Seiko is a household brand name that has stood the test of time. No wonder people are commonly searching for the best Seiko watches for men, which probably brought you here today. We know Swiss watches are synonymous with design, accuracy and reliability, but this Japanese brand has proven itself over the years.
If you’re looking for a beautiful but functional classic watch that will be reliable for a long time, Seiko is a great choice. While they have a lingering perception of being a budget brand, their continually rising popularity and stocks would suggest otherwise. Today we’re going to cover the best Seiko watches for men.
History
Let’s take a quick dive into the history of the brand. You may think Seiko isn’t very established, but you’d be wrong. It began in 1881. A young man named Kintaro Hattori opened a modest shop in Tokyo, selling pocket watches and wall clocks. After a year, he started making his clocks under the brand name “Seikosha”. After a lot of development, Seikosha released a pocket watch in 1895 which paved the way for Japan’s first wristwatch in 1913.
Skip to 1924, and a tragic fire burned the original Seikosha factory down, a rebrand saw a name change to simply, “Seiko”, and from there it came back stronger than ever, to become one of the most successful brands in the world.
Seiko has its name on a lot of firsts aside from the first pocket and wristwatch in Japan. This includes developing a unique proprietary self-winding mechanism, the first dive watch seen in Japan, first quartz watch, first titanium case and many more!
Now you know, Seiko is far more than a budget brand. Let’s take a look at some of the best Seiko watches for men in 2021.
1. Grand Spring Drive Watch
Starting with the most expensive on our list of best Seiko watches for men. This is a purpose-made watch to celebrate one of the most famous supercars ever released; the Nissan GTR (which also happens from Japan). The watch marked the cars 50th birthday alongside the 20th anniversary of the Seiko Spring Drive Automatic watch movement. As it was a special occasion, Seiko only made a limited number.
It is built with ceramic and titanium. What’s more, there’s a 72-hour power reserve inside this chronograph, a dual time display, tachymeter bezel, alligator leather strap and it’s waterproof to 100m. Of course, you get what you pay for, this watch is around $25,000
2. Grand Spring Drive GMT
As you know, Seiko is known for its budget timepieces. However, we’re breaking the myth that that’s all Seiko does. They have a lot of premium offerings under the Grand Seiko range. The latest is the Spring Drive GMT.
It has an automotive movement, 24-hour bezel, a third hour hand and stainless steel case. It’s the perfect balance of looks and functionality. Even more so when you learn that it has 18k gold accents, it’s waterproof to 200m, but we don’t recommend you risk taking it diving as it’ll cost you around $13,000.
Check out our article on Seiko dive watches, here.
3. Prospex Automatic
In 1968, Seiko released a watch that would later become their most iconic. To celebrate it, they remade the watch with meticulous attention to detail (the model name/number is SLA025J1). This includes the flat case back, black and gold colorway and studded wrist strap. They added some modern twists, such as an automatic movement and a battery that can go 55 hours between charges. It offers a date window and a second hand. What’s more, it has an astonishing 300m water-resistance rating.
If you’re looking for a premium dive watch to use for its looks over function, this comes in at just over $5,000.
4. Astron Solar GPS
Seiko has a long-running ocean theme when it comes to their watches, but that’s not all. They also have a liking for the stars—specifically, Earth’s orbit. The Astron Solar GPS is a stainless steel watch with some technology on board in terms of built-in GPS navigation. It has a solar movement, 39 timezones and a perpetual date calendar.
Perhaps a little more budget-friendly at just under $2,000.
5. Prospex Automatic Dive Watch
As we ascend down the price range, we reach the Prospex Automatic; potentially Seikos most famous timepiece, known better as the Sumo. This watch is highly-coveted and comes with a self-winding movement with optional hand-winding if needed, an off-set screw-down crown, a 50-hour power reserve and stainless steel case with a matching link bracelet. Finally, it can go with you on wet adventures as it’s waterproof to 200m.
All that for under $500. The price may be lower on Amazon.
6. Prospex Solar Dive Watch
This timepiece is known better as the Solar Diver. Though arguably it’s better suited for fashion wear. It comes in matte green, dark blue and grey. It has a textured silicone strap to match the dial, which boasts a dive-timer bezel, screw-down crown and date window.
It has a power reserve of up to 10 months and is waterproof to 200m.
Not at all bad for around $400 if you ask us.
7. Prospex Black Ion Automatic Dive Watch
The Black Ion is a beautiful offering for under $400. It has a classic silhouette with black and gold accents, and together this look exudes sexiness and opulence.
It’s not all looks, though. It has a PVD coated stainless steel case, automatic movement and unidirectional dive timer bezel. Also, it’s water-resistant to 200m and offers a 41-hour power reserve.
Not to be sniffed at for just under $400.
8. Prospex Save The Ocean Dive Watch
Another truly sensational watch from Seiko and certainly one of the best Seiko watches for men. Running with the ocean theme, this is a limited-edition offering with the nickname the Turtle. It was called this because it has a shell-shaped case. What’s more, it is waterproof to 200m, has a unidirectional dive timer bezel and, potentially the most extravagant thing about it is the 24 jewels automatic movement that will keep going for decades.
It’s super-stylish with a stainless steel case and soft silicone band, so you don’t have to swap it for something else when you’re in the office.
You can pick this up for around $330.
9. Prospex Fieldmaster Solar Watch
There was a time when Seiko dipped its toe into the digital watch waters. Whilst a lot of their range now doesn’t reflect this time, they have some solid digital devices, and The Prospex Fieldmaster certainly deserves a spot in a list of best Seiko watches for men.
Getting its power from sunlight, this digital watch has an impressive power reserve of up to 5 months with heavy use or 20 months if you use power saving. It has useful features that you’d expect from a mid-range digital watch like alarms, timers, stopwatches and the like. Note, though, this isn’t a smartwatch so don’t expect Alexa compatibility or notifications.
You can get this for around $299.
10. Automatic Dive Watch
If you like the well-known Pepsi bezel, this is the watch you’re looking for. The SKX009P9 automatic dive watch is a budget-friendly and reliable watch with an iconic look. It offers a rotating dive timer bezel, durable silicone strap and offset shielded crown. It has a water resistance of 200m, so you can confidently take it with you on adventures.
You can buy this for around $220.
11. Prospex Solar Chronograph
If you’re a fan of functionality but like the analog look, the SSC007 Prospex Chronograph watch is perfect for you. It’s aimed at those of us with a busy life. It has a solar-powered movement, date window, tachymeter bezel and three sub-dials. These all help you to make calculations for things like distance, speed and other travel metrics. Safe to say, this is a good option for those who actually enjoy maths.
You can pick this up for around $200. Bargain!
12. 5 Automatic Watch
We finish our list of the best Seiko watches for men on a low. Price-wise that is. The Seiko 5 Automatic is a testament to the value proposition the brand offers. You won’t have to charge or change the battery thanks to the automatic movement inside. It’s the sportier version within the 5 series. It has a stainless steel case, soft nylon strap and is waterproof to 30m. Perfect for accidental splashes or heavy rain.
You can pick up a 5 Automatic for around $85-95 depending on which color you choose.
13. Flightmaster Pilot Slide Rule Chronograph
If detail is your game then this watch needs to be at the top of your list. It’s so detailed that it tells time to the 1/20th of the second for the full 12 hours displayed on the dial. It also features a date box against a stunning blue dial with a silver band. The watch also has a remarkable 100-meter water-resistant feature along with a push-button deployant clasp. Surprisingly it also has a stopwatch function making it super useful!
While it is a beautiful watch it does come at a price of $532.00
14. Recraft Series Automatic Watch
The Refract Stainless Steel Automatic is a fine piece of art and certainly one of Seiko’s best watches for men. It’s another stunning combo of stainless steel and a royal blue dial backdrop. This time it not only features the date but also the day which is honestly an underrated feature. What’s different from this watch compared to the others is that it is a square base rather than a circle.
It’s water-resistant up to 50 meters which means it can go in the shower as well. Not that we would recommend that! It also features an automatic self-wind and has a power reserve of 41 hours.
It’s also one of their more affordable options at $188.16.
15. Presage SARY055
Ending on one of their classiest watches yet this stunning silver and ice Presage SARY055 is an amazing option. It’s a stainless steel band with a silver ice blue dial with little to overcrowd the dial. The watch is branded with the SEIKO and PRESAGE print written on the front. It also has a beautiful 23 jewels plastered right on the dial around-the-clock hours. It also features 40 meters in water-resistant capabilities.
The watch is priced at $379.95
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our whistlestop tour of the Seiko brand and the best Seiko watches for men!
If you liked this article for men, check out our article on the best Seiko watches for women.
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Last Updated on December 2, 2021
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