Seiko Presage Style 60s Review- Cool Retro Design, But Is It Enough?

[@Nightfury0695]

I bought this for $400 and not a single regret plus it is running only -2 seconds a day dial up out of the box. Its a solid watch with a great dial and retro 60s look if that is what you are after. Its not out and out dress watch, its a take on vintage sport watch designs which is not something you find often. The dial has a lot of depth with different finishes which just works beautifully with the box crystal under different lights. At this price point, box hardlex is not a negative, it has better clarity and more practical because it is resistant to chipping and shattering which is important especially when 2mm of the crystal sticking out of the watch. The drawback is the water resistance since the crystal is glued to the case. Box shaped sapphire crystals are not easy to make and quite expensive, you can still find after market box crystals which are expensive and finding a good watchmaker to glue it to the case will be a big challenge. Shoddy fitting is only going to compromise your water resistance. You are still getting a lot of watch for the price considering how well the finishing on the case, indices and dials. And you always get a discount from AD for a Seiko or find good deals online.

[@nicksss1843]

As a Seiko collector, I’ve had vintage Lord Matics, Twin Quartz and other Auto Models from the 60s and 70s. I couldn’t even run them under a tap let alone class them as water resistant! (And they didn’t have bezels of any sort, rotating or otherwise) To me, this piece needs seen and worn to be appreciated. It’s a gorgeously retro piece, running a new mechanism, with far more class than those recraft things people rave about for some reason. Super happy with mine. Would have preferred the all black with nato strap over the green but that’s a story for another day lol

[@thinredline2795]

Do you know what is the point of having a bezel that doesn't move? Is this just Seiko cutting corners/saving money. I love this watch but is it a dress watch or diver or do you feel like you are wearing a fake diver watch because of the non functioning bezel?

[@ditabahari5295]

​@thinredline2795 the bazel is just to show the minutes I think, even the numbering is not the same as diver bazel..

[@Lisa-vj6pz]

People don't understand... But that Seiko rattle is how you keep the movement running smooth... Sometimes people over shake their automatic movements creating problems... But the Japanese do everything for a reason and they do it well..iichiban

[@stefanseelmann3595]

You're so right about the price but for some reason I love the vintage look. I have it in my cart at Gnomon. Just can't seem to pull that trigger. Great review

[@inspectorchicken]

Looking at this watch paired with a textile strap. Perfect mix between field, dress and diver, which makes it a cool everyday watch. Not really decided on the color yet.

[@lucasgrieves8587]

Picked it up today for 375$ with two different bands used. It’s my first automatic and I love it! Thought it was black with leather band but the green it ended up being made me like it more with the green 👍🏻

[@sjdunks1115]

Got one today as well in blue. Now searching for rubber straps to suit this model. I believe the lug-to-lug width is 20mm.

[@arminator302]

@@sjdunks1115 did u find some rubber straps retailer?

[@dmac9777]

Just picked up the 110th anniversary GMT limited edition for $350. Changed the strap to vintage blue leather and its all reeeaaal nice.

[@taquechi2]

Just bought this in Japan. It's a great looking watch, inspired by recent grand seiko models I think. Not sure what's the point of comparing it with a diving watch. This is a sports/dressy watch for the office and everyday life.

[@andrewsavage6927]

Its literally diver inspired just look at the bezel. Saying it's not a dive watch but is designed like one is worth criticism

[@darkozosel9114]

@@andrewsavage6927 no, it's based on the Crown Chronograph, which isn't a divewatch.

[@TerenceHughes4501]

Just bought mine in an AD sale. Gave it a thorough alignment check and it's perfect. A real looker

[@watchreport]

Nice, enjoy it. 😊

[@grahamwallace]

Spec is pretty rubbish but the looks are to die for!

[@davidmcabee5971]

I own this watch in the GMT variant with the blue dial. It is shockingly beautiful on the wrist. The box crystal causes the markers to sparkle. It's a very good weight and feels solid on the wrist while also just disappearing. I forget I'm wearing it. It is so comfortable it has become my daily watch. It replaced my Fenix 5X as my daily (I own every strap imaginable) and I prefer this over my Hamilton Khaki or my Alpina Startimer. It's in that class of watch though in that $500 - $1000 price range. The bracelet is great too. Again, not sure what your complaint is. Maybe I haven't owned enough watches but it certainly doesn't feel cheap. In fact, nothing about this watch feels cheap. And for the casual observer it looks like a much more expensive watch. Hardlex? Honestly who cares? If I'm going to do anything risky I'm not wearing this watch. For daily bumps Hardlex is fine. I am jealous though. Your movement is a little more decorative than mine. Oh well.

[@shogun884]

It looks stunning to me, I'm not diving with it and I've plenty of watches with timing bezels, OK there are plenty of alternatives but to me none with a dial of that beauty plus who pays rrp?

[@CircassianRider]

love it ! I will buy one start of 2022

[@sestivog]

Nice review of a nice watch. I like the dial,the '60 touch and per dimension the watch is what i like the most. But for the price no hardlex and solid link bracelet are mandatory!!

[@user-sg6xv2kb8s]

I actually like the end links and 50M water resistance. The watch is slim and has more of the 60s vibe because of it's shortcomings. I agree about the price, since the SRPG31 which I also love has 100M water resistance and costs so much less, even on a bracelet.

[@NathanChisholm041]

Do not take the end links off they are the hardest ive ever had to do and had to get my watch guy to do it...

[@craig2100]

Agree with all of your statements. Go for the Turtle. But I do like the dial.

[@BIllyleung80]

I got this for under $300 So I am very happy with it

[@watchreport]

Very nice! Good score!

[@6.8SuperDutyDriver]

I might get the blue version.

[@giulianocecatto5592]

I tried the version with the nato strap on my wrist and I thought it was beautiful. Some sites say it has sapphire glass, others say it's hardlex. I wonder if there's a version with sapphire glass?

[@watchreport]

@@giulianocecatto5592 to my knowledge this line does not use sapphire. There is one called sapphire but that refers to the blue of the dial and there are Presage models that have sapphire crystals but not this 60s style as far as I know. Long Island Watch does do sapphire upgrades for them though.

[@lechienvitre9212]

Bought one as my every day beater, love it

[@watchreport]

Nice! Enjoy it.

[@braintomajko407]

Always wanted a Seiko, but nothing ever appealed to me until I discovered these.

[@davidcopeland5409]

Nice looking

[@louiemayor]

Beautiful watch but had the same reaction over the price and 50m water resistance.

[@johnnerdelbaumfrink2657]

Nice shots, but I would avoid leaving a headset near an automatic watch.

[@watchreport]

The headset was not plugged in, was just there for a background prop.

[@scrhunter3901]

But after all this watch is very beautifull and elegant. Love it. But saphire crystal is a must have at this price.

[@dinner_workingsly]

$525….Ouch! That green color scheme is excellent though. I like everything about it but WR and cost.

[@secretariat-13]

It’s very nice and the blue dial is also nice but at that price point I can shop around for something better

[@howyduinyall7653]

I will buy one when they put a sapphire Chrystal in, c’mon Seiko u no u need 2.

[@omidnamadi9262]

My biggest problem with it was the bezel doesn’t rotate! Why put a bezel on it then?

[@watchreport]

It’s just for extra design and to designate the 10 min/sec increments is all.

[@omidnamadi9262]

@@watchreport I just can’t get over it , i think the watch actually has a great design but the second i turned the bezel and it didn’t rotate I just couldn’t see myself buying it, i know it’s not really a diver and also 50m water resistance but still I hope they either made it rotate or did something else with it not the 10 to 60 minutes markers. Also the bracelet feels a bit cheap for the watch .

[@FEATHERDUSTERTHEATER]

Meh. I owned diving watches for 50 years, and I’ve never gone diving with them. lol. the rotating bezel is a fun thing to play with but in all actuality, I never use them even for timing stuff

[@Spark67689]

Are you able To change the strap on this watch?

[@watchreport]

Hi there. Yes. Standard lugs and no problem to change it to a strap.

[@Tetrisboyz]

what are some similar designed watch options for this. i like the aesthetic but im not too happy about the specs

[@watchreport]

Check out Citizen and Orient. There are of course countless microbrands available as well that you could find something similar.

[@glynchristopher1743]

Try a Christopher ward

[@Tonysoprano497]

Love the aesthetic. With taxes here in uk it’s the equivalent of around 750 dollars . No sapphire and this movement can be really inaccurate sorry just dosent seem value to me .

[@Kovven]

The accuracy have been great for me, gained 12 seconds in 48 hours

[@marklavardera6080]

The movement is the R45B version, which is an improvement on the R45A. It does appear to be more accurate.

[@josefelixmiguel9700]

I love Seiko but this policy of incressing prices without increasing quality is a joke for the buyers.

[@abefroman1721]

The really annoying thing is that SEIKO USA Dollar prices are the same Uk Pounds. No way is this watch worth £500! Salutations from Belfast Northern Ireland 🇬🇧

[@giusepperocchi2979]

Essentially a Seiko 5 with worse WR at double the price.

[@TerenceHughes4501]

I just bought this exact watch but I'm not seeing the dark green dial. No matter what lighting I use and angle I view it at, it always looks black to me. I would highly recommend changing the rather dull generic bracelet for something more becoming. I've got mine on a milanese which further elevates it's 60s aesthetic.

[@watchreport]

Nice. Enjoy.

[@alexs7758]

I prefer hardlex over sapphire anytime

[@manslevinsson9973]

Why?

[@howyduinyall7653]

I don’t c y

[@aubsta1]

There seem to be some alignment issues here

[@mtmatt6111]

Nice looking watch. It’s listed as having a 40.8mm diameter which is too big for the vintage design. 38 or 39 mm would be a better size and they cut too many corners for the price. The watches Seiko makes for the Japanese market are much better quality.

[@mocha8232]

Not a bad video but fails to mention the model number of this watch.

[@watchreport]

There’s a link to the site in the description but it’s legit called a Seiko presage 60s watch, but model number is SRPG07 if that helps you.

[@NoOne-ki3bm]

Design: 👌🏼 40mm: 🤷🏻‍♂️ Hardlex crystal / bracelet: 😑 No screw down crown / price: 🤬 Dear Seiko, Get ride of the date window, put in a screw down crown, then lower the price or use sapphire crystal, design a better bracelet/clasp, and fix your Quality Control. This is 2021, micro brands are offering way more value and are going to continue to eat into your market share.

[@japd7897]

Dear Mr. No One, People buy more and more watches every day, we are increasing our sales and profits as well, by not incurring in those expenses you suggest. We do not care about microbrands, they compete in the sub 500 segment, which we are escaping from. We just left behind the Seiko 5, but if you want a Seiko you will have to pay for it. We are a macro brand, with huge marketing expenses, a worldwide distribution network, brand awarenes ... people will keep buying our products, whatever we do. Regards, Shinji Hattori (Seiko CEO)

[@drouleau]

@@japd7897 Interesting, although there is a definitely a solid balance of ignorance and arrogance in your response that I might actually almost believe you are the CEO. If you are, your position on the matter is exactly why many longer-term Seiko owners are shying away from the brand. I’m proud to say I haven’t bought a Seiko in at least 2 years now, with no plan to obtain more. Why? Exactly why the original commenter stated. You are raising prices for lesser quality/value/features, primarily out of greed and posturing. There are many, many, many, many other options out there to choose from at a far greater value, and people with any kind of a clue know and understand this. That’s the beauty of competition. Sure, you may be selling more watches right now, but watches have exploded in popularity over the past few years with many new people buying watches. Give them time to catch up, and people who aren’t entirely stupid will learn and move on to other brands as well. I don’t care that you are a “macro” brand, I don’t care that you have huge marketing expenses (although with KZbin these days, kind of unnecessary), I don’t care if you are trying to raise brand status. You are Seiko, and always will be Seiko. You are not an upscale brand. Stop trying to be what you are not because someone woke up one day and decided “we need to sell the same watches for more money and these lemmings will still buy it”. Focus on being what made you popular to begin with, and work on improving and doing it better than anyone else.

[@japd7897]

@@drouleau As a CEO, Are you seriously saying I am ignorant?, I am telling you that we are selling more watches at a higher price and margin. Go for those many, many, ... other options which are not named Seiko. General public do not have a clue of watch quality/value, those you say are in the know are a niche market, and they still are buying the many reeditions in the 4000 range (SLA033, Alpinist, Naomi,...). As an example, the Seiko 5 substituting the SKX has no screw-in crown, 100 m WR instead of 200 m and we sell more at a higher price. Those are the cheapest models of our line, but if you want a proper Seiko you will have to spend more. That is how things are.

[@drouleau]

@@japd7897 When I spend $700-$1,000 on a Seiko and I can't even get a chapter ring or bezel lined up and a bracelet that's absolute cheap garbage (I've never come across a Seiko bracelet that isn't cheap crap), tell me, how much money do I need to spend to get something that you consider "good/acceptable'? And yes, I am calling you ignorant, because if you weren't and actually paid attention to your fan base on social media who have been bashing your business practices the past year or two and outlining the issues, then you might have a clue on the pulse of things besides your "sales numbers". If I'm going to spend $1,000-$3,000 on a watch, there's simply better options out there....unless of course you step up your value and quality. That's what you're not understanding. Arbitrarily raising prices "because it's a Seiko" doesn't really mean anything. That would be like a car manufacturer deciding "well, we're going to raise the MSRP for this mass-produced, average, decent value entry level car from $20,000 to $28,000 and not make any changes to it, just because we think our name is good". Yeah, there's a brilliant business plan.

[@japd7897]

@@drouleau If something is misaligned, just return it back. Micro brands struggle to sell 500 - 1000 batches for $500 to 1000, we sell thousands of limited editions at $4.000 within hours. Bye 🖐.

[@NathanChisholm041]

Man so many dickheads in the comments saying whys its bezel non rotating? Bezels do more than just rotate they have info on them to! Take a look at the Speedmaster it has a bezel that doesn't rotate to. It doesn't even look like a divers watch....

[@jiddybit]

All style, no substance. This could have been an awesome dressy diver but they put no effort into the specsheet.

[@RolexNumero1]

Seiko Kermit

[@watchreport]

Not really.

[@endisuhonjic]

Been using it for a two weeks, gained 1min15sec in the first 48 hours... Will set it up again and see what's going on - seems to me too much for a short period of time. In my country, Bosnia and Herzegovina Eastern Europe - this piece of art is $555. I don't mind 5 bars nor fixed bezel, looks fantastic on my wrist - just wanna see more precise time. Don't understand most of critic's over here - just pay and play, it's Seiko :) If you think it's too much - this watch isn't first nor last thing we overpaid in our lives.

[@TheGaztela]

Le falta el zafiro

[@rameslayer]

Damn right, this watch makes no sense at that price!

[@MADHIKER777]

Great looking watch, but series 4 movement, mineral crystal & fake bezel for $500+.... I'd expect to find this at Walmart.

[@aross924]

$525? Way too much.

[@mstadarsteel9425]

Seiko hardlex is bullshit.

[@watchreport]

Check out the ZODIAC SEA WOLF GMT REVIEW kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3WZnaOCrNGGqZo