The Elgin in the photo has been my dress-up watch for the past few years, but the blingy diamond chips were kind of over the top. Lately it has started losing time (currently about 10 minutes per day) and it never did that before, even when the battery was getting weak. So I started looking around and decided to buy a Seiko solar. It arrived today. Its looks are much more versatile; I can dress up or dress down and it’ll still look like it belongs.
Hello everyone.
I just got myself my first automatic watch cos on my Skagen the strap is broken and on my Traser P5900 the movement has gone the same path.
I like field watches and my arm diameter is the same as my wife’s so the Seiko 5 SNK809K1 fits perfectly (still looking big on my wrists)
It’s also the first watch for me with a metal bracelet, the nylon strap version (SNK809K2) was the same €80. After getting used of the weight it feels good though but this strap is seriously catching on my fur
Somewhere I’ve seen a link to a $20 replacement strap but I can’t find it back, ittook me half a year to find out which watch I want.
(Or is there a trick with the metal band except of waiting till wrist baldness?)
The other option was a solar (Seiko) Alba AEFD557 for half the price of the ‘5’ but I though my 7yo son who’s amazed of mechanical things like elevators and (open) VCRs would like the see through back.
Well, he liked the box. Just like Wall-E. At least he couldn’t through away the watch. Just like Wall-E.
Aynways, eventually I’ll make a strap for it, most likely 20mm nylon with leather underneath just like I modded my Traser one from faux leather to real one when the second one started to go into pieces.
And if I still like the watch in some months I’ll might ask my local watchmaker how much it would cost to change the dual date disk to a Kanji/engl one. I’d like that a lot more than the arabic one which (weird enough) seems to be the JDM standard on Seiko watches…
I feel with you. I just never had an automatic and at this price, why not try.
And as long as we have to turn the crown twice a year for this stupid DST I don’t mind.
My alarm clock by the way is an old Nokia N8. Without a GSM card it’s gains like a minute or two per month.
As long as my watch is more accurate everything’s fine with me
The funny thing is how often I have to check my watch to remind me of the date. I work nights and it has become a most helpful feature. I do agree that the aesthetic is nicer without it.
Came on a bracelet that has a ratcheting dive extension which I was really excited for, but… it kinda sucks
No micro adjusts, and the ratchet doesn’t substitute for them like the many Glide-lock style adjustments now available do. At least it had half-links.
Very happy for the price I paid compared to the Seiko solar divers which I was looking at, but are larger than I’d want to wear and significantly more expensive.
eBay, this model was mostly sold in Europe AFAIK and isn’t produced anymore. Was listed as a refurb from a large watch seller and came in mint condition.