Seiko Watch Review

Your eyes did not deceive you. This is nothing whatsoever to do with Brompton bicycles or cycling, so if this isn't for you I have given fair warning.

If you are still here as the blog post title suggests this is a Seiko watch review. Before start I will perhaps provide some background.

In my formative years I liked action films, the sort of thing where James Bond or Arnold Schwarzenegger was saving the world and/or running around blowing things up. Watches play quite a part in many of these films. Bond has been seen wearing some rather expensive wrist attire from Switzerland - and I have been there too - but he also wore lots of watches from Seiko. In fact a Seiko watch used by Schwarzenegger in several films has just been updated and re-released (yours truly is equally excited) with the nickname 'Arnie.'

So you could say I have a bit of a soft spot for the brand. One of my favourite watches is a very simple mechanical Seiko called the SKX007. I have had it for ages. It has never been serviced but still works faultlessly. Perhaps the link with Brompton bikes is the fact that this watch has a cult following and they can be customised with infinite options to suit the owner.

My new watch is the Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver's Green Dial - SPB103J. Like lots of other Seiko dive watches it has the nickname of 'Sumo.' The specifications are impressive:

• Premium sapphire crystal glass face protecting against scratches 
• 6R35 automatic movement, with 24 jewels and a whopping 70-hour power reserve
• Screw in crown
• Uni-directional bezel
• ISO certified 200 metre water resistance 
• 45mm case width 
• 13.7mm case thickness
• Steel bracelet with security clasp and wetsuit extension 
• Lumibrite markings that are bright and last for ages
• That green dial and bezel!!!

The photos in no way do the green dial and bezel justice. It is gorgeous! More a British Racing Green, it picks up the light in different ways sometimes making it darker and at other times much lighter.

I am no James Bond or Schwarengger and the last time I did anything approaching diving was snorkelling in the shallows of a rock pool off the shores of Malta on a holiday with my mum and dad when I was 10 years old! However, this watch is certainly going to cope with me cycling at all hours, in all weathers and with the occasional knock.

Safety clasp

Wet suit extension

If this is anything like my other Seiko watches it provide years and years of faithful and reliable service and not let me down.

Lumibrite - wonderful stuff

I got this one from a company called 'WatchO' who are based in Milton Keynes. Have to report that they are brilliant. The price for this watch was very competitive but the current 15% discount made things even better. Delivery was lightening fast and when I returned a totally different watch for a refund as it didn't suit, it was handled with equal efficiency. I will certainly paying them another visit.

Link to WatchO

Since I got this watch it has not left my wrist and I have been enjoying that wonderful dial and bezel. For a mechanical watch is very reliable and it has been running no more than 10 seconds fast - pretty amazing really - so I am very pleased.

I very much doubt that I will utilise this watch to its full potential, unless I have to - for reasons unknown - leap into the depths of the Serpentine while cycling through Hyde Park! Still...nice to know my watch would be up to the task, even if I were not!!