Seiko 5 Sports Review: Is it Still the Best First Automatic?

If you ask any serious watch collector—whether they own a $500 Hamilton or a $50,000 Patek Philippe—what their first mechanical watch was, there is an incredibly high probability they will answer with two words: Seiko 5.

For decades, the Seiko 5 was the undisputed king of entry-level automatics. It was rugged, reliable, and absurdly cheap (often found for under $100 on Amazon). However, in 2019, Seiko completely revamped the Seiko 5 line, discontinuing legendary models like the SKX007 and SNK809 in favor of the new “Seiko 5 Sports” collection (the SRPD and SRPG series).

With these updates came a modernized design, a better movement, but also a significantly higher price tag. At roughly $250 to $300 at retail, the question must be asked: Is the modern Seiko 5 Sports still the best first automatic watch you can buy?

Here is our comprehensive review.

The 5 Pillars of Seiko 5

To understand the watch, you have to understand the name. When Seiko introduced the line in the 1960s, the “5” stood for the five attributes every watch in the collection was required to have:

1. An automatic winding movement
2. A day-date display in a single window
3. Water resistance
4. A recessed crown at the 4 o’clock position
5. A durable case and bracelet

The modern Seiko 5 Sports collection honors all of these pillars, but wraps them in a much more refined, modern package.

The Upgrades: What They Got Right

The Movement

The biggest upgrade to the modern Seiko 5 Sports line is the movement. The old models ran on the 7S26 movement, which was a legendary workhorse, but it lacked “hacking” (the second hand stopping when you pull the crown out to set the time) and “hand-winding” (the ability to wind the mainspring manually via the crown).

The new models utilize the modern 4R36 movement. It hacks, it hand-winds, and it is beautifully displayed through a glass exhibition caseback. For a beginner, being able to look through the back of the watch and see the rotor spin and the balance wheel oscillate is a magical experience.

The Finishing and Build Quality

While the old $100 Seiko 5s felt a bit cheap and rattly, the new Seiko 5 Sports models feel like genuine luxury watches. The stainless steel cases have alternating brushed and polished surfaces. The proprietary “Lumibrite” luminous paint on the hands and markers shines incredibly brightly in the dark. The dials have applied indices rather than printed ones, giving them a three-dimensional depth that catches the light beautifully.

The Variety

Seiko masterfully created a “platform” rather than just a watch. The Seiko 5 Sports line comes in dozens of colorways, dial textures, and styles. Whether you want a stealthy all-black watch, a vibrant orange dial, a classic field watch, or a vintage-inspired dive watch aesthetic, there is a Seiko 5 Sports model tailored exactly to your taste.

The Downgrades: The Elephant in the Room

If there is one major criticism of the modern Seiko 5 Sports line (specifically the dive-style SRPD models that replaced the SKX007), it is the water resistance.

The original SKX was an ISO-certified professional dive watch with a screw-down crown and 200 meters of water resistance. The new Seiko 5 Sports models only have a push-pull crown and 100 meters of water resistance. They are “dive-style” watches, not actual dive watches.

For 99% of people, 100 meters of water resistance is more than enough for swimming, showering, and snorkeling. But for purists, the loss of the professional ISO certification was a tough pill to swallow.

The Verdict

So, is the Seiko 5 Sports still the best first automatic watch?

Yes. Absolutely.

While the price has increased to the $250 range, the modern Seiko 5 Sports is objectively a much better watch than its predecessors. The addition of hacking and hand-winding makes it much more user-friendly. The build quality, finishing, and dial depth rival watches that cost three times as much. And the reliability of the 4R36 movement means it will run for a decade before needing a service.

If you are looking to graduate from battery-powered quartz watches or smartwatches, the Seiko 5 Sports remains the perfect gateway drug into the wonderful, obsessive world of mechanical horology.