Seiko 5 Sports | Automatic | Stainless Steel SRPE57K1

Product Information

With so many OEM design choices for the SRPD, there’s less of a need to change a base watch, but still, you’d be glad to know that there are a lot of cross-compatible mod parts between these two lines of divers. A lot of mod parts for the SKX007 can be used for the SRPD Sports series, and you can find the complete compatibility list here . Seiko has an extremely wide spectrum of watches, in a wide price range, but what Seiko has been able to do so successfully well is regardless of which price range the Seiko watch you opt for is in, they still punch above their own weight in terms of finish, value, and build quality. All this is to say that whatever the price point or collection, a Seiko (or a mechanical Seiko, at least) is something no watch snob will roll their eyes at. Pieces from the more affordable collections remain gateway watches. Countless people wearing Royal Oaks and Lange 1s will tell you the first mechanical watch they bought was a Seiko. In fact, some collectors only collect Seikos. The Seiko community, and yes, not just the modders, let out a collective sigh of disappointment when the SKX line of divers was discontinued. It has been a popular choice during its run, and became a household name for price-conscious divers watch fans. As I mentioned above, there isn’t a lot to talk about on the dial. There aren’t numerous complications or a bezel action to discuss. However, Seiko in their mad laboratory executed the elements that are present on the dial perfectly.

This watch looks and feels more like the Seiko 5s I have been accustomed to over the years with a few welcome upgrades. The 4R36 movement and larger crown are the biggest upgrades from previous generations of Seiko 5 models. The push/pull crown also feels more at home on this model than it did on the 5KX. There were droves of Seiko fans who went ballistic over the fact the 5KX had a push/pull crown. They wanted an SKX replacement and the inaugural Seiko 5 launch wasn’t it. If Seiko had started with this model and introduced the 5KX later, I think fans would have been more lenient on Seiko (although knowing Seiko fans this is somewhat doubtful). The 5KX would not have come across as an SKX downgrade but rather an evolution in the line. Everett’s Take on the Seiko 5 If they simply refreshed the SKX with the 4R36, people would have been ecstatic. Source: WatchReviewBlog When I first saw this watch announced and saw the 40mm case size, I knew I was going to like it. I already enjoy the SKX case and had a feeling it would be pretty hard to screw it up by making it smaller. The fixed bezel looks fantastic when combined with all the other elements on the dial. Seiko nailed it.The “Turtle” case design is one of the most popular and longest-lived concepts in the history of Seiko, appearing in countless guises across the brand’s lineup for decades since the release of the original 6309 dive watch in 1976. Like so many beloved Seiko nameplates from the “Pogue,” to the “Willard,” and the “John Player Special,” the “Turtle” moniker was never an official designation from the brand, but grew up organically from the brand’s robust fan community. For over 40 years, then, Seiko has always tacitly accepted the name, but never officially allowed it to influence the long-running cushion case design. The Japanese giant finally breaks this streak in 2021 for a good (and thematic) cause: raising awareness for the Oceanic Society environmental group to help preserve the world’s seven species of sea turtles with a trio of high-spec “King Turtle” variants. These three Seiko Prospex U.S. Special Edition models — the Seiko Prospex SRPH55, the Seiko Prospex SRPH57, and the Seiko Prospex SRPH59 – go beyond simply aiding the turtles, though, and spotlight some genuinely spectacular dial finishing capabilities at a remarkably affordable price point. Why not soften the blow with a watch that isn’t pretending to be a dive watch? Give us a watch that is not a just a pretender, but a sensible variation. A watch with perfect proportions (40 and 20, say what??), without any natural claim to a screw-down crown, or an ISO rating. Give us a watch that just… makes sense?

The lug-to-lug distance is comparable to the SKX/5KX at 44mm. Even though that dimension hasn’t changed much, the wearer wouldn’t notice too much of a difference because the SKX/5KX case had a relatively short lug-to-lug to begin with. The crown guards have been carried over and have always been one of my favorite things about the SKX case. The bottom crown guard has a little swoop to it that adds some flair. For this watch, Seiko decided to remove the rotating bezel and replace it with a polished one instead. This makes for a very clean and refined look which results in a much more classy and sleek timepiece, yet with sporty elements. This makes this watch much more versatile and suitable for all kinds of occasions. Both formal and casual. Seiko 5 SRPE57K1 movement For the SRPD and SRPE watches though, they have so many variants that they had to separate them into 5 other categories: Sports, Suits, Specialist, Street and Sense. Not to mention the many collaborations that Seiko is using this line with, which brought us the Seiko Street Fighter watches , the Seiko Naruto watches, and more. After spending some time with this watch, I concluded that if Seiko were going relaunch the Seiko 5 line, they should have started with this watch and not the 5KX. This watch makes so much more sense in the Seiko 5 line than the 5KX. Not that the 5KX doesn’t belong in the Seiko 5 line; Seiko has always included dive-style watches in the 5 line. It doesn’t make sense to start with the 5KX.The watch is equipped with a Hardlex crystal. This is not as tough as sapphire crystal, and it would be nice to have one but sapphire crystals for a watch in this price range do not always come as standard. In addition, the Hardlex crystal has still proven to be much more resistant and durable against scratches than regular mineral glass. The SRPD and SRPE lines are more appealing to the new generation of watch collectors, with their more sleek and minimalist constructions and variety of OEM designs, not to mention the collaborations with other pop culture brands. They have a clear vision and demographic in mind for the Seiko 5 Sports, and we believe it can succeed despite the persisting demand for the SKX.