Seiko Presage SARX029 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko Presage SARX029 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko is perhaps most known and appreciated for its affordable automatic sports watches. This includes the Seiko 5 collection and many others. But whilst that is indeed a big and important part of Seiko’s identity, it’s certainly not all there is to it.

Seiko has grown to become one of the most popular manufacturers of affordable watches, and this has also led to Seiko widening its offers, and as a result, the collections have grown. With that said, there are Seiko watches for any occasion and preference.

If you are looking for a dress watch or an elegant everyday timepiece for more formal occasions, the Seiko Presage ”Urushi” SARX029 may just be the watch for you.

In this article, we are looking closer at a dress/classy watch from Seiko.

Seiko Presage SARX029 Review

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In Seiko’s own words, the Seiko Presage ”combines a Japanese aesthetic sense with traditional craftsmanship and Seiko’s watchmaking skills in an original collection that offers Japanese beauty, quality, and long-lasting performance.”

In other words, it uses clean and elegant lines to create a refined timepiece. Already at first glance, you’ll notice that Seiko has decided to keep it simple – as a dress watch should. Thanks to their design, these watches are perfect for dressed-up and formal occasions. It manages to stay discreet whilst also boasting its design and high finish. A contributing factor to this is of course its combination of gold and black, which is a perfect combination that really oozes luxury.

Speaking of high finish, the SARX029 is definitely a watch that will make a great impression. In relation to its price, this watch is really well-executed, and this just becomes more evident when looking at it in detail.

Seiko Presage SARX029 case

The watch is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40.5mm and a thickness of 12mm. The lug-to-lug measures 47.8mm. With that said, the watch has classic and suitable dimensions for a dress watch. Thanks to its slim profile, it will slide under a cuff with ease. And thanks to its classic diameter, it is not tiny, but at the same time doesn’t steal the whole show.

As you would expect, the case has a superb finish and is really well executed. The lug design of the case is elegant and clean. They are relatively thin, and ”curve” out from the case slightly. The lugs are satin-brushed at the top, but on the inside edge, they are polished, which gives the effect that they are slightly curved. It definitely looks great and enhances the whole case design. 

As a contrast, the sides of the case are polished, and equally so is the bezel. It’s really a nice and appropriate combination of elegance and sportiness.

Sitting on top of the case, we have a domed sapphire crystal that sits flush to the case. The crystal has an anti-reflective coating on the inside which helps prevent glare.

Positioned at 3 o’clock, we have the crown.  This is a push-pull, signed with an S.

The watch offers a water resistance of 100m/330 feet, however, we wouldn’t recommend that you take this watch swimming. This is a dress watch, and the leather strap should not be in contact with water either. But either way, it’s still nice to have a relatively decent water resistance.

Seiko Presage SARX029 dial

The dial is certainly the highlight of this watch. The SARX029 is usually nicknamed ”Urushi”, and this name comes from the Japanese word for lacquer. What is special about this dial is that it is actually handmade by the master craftsman Tamura Ichifune. And of course, as the name suggests, it is lacquered. The lacquer actually has an interesting backstory, which is that the lacquer used actually comes from the sap of the Japanese lacquer tree.

The black lacquered dial creates a lovely polished finish, very similar to the look of enamel. It’s safe to say that it looks extremely classy, and the finish is superb.

Because of the complex nature of making the lacquer dials, the production of the SARX029 is quite low, at about 15 per day. This makes the Presage SARX029 even more special and impressive due to the fact that a brand like Seiko has decided to go small-scale in order to produce a more refined product.

Contrasting the black lacquer dial, we have white Roman numerals printed on it. To enhance its exclusive and elegant look, Seiko has opted for gold accents which really contribute to that impression of luxury.

Positioned at 3 o’clock, we have a date window with a black background and the date printed in white. The window has a painted gold frame around it.

The hands are leaf/dauphine-shaped and are made of gold. They provide a great contrast against the black background and simply look great.

Seiko Presage SARX029 movement

The watch is powered by the automatic in-house Seiko caliber 6R15. This movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and offers a power reserve of 50 hours. The specified accuracy is -15 to +25 seconds per day.  It has 23 jewels. The movement also has manual winding and hacking seconds functions.

A really nice feature of this watch is the fact that the movement can be seen through the see-through case back. This is always an appreciated part of an elegant dress watch as it enhances its impression of luxury.

Whilst not a lot, the rotor has actually been decorated. This is a nice feature compared to many of Seiko’s other automatic movements fitted in watches with see-through case backs. Regardless, the open case back is still a nice feature as it works as a reminder of the mechanical piece of craftsmanship beating inside.

This movement is a tried and true workhorse movement that will continue to tick for years. It is built to last and will require little to no maintenance.

Seiko Presage SARX029 strap

The Seiko Presage SARX029 is presented on a black leather strap. More specifically, it is actually a genuine alligator strap, which is very impressive to see in a mid-level watch from a brand like Seiko. The strap has subtle gold accents in the form of stitching and the strap uses a deployment clasp.

The strap really enhances its luxurious look, but if you want something a little more casual, you can easily change the strap according to your wants and needs.

 

Specifications

• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Lug width: 20mm
• Dial: Urushi lacquer dial, handmade
• Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inside
• Accuracy: +25/-15 sec per day
• Movement: Seiko in-house caliber 6R15
• Diameter: 40.5mm
• Thickness: 12mm
• Lug-to-lug: 47.8mm
• Jewels: 23
• Power reserve: 50 hours

Conclusion

It’s safe to say that the Seiko Presage SARX029 ”Urushi” offers exceptional value for money. The dial of this watch is carefully made by one expert craftsman, and if you study it in detail, the finishing becomes very evident. The same goes for the case. For the price, the watch really has a much better finish than you would expect, and certainly much better than many of its competitors in the same price range.

It’s impressive to get a watch that incorporates true Japanese craftsmanship, with nods to Grand Seiko finish, although not quite there, yet at a price that is substantially lower.

With its clean design and elegant lines, this is a very classy and timeless watch. 

The Seiko Presage SARX029 is available to order on Amazon.