Seiko SRPD73K2 Watch Review | Is This Budget Bond Watch Worth Buying?
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"The power of refinement" is the tagline for Seiko's 5 Sports SKX Suits Style collection. In this context, refinement is not through the removing of unwanted elements, but rather, in elevating the Seiko 5 Sports watch game. The classic 5 Sports formula remains; Automatic movement, Day/Date at 3 o'clock, Recessed crown at 4 o'clock, durable case & bracelet with 100m Water Resistance. But with this collection, Seiko aims to promote the Suits Style 5 from a ubiquitous dive watch to a more sophisticated product with upgraded dial components and bracelets.
Watch Construction
Unboxing the watch, you're met with an array of well-finished surfaces. First impressions are good; the watch is pleasing to the eye and feels reassuringly weighty, with various visual enhancements setting it apart from some of the more sports/street style Seiko 5 Sports offerings.
The polished case sides have a familiar curve, whilst the top of the case is very finely brushed, creating an almost satin appearance. The painted matte black bezel insert has bright silver numerals and is flanked by polished knurling which catches the light.
The Hardlex crystal sits flush with the bezel face but unfortunately reflects a lot of light with no apparent AR coating. A fun refraction at the edge of the crystal magnifies the lume pips. In the right conditions, the watch treats you to an unobstructed view of the dial which is the star of the show in my eyes. A subtle golden brown sunburst, fading to black at the extremities, creating a handsome fumé dial effect. It is well balanced, just the right side of flashy, and there are a couple of higher-end Swiss brands who could learn a thing or two from Seiko's restraint demonstrated in this dial.
Color Choice
What is less well-curated is the collection of different colored elements on the watch face. The black bezel insert with the sunburst brown dial. A light cream rehaut joins a darker cream lume.
A flash of red on the seconds hand sweeps over printed silver dial text. The stark white date wheel flashes red and blue days at the weekend. Viewed as individual parts, each piece is well executed, but when combined, the mixture of silver, white, red, black, brown, blue, and cream clash - making the watch feel disjointed if you paw over the details for too long.
The unidirectional bezel has 120 positions, the ratcheting mechanism is audible, but there is a little play. The 12 o'clock position on the watch tested floated somewhere between two bezel 'clicks' - mildly annoying for those with OCD like me.
Watch Movement
On the reverse of the watch, the display case-back reveals the 4R36A automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve and 24 jewels. Whilst the finishing is rudimentary, it is still fascinating to glimpse the inner workings of a mechanical watch. At the right angle, you can see the pallet fork and escape wheel working away beneath the balance wheel.
In 2011 the 4R36 movement replaced the long standing Seiko workhorse 7S26 used in the SKX007, bringing two key upgrades:
Manual Winding - Clockwise rotations of the crown in position 0 winds the mainspring which powers the watch. This feature can be useful if the watch hasn’t been used in a while and the movement has stopped due to lack of power. Rather than having to wave your wrist around like a crazy person to engage the automatic winding rotor, a few winds of the crown gets the seconds hand ticking again - a far more reserved means to awaken your Suits Style timepiece.
Hacking Seconds - allowing you to stop the seconds hand at 12 o’clock by pulling the crown out to position 2, then set the correct time and accurately start the seconds hand again from a time prompt.
Those used to more modern automatic watches may be happily ignorant of the annoyance in trying to accurately set a watch with a constantly moving seconds hand. Seconds hacking has become an expectation rather than an extra feature today - it's so useful, and so intuitively simple. But it certainly wasn't the case with the SKX back in the early 2000s. Of course, purists could argue that a watch with a tolerance of up to +45 seconds a day doesn’t necessarily need an accurate time setting capability - it will only ever be an indicator of time, rather than an absolute. But allowing us the optimistic illusion of accuracy in a mechanical watch is still very much appreciated, and I'm pleased this complication was added to the 4R36.
Old vs New
Whilst we’re on the topic of the fabled SKX00X line - the predecessor to the Seiko 5 Sports range, it might be worth noting a few other differences between the old and new offerings. Dimensions wise, the SKX007 was very similar to the 5 Sports case. The main visual difference between the two was the move from a solid case back, to a display case back. This is likely also the reason for a reduction in water resistance from 200m in the old SKX, to 100m in the Seiko 5 Sports models.
The newer model also lost the screw down crown which provided more security from accidentally engaging the crown and risking water ingress. Still, 100m WR on the 5 Sports range is nothing to be sniffed at - with all but professional scuba diving limited to a maximum depth of 40m, 100m should be absolutely fine to swim, snorkel and scuba dive in. For salty sea dogs who are more serious about water sports, and looking for that extra security, the Seiko Prospex (“Professional Specifications”) line might be more up your jetty. But brace yourself for some significant hikes in price point for that extra peace of mind.
Watch Strap
The strap on the SRPD73K2 is soft silicone with an embossed woven fabric texture. It is supple and wears comfortably, but at 125/85mm on my 6.5" wrist, I found it left a significant tag end poking out at a tangent which would catch on sleeves and pockets. Having just one large keeper, and a lengthy tapered end exacerbated this issue - not ideal for a watch named after 'Suits'. I also noticed a build-up of fine dust and lint on the strap which is a common problem with silicone and can quickly make your strap look messy.
The Suits Style offerings come into their own when the watch is purchased with the upgraded metal bracelet. The SRPD73K1 is the same watch model but on a slick-looking metal mesh bracelet for an extra £50 over the rubber-strapped version. This unusual but distinctive bracelet is certainly en vogue at the moment and seems to be the main differentiator between sports and Suits style cues in the Seiko 5 range. The mesh bracelet also hints at where Seiko may have found some inspiration for the brown tones and creamy aged lume in this model - Sometimes one can be so busy designing watches there's no time to die.
I think this watch would also look great on a nice black or dark brown leather strap to compliment the dial, it's a surprise that a Suits Style range isn't offered with simple leather strap options.
Wearability
Wearing the watch for a few days, I found its curved case very comfortable and the silicone strap had enough texture and cut-outs next to the skin to avoid sweat or discomfort. Friends and family with no interest in watches enjoyed the pretty dial and solid construction. The white rehaut adds interest to the watch and is a nod back to the original chapter ring on the Seiko 5 Sport model from 1968.
I did find the lower corners of the crown guards could be quite sharp to the point of discomfort if leaning heavily on a hand for too long. Having not experienced this with older Seikos with similar crown guards, I dug a little deeper and noticed that the Seiko 5 Sports cases have slightly more crown protection than earlier references - with deeper guards. This added protection comes to the detriment of your wrist. The 4 o'clock positioning helps mitigate this issue, but if you plan to be on your hands and knees a lot whilst wearing this watch, you should assume the position and try it before you buy it.
Dimensions and Accuracy
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Dimensions |
|
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Lug-to-lug |
46mm |
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Case Diameter |
42.5mm |
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Height (incl. bezel) |
13.5mm |
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Lug Spacing |
20mm |
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Dial Aperture |
31.4mm |
Advertised accuracy: +45/-35 seconds per day.
Tested: -10 seconds per day.
Availabilty and Price
On the US Seiko site, there seems to be far less choice in the Suits Style collection, with only 1 choice from the SRPD line - a blue dialed variant retailing for $375 on a mesh bracelet.
In Europe, there are 12 variants in this dive watch configuration. There is also a Seiko 5 Sports Field Suits Style collection with moves away from the diver casing, slims down the case and adds Arabic numerals for a more field watch vibe, as the name suggests. However, the dials are not as nicely finished and the fabric straps step even further away from a formal application where suits may be involved.
Price:
Final Thoughts
Overall I think this budget Bond watch feels a little two-faced - the gorgeous dial and creamy lume bring an air of luxury, but the rubber strap and dive watch style are far more utilitarian and toolish.
For some consumers, this could be the best of both worlds; a classy, well-dressed double agent which desk-dives by day and does other types of diving by night.. For others, the dive watch aesthetic may be too informal for a well-tailored suit, and the lack of a screw-down crown and AR might compromise its extracurricular capabilities.
I would advise prospective buyers to take a look at the other models within the Seiko Suits style collection, before pulling the trigger. The SRPD71 (Blue) and SRPD75 (Green) variants match the bezel and dial colors making for a more congruous package. For some reason, these mesh braceletted models come in £30 cheaper than the black/brown version, which is enough change to buy a leather strap and a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, naturally.
