Seiko 5 Canvas Strap
SNK803, 805, 807, 809 – $50 – $150
You can get far on a good reputation. For men’s style, nowhere is that more clear than with J. Crew’s marketing & selling of Timex Watches. They look great and many swear by them despite the price, but reasonable alternatives exist for a fraction of the cost. This is part of our week long series on finding field watches that look just as good, and cost a whole lot less. For more, see our archive.
Probably the pick a real watch hound would make if they were looking for a budget field watch. The biggest and most obvious distinction between this, the J. Crew Timex watches, and the other alternatives, is that it’s an automatic. No quartz, no battery, just the micro engineering working it’s gears off while you move your wrist around.
They’re the expected 37mm smaller diameter, come with a 17mm width band and are readily available in four different color options (beige, green
Buying a watch over the internet is risky. There are plenty of gray market too-good-to-be-true watch websites out there. Some swear by those types of sites, others steer clear. That’s up to you. A policy that has never let us down (yet) is to buy from the brand itself, or, either buy through Amazon direct or at least have Amazon fulfill the purchase. There are plenty of 3rd party sellers on Amazon that can ship you a watch (or any other purchase) and Amazon will never see the box. At least if they’re fulfilling the purchase, it’s in their warehouse, and they have a close enough relationship with the retailer.
Top and Bottom Photo Credits: Michael Pollock
Every man should own at least one Seiko 5. Cheap, stylish, and durable, and being an automatic movement with a see-through back makes it that much cooler.
I purchased and have been wearing the black Seiko 5 for the past six months. Here are some quick thoughts.
Pros:
I have been asked if it is the JCrew, which is pretty good for a watch I spent $70 on from a shady looking website (Skywatches). It’s been a great purchase for my simple budget. One thing I like is how solid it feels.
cons:
The movements only lasts about 24 hours between wears. If you want to cycle it in a watch line up, I recommend a winder, which can put the price commitment into jCrew timex range. I just wear the watch everyday (only one I have) and change out nato straps which are dirt cheap.
I purchased and have been wearing the black Seiko 5 for the past six months. Here are some quick thoughts.
Pros:
I have been asked if it is the JCrew, which is pretty good for a watch I spent $70 on from a shady looking website (Skywatches). It’s been a great purchase for my simple budget. One thing I like is how solid it feels.
cons:
The movements only lasts about 24 hours between wears. If you want to cycle it in a watch line up, I recommend a winder, which can put the price commitment into jCrew timex range. I just wear the watch everyday (only one I have) and change out nato straps which are dirt cheap.
So with a 17mm band, is it harder to find NATO straps that fit properly?
An 18mm strap should fit fine. With odd-numbered lug widths, always round up, not down.
I wouldnt consider having to wind every other day a con. That is what all watch lovers hope for. The morning ritual of winding your watch.
Heck, even Rolexs dont last too long off the wrist.
Bought a blue one of these from ewatches a few months ago for ~$40. I’ve been really pleased with it thus far. A few notes (not necessarily pros/cons)
– The crystal is solid. I’ve smacked this thing against plenty of walls/doors and it’s still unscathed
– dial/movement are gorgeous
– stainless case is nice, unassuming- agree with the previous poster. this (like most automatics) starts to slow down after about a day and a half sitting on the desk. It’s my day-to-day watch for the most part, so it doesnt happen often. – the band-dial combo is a LOT of one color. I haven’t replaced the band yet, but plan on it soon. All in all, definitely recommended.
Yup… what BenR said.
Gosh, Joe, there sure are an awful lot of articles about Timex watches this week. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was some sort of week-long series.
HAR. HAR. (well played). Back to regular programming next week of course 🙂
I would agree MarkC, except for the fact that you cannot hand wind this watch. It is automatic only, making is SEVERELY frustrating for the first hour of wear when it has been dead. Lots of arm swinging, notable inaccuracy!
In all seriousness, however, I have thoroughly enjoyed the series. Well done, sir!
I’ve got a Seiko 5, not this model, but mine is pretty easy to get going. Before you put it on, grab it at the base of the dial by the strap between your thumb and index finger. Almost like you’re holding a TV remote. Swing it back and forth from side to side. You can even feel the weight in there moving back and forth. That’s a real easy way to jump start it.
That and cartwheels in the front yard. Lots, and lots of cartwheels.
Hahaha
I feel like an idiot 🙂
I have not been a fan of my Seiko 5. I have the model pictured, but in black, and the quality has been questionable. In the 8 months I have owned it, the “5” placard has fallen off and one of the hour marker lume dots has come loose as well. Before I noticed it, the 5 lodged itself inside the date window.
I’ve had one for nearly a year and think it is a great
watch. Perhaps is my easy-going personality, but it is not a horrific burden
for me reset the time when it runs fast, get it going again if I don’t wear it
for a few days, or change the date.
Another option is the SNKH63 series (also H65, H67, H69), a newer version of the 809. It has 20mm lugs vs 18mm for the 809.
It is a much less authentic watch than the 809, both of which are homages to German pilot watches from the mid-1900’s. On the surface, they look very similar, but on the 809, the triangle correctly faces up and the hands are much more accurate.
The one advantage that the H63 has is the wider lug width, which looks more balanced on people with larger wrists.