We Americans have a bad habit of saying, “only a Seiko.”
As in, “Oh, this watch? It’s only a Seiko.”
In other words: “This old thing? The watch I bought for cheap and wear all the time?”
And Seikos are, indeed, ubiquitous and often affordable. Start looking and you’ll see them all over the place. Your buddy wears a Seiko 5; your mom has a Coutura in her credenza; your favorite movie star wears a Seiko diver on the silver screen.
“Oh, this watch? It’s only a Seiko.”
Yes, yes it is. But, to many of us, those humble watches mean so much more, and the brand today is far, far more than the maker of affordable beaters that initially won us over.
The History of Seiko
Japan’s most iconic watch brand started its journey well over 100 years ago, when Kintaro Hattori opened a small watch shop in Tokyo, in 1881. It’s led Japanese watchmaking ever since, making Japan’s first wristwatch, its first chronograph and its first dive watch. And worldwide, Seiko has made some of the biggest marks on watchmaking of any company. It innovated quartz with one of the first quartz watches, the first six-digit LCD display quartz and the first analog quartz chronograph. It is a dominant force in movement making.
Though the company doesn’t publicly share production numbers, Seiko movements — both mechanical and quartz — drive a huge number of watches worldwide. For over fifty years, Seiko has made a steel sports watch that’s one of the most beloved affordable timepieces ever. There’s a lot of beauty to be captured at Seiko, but its most important and iconic watches all intersect at unique design, affordable prices and bulletproof build quality.
The Seiko catalog is massive, its reach global, its diversity unrivaled. Seiko’s technology is equally diverse, with movements ranging from old-school mechanical calibers to GPS-enabled solar-powered quartz units that set themselves when crossing time zones. The parade of limited editions seems virtually endless. Seiko, quite literally, aims to offer something for everyone.
Despite Seiko’s diversity, there are a few qualities that tend to tie Seiko watches together.
Value: Whether you’re buying a last-minute gift on Amazon or dropping ten figures on a solid gold handmade Grand Seiko, you’ll be getting an impressive value.
Quality: Even the lowest-tier Seikos are well-made and will typically outperform their price-point counterparts from other brands.
In-House Movement: From bottom to top, Seiko manufactures all of its movements itself. You might sound a little silly pointing out that your $100 watch has an in-house caliber, but you wouldn’t exactly be bullshitting either.
Cred: If you showed up at a horological snob-fest with a Grand Seiko, even the snobbiest would acknowledge the value and craft. Pop into your local SCUBA shop with a Seiko diver and they’ll give you more than the time of day. Flash a budget Seiko at that same horological snob-fest, and the appeal is equally acknowledged.
Breaking Down the Seiko Catalog
There are several core Seiko collections which are more like sub-brands unto themselves. Seiko 5 Sports is the brand's modern entry point for mechanical watches. A tier up are two collections which live side by side in terms of price and positioning: Prospex sport watches and Presage dress/casual watches. They include mostly mechanical but also solar movements, and their prices range from around $500 (where Seiko 5 Sports ends) up into the thousands (where Grand Seiko begins).
The above collections will serve you well for a wide range of fantastic, high bang-for-buck options and probably account for the majority of Seikos we recommend for any taste or occasion. Beyond them are watches for more specific interests or purposes. Legacy collections like Essentials/Core, Coutura and Diamonds represent options with more mass-market than enthusiast appeal. Astron is where the brand flexes its technological muscles with GPS, solar charging and hyper accuracy in refined packages.
Then, there are those "brands" which the company chooses to market as "independent" to some degree or another from Seiko, though it's not always clear what that means. Grand Seiko is fully positioned as its own brand and is where Seiko competes with the Swiss big boys like Rolex and Omega in terms of price and quality. Credor is the Seiko answer to haute horlogerie. King Seiko is in some ways like yet another sub-brand that has its own specific identity and is positioned alongside mid-to-higher-end Prospex and Presage.
The Seiko oeuvre is expansive, to the extent that covering it all in a single article is impractical. You can get into vintage, explore recently discontinued collections (Premier, Kinetic, Recraft, etc.), and JDM (Japan domestic market) models and even sub-brands (Brightz, Lukia, etc.) — not to mention brands owned by Seiko (like Orient, Pulsar, Lorus and Alba). Below we dive further into each major collection you should know about as well as sub-brands and the models that represent them best.
Seiko 5 Sports
In the 1960s Seiko debuted the Seiko 5 line, promising outdoorsy folks the following five characteristics: (1) automatic winding, (2) a day/date window, (3) water resistance, (4) a recessed crown at the 4 o’clock position and (5) a durable steel case.
Seiko relaunched the collection and concept in 2019, resurrecting the name Seiko 5 Sports. It's the brand's entry point for its modern mechanical watches and has been refreshed to fit the brand's contemporary image, making the same promise as the old Seiko 5 but with even better finishing, materials and movements (look on Amazon and the like for older models, many of which are still available). Since its relaunch, Seiko 5 Sports has grown quickly into one of the brand's most exciting and important families.
With an ever expanding lineup of styles, variants, sizes, collaborations and even automatic GMTs, it's almost impossible to keep up with all the Seiko 5 Sports models, but you’re sure to find something that appeals.
Standout Model: SRPD91
- Case Size: 42.5mm x 13.4mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: 4R36 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
Shockingly good for its price, the modern line's debut collection of dive-style (100m water-resistant) watches are well represented by this military-themed model. The designs are straightforward and thoughtful, highly legible, comfortable to wear and just a little bundle of fun for the wrist. Although the brand has added many more styles and options to the collection, models such as this one (based on the enthusiast-favorite SKX dive watch) is core to the collection.
Standout Model: SSK003
- Case Size: 42.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: Automatic 4R34 automatic GMT
- Water Resistance: 100 m
Available in three distinct, fan-favorite styles (“blueberry,” orange or black and gray), this GMT version of the Seiko 5 Sports offers a lot of cool watchmaking (such as a second time zone) in a more affordable package than anywhere else. These watches changed the game for automatic GMTs, and though they were often sold out following their launch, they're more available now.
Standout Model: Seiko 5 Sports Midfield
- Case Size: 36mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: Automatic 4R36
- Water Resistance: 100m
Ah, it’s a field watch you want — then one you shall have in the form of an affordable Seiko 5 Sports. There are more colors and versions in 39.4mm (one reviewed here), but we're partial to the wearing experience of a smallish field watch and are all for the 36mm models which Seiko has (uncharacteristically) named the Midfield.
Seiko Prospex
The Prospex collection (“Prospex” = “professional specifications”) is overwhelmingly populated by dive watches broken into various price tiers, sub-collections and even a few field and pilot-style examples. These are robust and stylish tool watches often at very affordable prices, but the collection also houses elevated, higher-end models. As always, keep an eye out for interesting limited editions and the occasional re-issue of a vintage reference, often costing thousands.
Prospex Divers
The Prospex divers range from enormous quartz and solar-charging units to retro-styled mechanical divers that borrow elements from Seiko’s storied back catalog with options for just about any budget.
Standout Model: “King Turtle”
- Case Size: 45mm x 14mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: 4R36 automatic with 41-hour power reserve
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
Seiko’s 6309 Turtle was produced from 1976 to 1988, and the modern version is an excellent (if not exact) re-issue. The "King Turtle" is so nicknamed because of its addition of premium features like sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel and a few aesthetic tweaks to differentiate it — while costing only nominally more. Its crosshatched dial and knurly bezel lend an unforgettable, understated look.
Read our full review of the Prospex Turtle.
Standout Model: SNJ025 “Solar Arnie”
- Case Size: 47.8mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel and plastic
- Movement: H851 solar quartz
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
The original version was the first-ever hybrid analog-digital dive watch. It got its nickname when Arnold Schwarzenegger wore one in Predator, one of the best movies of all time. This new version has a chronograph, alarm, calendar and dual time, with a solar-powered movement that’ll never quit on you and a plastic shroud that’ll take a beating before its stainless steel case does.
Standout Model: SPB381
- Case Size: 42mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Seiko 6R54 automatic
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
As a pragmatic tool watch collection, Prospex is mostly about functional simplicity. That's why it was a big deal when the brand added an automatic GMT to its mid-tier diver's range. It follows a similar approach in the Seiko 5 Sports collection and opens up an entirely new, highly competitive realm for the brand's sport watches. The higher-level movement also features three days of power reserve.
Prospex Land
Watches from the Prospex line meant for outdoor activities on dry land offer durability, water resistance, charming design and a different side of Seiko from the dive watches that dominate its catalog.
Standout Model: Alpinist SPB119
- Case Size: 39.5mm x 13.3mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: 6R35 automatic with date and 41-hour power reserve
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
Another retro comeback, the Alpinist (reviewed here) is an evolution of the brand's first sport watch it made for "mountain men" of the 1960s. It stands apart in the Prospex collection for its elegant looks (for a sport watch), rotating inner bezel and quirky but now-classic design. If at first it looks like an in-between, out-of-place watch, well, give it a minute … as plenty of wearers can attest, it’ll grow on you.
Standout Model: Speedtimer Solar SSC813
- Case size: 39mm
- Case material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: V192 Solar chronograph
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
The Speedtimer has blossomed into a mini-collection of its own where Seiko's chronographs, both mechanical and solar, reside. This one is of the solar variety and with its panda dial style, it's got some Rolex Daytona appeal that along with a reasonable price helped make it a hit.
Standout Model: Speedtimer Automatic SRQ037
- Case size: 42.5mm
- Case material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: 8R46 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
With Seiko's proud history of bringing the first automatic chronograph to market, fans were excited to see the brand return to its strengths after a long dormancy. And the brand isn't holding back, offering some serious watches with killer designs at the premium level of the Prospex family.
Prospex LX
Go big with these hardcore sport watches that are equally bold in size and price. With land, sea and air models and costing near Grand Seiko prices, the LX line brings a higher level of materials, construction and finishing than you'll typically find in the rest of the Prospex line, which is mostly lower-mid tier.
Standout Model: LX SNR035
- Case Size: 44.8mm x 14.7mm
- Case Material: Titanium
- Movement: Spring Drive 5R66 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
Big, legible, surprisingly detailed, and profoundly technological, this Spring Drive-powered pilot's GMT isn’t attending many fancy destination weddings, but it might help you fly to one. Don’t forget to bring a change of straps — you can wear it to both the ceremony and your dive outing.
Seiko Presage
Presage is the dress watch counterpart to Prospex: often affordable, still durable watches with styles that range from modern and elegant to classic and retro. Seiko also releases higher-end and limited-edition Presage models that feature parts manufactured in the Grand Seiko studios. If you prefer a touch of prep with your watch stylings, this is your Seiko zone.
Standout Model: Cocktail Time SRPJ13
- Case Size: 39.5mm x 11.8mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: 4R35 automatic
- Water Resistance: 50 meters
Charmingly and quirkily "inspired by the vibrant elegance of the exciting cocktail lounges in today's Tokyo" and specifically "the Aviation cocktail," the result is a dressy style but one full of details and features to keep it interesting and not overly conservative. This particular model features an azure dial with a subtle texture, but it's also just a great example of everything that makes the Cocktail Time watches popular.
Standout Model: SRPH95
- Case Size: 40.8mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: Automatic 4R35 caliber
- Water Resistance: 50 meters
While much of the Presage line is dressy and conservative, this series shows that there's more variety in the collection. It's about as sporty a style as you'll find among Presage watches, as a matter of fact. Its design is based on a vintage chronograph, so it's got those retro vibes, but offers simple time telling only which allows for a reasonable price, too.
Seiko Astron
In 1969, Seiko devastated the Swiss watch industry with an innovative quartz movement inside a watch called the Astron. Still aggressively pursuing the latest technology, today’s Astron line watches are 100 percent solar-powered, GPS-connected for near atomic-clock accuracy and brimming with features.
Standout Model: 5X Series
- Case Size: 42.7mm x 12.2mm
- Case Material: Titanium
- Movement: 5X53 solar-powered with GPS sync, Time Transfer, perpetual calendar and more
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
The 5X not only changes time zones with you but also allows you to swap home and travel times between the main and sub-dial at the push of a button (called Time Transfer). The movement also offers dual time and world time functions, AM/PM indicator, a perpetual calendar (showing the correct day and date until the year 2100), as well as indicators for power level and GPS-sync. Did we mention it's ridiculously accurate?
Seiko Coutura
These solar-powered watches link up to atomic clock references for the most accurate timekeeping on Earth. The Coutura watches are sometimes diamond-studded, sometimes laced with carbon-fiber patterns, and sometimes both. They’re always sleek and never retro. Ladies' models are also available.
Standout Model: Radio-Sync Solar
- Case Size: 44.5mm x 11.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel with integrated steel bracelet
- Movement: 8B92 solar-powered, radio synced, chronograph, world time, dual time zones
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
This watch will automatically sync to atomic time references, correct its calendar until December 31st, 2099, wisely manage its own power reserves, and take chronograph readings down to 1/5th of a second. It’s also extremely futuristic looking in a way that will draw some attention to your wrist.
Seiko Essentials Range
Think of this as the widest net Seiko casts onto its global consumer base. These are the ones you’ll find on the rotating displays at Target and on millions of wrists around the world. With models ranging from huge solar chronographs to retro-styled men’s dress watches to little sparkly pink things that, apparently, also tell the time, the Seiko Essentials (also called Core) range is worth sifting through for gems. (This range is difficult to search for via the Seiko website, and Amazon is generally the best bet for finding these types of watches.)
Standout Model: SUR373
- Case Size: 40.2mm x 11mm
- Case Material: Titanium
- Movement: 6N52 quartz
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
Maybe you don't need automatic mechanical movements and just want a solid watch with the superiority of quartz in a classic, practical package. You could do a lot worse than this model with a titanium case and bracelet that feels aesthetically connected to the brand's Presage and even Grand Seiko lines.
King Seiko
Before Grand Seiko became the home for the brand's higher-end offerings, King Seiko was one of the experiments that didn't take off quite as much but did stick in the hearts of many collectors — enough to merit its return. Specifically, Seiko released a new line under the King Seiko name in 2022 with a watch extremely reminiscent of the KSK model from 1965. It’s available in a number of dial colors and it blew the Seiko-loving watch world’s socks off when it was released, thanks to its ultra-clean dial and excellent steel bracelet. The line has continued to expand with more variants, including those with higher-end movements and larger, 39mm diameters.
Standout Model: SPB281
- Case Size: 37mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Automatic 6R31
- Water Resistance: 100m
It’s an ice-cold 1960s stunner. With a hypnotically simple dial, jubilee-style bracelet and all of King Seiko’s legendary prestige, well, we’re tempted to snag one. It's priced similarly to premium ranges of Prospex and Presage, and when you see these watches in person that price tag will feel like a solid value.
Grand Seiko
Grand Seiko represents the grail for Seiko fans — watches that cost more and have more finishing, high-end materials, elevated movements and near-perfect design compared to standard Seikos. Nominally splintering off from Seiko in 2016, Grand Seiko is still tightly related to the larger brand, so much so that occasionally Grand Seiko’s most storied craftspeople lend their time-honored techniques to the likes of limited-edition Seiko Presage models.
These techniques include the zaratsu steel finishing that produces sword-sharp hands and mirror-like surfaces, creative dial textures and engraving methods, and impeccable in-house movement building. Grand Seiko’s movements range from the sophisticated 9F family of quartz calibers to robust automatic mechanical engines, fast-paced Hi-Beat versions, and the acclaimed Spring Drive technology, which uses quartz precision to regulate a fully mechanical drive train.
Grand Seiko’s catalog is divided into Elegance, Masterpiece, Heritage and Sport lines.
Grand Seiko Masterpiece
It’s rare to find a blinged-out Seiko, but here they are. On par with Credor in terms of finishing and prices but with Grand Seiko design codes, the Masterpiece line is for some of the most special, high-end watches the brand makes. You'll find bejeweled watches and precious metals as well as exquisitely hand-finished movements.
Standout Model: SBGZ007
- Case Size: 38.5mm x 9.8mm
- Case Material: Platinum
- Movement: 9R02 Spring Drive manually wound movement
- Water Resistance: Splash-resistant
Released for the brand's anniversary, this model represents the special nature of the collection with a fully hand-engraved platinum case-matched, a deep blue dial with a sparkling effect and the 9R02 movement finished to haute horlogerie standards. This is obviously not just-a-Seiko material.
Grand Seiko Elegance
Grand Seiko Elegance prices end where many comparable haute horlogerie prices begin. You can get platinum, gold, titanium or steel cases that house enamel, flecked or beautifully engraved dials. Keep an eye on the unending stream of limited editions, too. The case styles are more dressy and traditional.
Standout Model: SBGY007
- Case Size: 37.3mm x 11.6mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Movement: 9R31 hand-wound mechanical with 72-hour power reserve
- Water Resistance: Splash resistant
This time-only watch is serenity on the wrist, with its pale blue, ice-inspired dial hovering above a badass hand-wound mechanical movement, which is crafted in-house using Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) for tolerances measured in microns.
Grand Seiko Heritage
Despite its name, the Heritage collection has a contemporary character that takes the style of an eminently pragmatic and versatile everyday watch and elevates it in its details and execution. This is the look that most represents the brand. It’s all about “pure” watchmaking here, or, as the Grand Seiko design team pursued in the 1960s, “the best functional watch.”
Standout Model: Series 9 SLGH005
- Case Size: 40mm x 11.7mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel (with matching steel bracelet)
- Movement: Hi-Beat 9SA5 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
Fascinating textured dials are one of Grand Seiko's signatures, and this one is meant to reference birch bark. The SLGH005 watch has all the traits the brand is celebrated for, from zaratsu polishing to exquisite detail, and it's powered by a high-beat (5Hz, rather than the more common 4Hz) automatic movement.
Grand Seiko Sport
The Grand Seiko Sport watches carry a level of finishing and performance that puts them alongside Rolex’s Professional models, and they do so typically for less money. From big, complex chronographs to classic divers and GMTs, these are thoroughbred tool watches, executed with an eye for beautiful design.
Standout Model: SBGN019
- Case Size: 40mm x 14.7mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel (with stainless bracelet)
- Movement: 9F86 high-accuracy, in-house quartz with GMT function
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
Most Seiko and Grand Seiko watches stick to functional simplicity with few complications, but there are some exceptions and the GMT fits right in with the Sport collection. The fixed 24-hour bezel and GMT hand provide a second time zone reference, while the Zaratsu hands slice their way across a deep-black dial to show local time. It’s a unique take on GMT style that makes it stand out among similarly priced GMT options.
Credor
In 1974, Seiko created the sub-brand Credor to create watches made from precious metals. While it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly what sets Credor apart from Grand Seiko, the aesthetics are decidedly their own, and modern Credor exhibits a propensity to include enamel dials and to decorate their movements at a level that rivals the highest houses in watchmaking. Despite the appearance of independence, Credor is very much a part of the Seiko family.
Standout Model: Goldfeather
- Case Size: 37.1mm x 7.7mm
- Case Material: Yellow or rose gold
- Movement: Seiko (Credor) 6890 hand-wound
- Water Resistance: "Water resistant"
This time-only watch is extremely simple on the surface, but with an ultra-thin in-house movement, it's going to impress even the "haute horlogerie" snobs. This model came out in 2023, and it's based on the also ultra-thin Seiko Goldfeather watch of the 1960s. It’s a mesmerizing watch, full of Seiko’s utility and beauty.
