipped with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 42.5mm and a thickness of 13.4 mm.
Having said that, it is a sporty case that will have some wrist presence, but it is by no means a huge watch. Men with medium to large wrists will likely find this size great.
In traditional SKX fashion, the top of the lugs have a brushed finish, and the sides of the case are polished. As a classic design feature, the crown is positioned at 4 o’clock and sits protected between two crown guards. The benefit of this, apart from giving the case a distinct look, is that it prevents the crown from digging into the wrist, thus improving the comfort.
Worth noting is that the crown is not a screw-down, unlike the SKX, and this also affects the water-resistance. This watch now offers a water-resistance of 100m/330 feet, which means it is suitable for swimming but not deep diving or scuba diving. It does therefore not reach the minimum water-resistance of 200m, which is the minimum requirement to be classified as a dive watch. But with that said, it is not supposed to be a dive watch anyways.
This is a sporty watch with a dive-watch inspired design. And with this in mind, it of course has a unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel has a 60-minute graduation scale which allows you to measure elapsed time. The bezel is made of stainless steel and has notches for improved grip. The bezel has an aluminum bezel insert which is colored blue and has silver minutes markers printed on it.
SRPE77K1 dial
Moving on to the dial, we are presented with an eye-catching light blue, slightly purple dial with a beautiful sunburst finish. Thanks to this, it reflects the dial beautifully and shifts in appearance depending on how the light hits it.
Around the outer edge of the dial, it has an angled chapter ring which adds depth to the dial and on which the seconds markers are printed. As mentioned, the dial layout will feel very familiar with the SKX. It has large applied hour markers which are filled with Lumibrite for legibility in the dark. The hour markers have polished metal frames around them.
The hands of the watch have the classic SKX design, which means a broad arrow tip for the minutes hand and a pointy tip for the hour hand. Unlike the hour markers, the hands have blued metal frames around them.
As a signature design feature of the Seiko 5, it also has a day and a date window at the 3 o’clock position. It has a white background and the printings are made in black for good contrast.
All in all, the dial is really well executed and also looks stunning with the lighter tone of blue contrasted with the dark blue color of the bezel. It looks really fresh and ”summery”.
SRPE77K1 movement
As mentioned, the movement upgrade was one of the key reasons for the upgrade, and this time, Seiko equipped the watch with the in-house automatic caliber 4R36. Two of the main improvements is that they feature a manual winding function and hacking seconds.
The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 21 jewels. It offers a power reserve of 41 hours.
As mentioned, this movement has proven to be a robust and reliable workhorse that can continue to tick for years without needing service or maintenance. In other words, it’s a great movement for a sporty everyday watch.
SRPE77K1 bracelet
This watch is presented on a bracelet you don’t see too often on Seiko 5 watches – a stainless steel mesh bracelet. But this bracelet looks great and goes very well together with the overall design of the watch. It has a perfect balance between sportiness and elegance which makes it perfect for everyday wear.
The good news is that a mesh bracelet tends to be a bit easier to make than a standard stainless steel bracelet, and since the bracelet is generally the part that is compromised with the most when it comes to affordable timepieces, using it is a wise decision.
Specifications
- Diameter: 42.5 mm
- Bracelet: Stainless steel mesh
- Thickness: 13.4 mm
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Movement: Seiko in-house caliber 4R36
- Power reserve: 41 hours
- Jewels: 21
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
Conclusion
As we have come to expect from the watches in the Seiko 5 collection, the SRPE77K1 offers exceptional value for money.
It has a nice case finish and build-quality, and most importantly, is powered by a durable and reliable in-house automatic caliber. In fact, there are not a lot of watches in this price range which offer as great value for money as the Seiko 5 collection and the SRPE77K1. It has an iconic design inspired by the legendary SKX and has a modern, refined twist with vibrant and striking blue colors for the bezel and dial.
You really cannot go wrong with this watch.
The Seiko 5 SRPE77K1 is available to order on Amazon
