Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 Review & Complete Guide

 There are sports watches, and there are tool watches. Seiko makes both, but the Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 is one that fits into the latter description. The nickname ”Arnie” derives from the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger wore the Seiko H558-5009 in several of his action-filled movies, including Commando and Predator. The SNJ025 is the modern interpretation of the watch he wore, which was originally released in 1982.

Thanks to the movies and its close history with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the watch has gotten an iconic status and not to mention become known for being a robust and sporty tool watch that can handle virtually any situation you subject it to. Obviously, if the watch can handle all the violent action scenes that Schwarzenegger puts through, then it should be good for most of us in everyday life.

Nicknamed ”Arnie”, the reinterpretation reference SNJ025 is a watch that screams survival gear. So if you are looking for a sporty, bold, and durable tool watch, keep on reading.

Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 Review

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The Seiko SNJ025 ”Arnie” is available in three different iterations with different colors ways, so you should be able to find one that you like. The watch combines a digital screen with an analog time display. 

Of the three iterations, the SNJ025 is the one that looks most similar to the H558-5009 which Schwarzenegger wore, and this of course makes it the go-to choice for true watch nerds.

It is built and designed as a dive watch and therefore carries many of the iconic design traits that you find in a dive watch, but at the same time, it is evident that Seiko has gone the extra mile in giving this watch a look out of the ordinary, making it even sportier, more durable, and into a true tool.

Without further ado, in this article, we are reviewing the Seiko SNJ025.

Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 case

The watch features a 47.8mm case with a thickness of 14.4mm and a lug-to-lug of 51.3mm. With that said, it is a big watch that aligns very well with the concept of this timepiece. Schwarzenegger is a man with big wrists who therefore needs a big and bulky watch. This also adds to its sporty appearance.

At the same time, the watch doesn’t necessarily wear as big as its dimensions suggest. Of course, it is big, but it’s also rather light and has good proportions which means it sits rather comfortably on the wrist.

The case has black shrouds around the stainless steel center which is not completely uncommon on Seiko watches, and this obviously makes it more durable and more robust against shocks and bangs. It also makes for a sportier look.

Being a dive watch, it is of course also equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel with a 60-minute graduation scale which comes in the form of a black aluminum insert. For legibility, it has a luminous pip at 12 o’clock.

Something that helps make it wear more comfortably is its straight stainless steel lugs which are relatively short and do not extend a lot from the case. Positioned at the classic 3 o’clock position, it has a cylindrical crown which is actually rather big. This makes it easy to operate and handle. Of course, the crown is a screw-down.

At 8 and 10 o’clock, it has an additional two crowns, and we’ll go into the functions of these further on. These are pushers that are used to operate the functions of the watch.

On top of the case, it has a Hardlex crystal. This doesn’t really come as a surprise on this type of timepiece. Whilst it is not as scratch-resistant as sapphire crystal, it won’t shatter in the same way. The Hardlex crystal actually helps make it look more tool-like.

Furthermore, the watch has a water resistance of 200m (660ft). This is a rather good water resistance which means it can handle virtually any water situation you may subject it to.

SNJ025 movement, dial & functions

The watch is powered by the Seiko solar quartz movement H851. This movement combines digital and analog time and is powered by solar energy which generates energy for the battery.

Naturally, the movement in this watch is an improvement from the one used by Arnold. The solar power, battery check system,  and the second time zone are functions that have been added.

Because the screen at the very top of the dial is quite small, it has relatively good legibility, which is additionally improved thanks to the backlight. Some people have however complained that at times, the digital display can be a bit hard to read.

The legibility of the analog dial is relatively good thanks to the generous amounts of Lumibrite and its large markers and hands.

The crowns on the left side of the case as mentioned are pushers that are used to operate certain functions of the watch. In order to operate the functions, you need to unscrew them first. It is good that they are screw-down in order to ensure full water resistance, but at the same time, when unscrew, they compromise the watch’s water resistance greatly, meaning you need to ensure they are screwed down when you are anywhere near water.

The upper button is the trigger for the backlight of the screen. It is also the activator for the chronograph function. The other crown is used for setting the digital screen. Through these two buttons, you can also access a calendar, local time, and second-time zone, as well as an alarm.

With that said, this watch is packed with useful functions that make it even more of a survival watch.

The analog dial has a matte black background and painted hour markers with Lumibrite. The minutes hand has an arrow tip and the hour hand is a little shorter with a pointy tip. The hands also have Lumibrite applied to them. The analog dial is very familiar with the classic Seiko dive watch dials and it is beautifully executed.

The solar panels are discreetly integrated behind the dial, and through this, the dial converts solar and ambient light into energy for the movement. This watch has a power reserve of 6 months when not charged. The solar function is great as it means you won’t have to replace the battery on this watch.

With its analog dial and discreet digital screen, it combines the best of both worlds for those who don’t only want a digital watch, as that is to some a bit boring.

Strap

Despite its dimensions, a lot of people who wear the watch report that it wears surprisingly well. The watch has a 22m silicone strap, and together with its lightweight and short lug design make it wears surprisingly small. It definitely wears smaller than its dimensions may suggest.

The silicone strap is a natural choice for this type of watch, being robust, durable, and resistant to water.

Specifications

• Water resistance:  200m/660 ft
• Power reserve: up to 6 months
• Movement: Seiko Caliber H851 solar quartz
• Crown: Screw-down
• Crystal: Hardlex
• Diameter: 47.8 mm
• Thickness: 14.4 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 51.3 mm
• Strap: Silicone

Conclusion

All in all, it’s easy to see why the Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 is so immensely popular. Priced at around a few hundred dollars, this watch is packed with functions, robust, durable, and built to last.

If it is good enough for Arnold Schwarzenegger, it should be good enough for us (although he did not wear this exact watch in the movies).

It’s not exactly an elegant everyday watch, but rather a robust tool watch that you can wear in harsh conditions or just on casual occasions when you want something unique and sporty. It’s really an interesting piece that has history, quality, and functions. And at a reasonable price, I’m not sure we can ask for much more. It’s not for everyone, but surely a lot of people will appreciate it.

The Seiko ”Arnie” SNJ025 is available to order on Amazon.

Cover photo by Hodinkee.