Has Seiko Reignited A Little Magic With Its New Limited Edition 5 Sport?

Seiko is an absolute titan in the watch industry. The number of key timepieces in the brand’s catalog is too long to list here. Nevertheless, it’s a brand that has faced an identity crisis over the last half-decade or so, I would argue. The new SRPL91 and SRPL93 Seiko 5 Sports series show just how magical the brand can be in the entry-level segment. Can their launch signal Seiko’s regaining some of that mojo?

We often cover Seiko at Fratello. It’s an important brand, not just objectively (which it is), but also spiritually, as many of us here at Fratello own a Seiko watch. In fact, a couple of us started our mechanical watch journey with a Seiko (including me, with a 7002). Our Managing Editor, Nacho, owns a 7002 with a beautiful patina. Seiko, and by extension Grand Seiko and King Seiko, is a watch company that has had and continues to significantly impact the industry. Many of its designs have become iconic, not least of which are the cushion-cased dive watches with organic-like shapes. I’m thinking of the 6105 and 6309s, for example.

The modern Seiko 5 Sports problem 

Seiko has been making inroads with adept reissues, capitalizing on iconic designs from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. But one line of watches where it seems Seiko may have missed a trick is the Seiko 5 Sports line. It’s a bit messy, but when Seiko removed the legendary SKX dive watch series from its catalog in 2019, fans of the brand cried out. There were several reasons for this.

The Seiko SKX007

This could have been a case of simple overreaction if it weren’t for the fact that Seiko decided to replace the SKX with the new Seiko 5 Sports line, which featured watches that very much look like an SKX (down to the dive bezel), but lacked a screw-down crown and 200 meters of water resistance. While the SKX was a certified, verified dive watch, the new ‘SKX-lite’ lacks the same capability. It felt like a downgrade, even if these new watches did receive the updated 4R36 caliber over the SKX’s 7S26. This updated caliber provides hacking and hand-winding, which are both useful features! Somehow, the watches felt toned down, and many thought it was a step in the wrong direction.

The Seiko SKX173 provided a lot of bang for your buck back in the day

Is Seiko losing its value-for-money image?

Last year, my colleague Daan asked if Seiko was losing its value-for-money image. You can read that feature here. Part of the challenge was that Seiko was releasing these heritage-inspired watches, but they had significant price tags associated with them. Seiko was competing with brands like Longines (which has itself moved further upmarket in recent years), but, frankly, did not have the mechanical movements to match those of the Swiss in the price category. The 6R series of movements is not nearly as accurate, as per listed tolerances, as some of the Swiss calibers we see in the price range.

Henry’s original Seiko 5. These could be had for less than 150 euros and offered many of the same specifications as the current Seiko 5 line.

Seiko had traditionally been a strong player, if not the dominant one, in the sub-1,000-euro price segment. But their recent releases have left many people cold. They’ve even sparked dedicated features in watch magazines asking where things have gone wrong. However, I’d argue that Seiko is using the limited editions in its Seiko 5 line to test the waters of forging a path to dominance in this field again.

Seiko can still make a great entry-level watch 

In 2023, Seiko’s release of the 55th anniversary Seiko 5 edition, the SRPK17K, got a lot of attention. Why? Partly because it looked nothing like an SKX-lite, but also because it offered that great Seiko design language, with decent specifications, within the entry-level price segment. Frankly, at the time I thought this watch was a marvellous re-edition, and it was great to see it occupy an entry-level price segment.

Now, Seiko has done it again with the SRPL91 and SRPL93. In fact, when I first saw these watches released, I thought they were noteworthy enough to feature in my 2025 summer watch pick feature, which you can read here. These watches come with everything you’d expect from a Seiko 5 Sport watch, which includes 100 meters of water resistance, a bulletproof caliber with a day-date complication, and excellent lume. Speaking of the caliber, it’s the automatic 4R36. It runs at a frequency of 21,600vph, packs 24 jewels, and holds a power reserve of 41 hours when fully wound.

Getting the Seiko SRPL93 wet 

When I saw this SRPL93 watch in the Seiko boutique, I knew I needed it on my wrist. The inky black dial of the SRPL93 had me enchanted. Sure, the original one that Gene Kranz wore was silver, but the black one packs some serious punch. The layout with the applied stick markers and straight hands is almost an exact copy of the 1960s original. I removed the bracelet and strapped on a NATO-style strap. The grey really makes the black dial pop.

There is also a contrasting day and date window at 3 o’clock, with a white background for the days of the week and a black background for the date. The indices, which are sticks of Lumi Brite with a steel frame, simply play with all sorts of light wondrously. The Seiko SRPL93 feels far more sophisticated and expensive than its retail price would suggest.

An enchanting case design

Looking straight down at the cushion case, there’s a nice bit of brushing, with the side flanks of the case being polished. Now, the case is 38.2mm in diameter with a wonderful 44.7mm lug-to-lug and a 12.3mm thickness. The mid case is quite slim, so that 12.3mm feels closer to 10-11mm in daily wear. The Seiko 5 Sports line has a water resistance rating of 100 meters, and while it has a push-pull crown, I feel comfortable taking this watch into the ocean. It’s up to the task and really shines underwater.

Seiko has shown they can up their game; now they need to keep at it

Sure, I may have concerns about the future serviceability of any entry-level Seiko, which you can read about here, but it’s still a great movement. Nevertheless, both the Seiko 5 SRPL91 in white and the SRPL93 in black cost €460. Never was I happier to purchase something at full retail price. Seiko has shown that it can up its game with these new limited edition Seiko 5s. The attention to detail and the quality control (including a wonderful bezel) show that when Seiko really tries, it really bears fruit.

Concluding thoughts 

Every time I look down at my new Seiko 5, I smile. At the end of the day, isn’t that the most important thing? This latest release from Seiko gives me hope that the brand can still pull out a release with that sprinkle of Seiko magic from yesteryear. This release has the right mix of attention to detail, build quality, specifications, and good looks, which make it (in my eyes) an absolute winner.

But what do you think, Fratelli? Is Seiko successfully reengaging with its core fan base by strengthening the options it provides in the entry-level segment? Let me know in the comments. Now, all we need is this level of attention to detail brought to bear on a Pogue re-edition!