Seiko is one of the oldest watch brands from Japan and it stands for exquisite craftsmanship and quality. They started in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, in 1881, and are now considered one of the most respected watchmakers in the world.
Kintaro Hattori, the founder of the Seiko brand, started as a watch repairman (for the first 10 years of the business) and moved on to making his own timepieces, in a factory in Seikosha. The brand first produced wall clocks, but it got famous due to The Timekeeper, which is the first pocket watch ever produced. From here, Seiko moved on and started producing something entirely new in Japan – wristwatches.
The main reason why Seiko stayed in business and still thrives 100+ years later is their constant need to improve and innovate. As time passed, Seiko was always among the first ones to test new movements and add features to their models. As such, in a world where smartwatches are quite popular, people still want to wear classic timepieces produced by a legendary brand.
We will go through some of the best Seiko watches of all time for men and we will take a quick look at the features that make this brand so great.
Best Seiko Watches For Men
| # | PREVIEW | Product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Best For Higher Budgets
1Seiko PRESAGE Men's Watch
|
|
 Buy On Amazon |
|
|
|
|||
| 2
Best For Low Budgets
2Seiko SKX007K Men's Watch
|
|
Buy On Amazon |
|
|
|
|||
| 3 |
|
Buy On Amazon |
|
|
|
|||
| 4
Best Overall
4Seiko Prospex Men's Watch
|
|
Buy On Amazon |
|
|
|
|||
| 5 |
|
Buy On Amazon |
|
|
|
|||
1. Seiko PRESAGE Men's Watch
- Luxurious but minimalist design
- Gorgeous dial, that’s easy to read
- Premium materials and top-quality craftsmanship
- Impressive power reserve
Presage is a gorgeous timepiece, that features a luxurious minimalist design. The materials are premium quality and the overall craftsmanship of the watch is top quality, but the price is quite affordable
At the heart of it all, there is an automatic movement (Seiko 4R36 caliber) that is self-winding based on the movements of the wrist. However, it can also be hand wound and hacked and has a 50h power reserve that’s enough to keep the watch accurate at all times.
The finely brushed stainless steel case has a glass back, so you can see the mechanism at work, and a scratch-resistant Hardlex crystal lens to showcase the dial. The analog dial has a silver-white background and features a three-hand movement with hour and minute markers on the edge. The hands are blue (just like the minute markers) and are shaped like arrows.
The dial also features a date complication (day of the week and date) in the 3 o’clock position, in line with the crown. And, to attest this is an original Seiko, the crown is engraved with the letter S.
Presage is a stainless steel watch, with both the case and the strap made from this material. This is why it may feel a bit heavy (5.54 oz), but you don’t have to worry about losing it. The strap is fitted with a deployment clasp with a dual push-button release for an ultra-secure fit.
Lastly, the watch is 100m water-resistant (you can wear it to the gym or during outdoor workouts) and is extremely easy to use and set.
Specifications
Pros
- It’s a gorgeous watch for both casual and formal events
- Impressive quality for the price
- High-end & reliable automatic movement
- Exhibition back case that lets you see the mechanism
Cons
- The crown is not a screw-in
- No lume on the hands (no visibility in low-light)
2. Seiko SKX007K Men's Watch
The Seiko Men’s Diver’s Automatic Watch is a classic design that can be the perfect gift. It comes in an elegant box, which makes the unwrapping experience extremely exciting. In addition, the design is impressive due to the beautiful combination between the stainless steel case and bracelet and the black dial.
The mechanism is powered by a high-quality Japanese automatic movement system and allows the watch to keep accurate time and provide information on the date and day. Moreover, the contrast between the black dial and white hands and hour markers (which are luminous) makes the face very easy to read.
It can resist water for up to 660 feet (200m), which makes it suitable for swimming and even recreational scuba diving.
Lastly, the watch stands out due to the protected crown that’s placed on the right side of the case, in the 4 o’clock position (instead of the standard 3 o’clock).
Specifications
Pros
- Beautiful stainless steel design that stands out
- Easy to read & comfortable to wear
- Delivered in an elegant box
- The case is large (42mm) and rugged
- It doesn’t need a battery
- It has date and day functions
Cons
- The bracelet is a bit flimsy and noisy
- It doesn’t allow for hand-winding
3. Seiko Excelsior Men's Watch
A beautiful, stainless steel watch that features a rugged elegance and showcases an analog black dial with four complications and a three-hand Japanese quartz movement. The Excelsior is a priceless timepiece that plays with two silvery tones and has a beautifully sculpted bracelet that raises feelings of admiration in viewers.
But this is more than just a good-looking watch with a solid-built! The three subdials (chronograph, stopwatch, and alarm) and date window (in the 3 o’clock position) are features that come in handy in a wide range of scenarios. In addition, the silver hands and hour markers are luminous, so visibility in low-light conditions is possible.
Lastly, the Excelsior has great water resistance (100m/ 330ft) and stays comfortably on your wrist due to the foldover clasp with double push-button.
Specifications
Pros
- Beautiful two-toned design
- Impressive bracelet and face
- The black analog dial features silver hands and markers
- The watch features 4 complications
- Good water resistance
Cons
- It can be a bit bulky for some outfits
- The finish on the band wears off
4. Seiko Prospex Men's Watch
This watch is delivered in a beautiful blue box (perfect for gifts) and the unboxing experience is quite pleasant. Once you take it in your hand, you can tell it is a high-quality timepiece, with a beautiful stainless steel bracelet with diver extension and a solid stainless steel case and a Hardlex crystal lens.
The fact that it runs on solar power and its great water-resistance, make the Prospex watch perfect for adventurers who enjoy summer water sports or specialists who need to work on or near water.
In addition, the black dial features a uni-directions diving bezel and luminous hands and markers, for better visibility in low-light conditions. Besides the three-hands movement (V175 quartz), the dial also features three chronograph subdials and one date window. For setting these complications, there are two screwdown pushers (in the 2 and 4 o’clock positions) and one screwdown crown (at 3 o’clock).
Overall, the Prospex is a masculine-looking watch, with several impressive features. As such, it works well in most professional environments where it will attract words of praise and admiration.
Specifications
Pros
- Beautiful aspect with manly vibes
- Powered by light and a 6 months power reserve
- Solid build and good diving features
- Four complications for chronograph and date
- Accurate and reliable movement
Cons
- A bit on the heavy side
- The crown and pushers can dig in the back of your hand
- It is tall for people who wear sleeved shirts
5. Seiko Flightmaster Men's Watch
- A beautiful and manly timepiece
- The face is gorgeous but also complex
- Both hour markers and hands are lumed, for better visibility
- Solid build with good water resistance
This is a sophisticated analog watch, with a unidirectional bezel, designed to fit the needs of a pilot (it’s a flight master, after all!). At first glance, the watch may seem intimidating with its beautiful blue dial covered in complications and information, but it’s supposed to be like this.
Seiko made the Flightmaster for those people who want a wrist calculator (such as engineers, and other technical professionals) that doesn’t look cheap and can be used to showcase just how smart you are.
Starting from the outside, the watch has a smooth rotating (unidirectional) bezel in the same color and build as the dial. This creates a beautiful visual effect while also providing users with information on navigation (it has the cardinal points marked on) and units of measurement for conversions and calculations. It also contains a slide rule, which should be thoroughly explained in your Seiko introduction manual.
As we move further towards the center, we find more notations, hour markers (painted with LumiBrite), three dial complications, one date complication, and a three-hand quartz movement. In short, this is a pilot-style chronograph with stopwatch functions (1/20 sec to 60 minutes) that tells the time in a 12-hour format.
The watch is built like a tank, with a solid screw-in back, a screwdown crown, and a scratch-resistant Hardlex crystal lens. It is water-resistant (up to 100m or 330 ft) and it sits securely on your wrist due to the push-button deployment closure.
Overall, while it is a complex watch, it’s also visually appealing and manly looking. The blue of the dial blends nicely with the stainless steel build and changes hues depending on the angle of the light. The face is very legible, in both sunlight and low-light conditions and the crowdedness of the dial is not a problem in any way.
Specifications
Pros
- Rotating bezel with plenty of cool data on it
- Chronograph and stopwatch functionalities
- Easy to read and set
- Accurate quartz movement
Cons
- The dial is a bit crowded
Seiko Men's Watch Buying Guide
Movement
The movement that ticks inside a watch is a strong indicator of quality. Whether it’s manual (mechanic), Quartz, or automatic, the movement must be well-designed in order to be accurate and reliable.
Seiko watches are usually paired with Kinectic, Japanese Quartz, or Spring Drive movements, but their high-end pieces are most likely to have manual or automatic movements. In the world of analog timepieces, Quartz movements are not considered a luxury feature.
Seiko Automatic Watches
Automatic movements are some of the oldest movements used by Seiko and they are considered stylish and elegant in today’s world. In short, an automatic watch uses the kinetic energy produced by the user’s hand movements during the day to wind up the mechanism and keep the timepiece running smoothly. This is done via an oscillating weight in the movement that continually winds the mainspring until it reaches its power reserve limit. Then, as the power reserve empties (usually during the night or when the watch is not at your wrist), the process is re-started.
If used on a daily basis, an automatic watch doesn’t need to be wind up. However, some automatic movements are equipped with additional mechanisms that allow for hacking or hand winding. This can be useful if the power reserve is depleted before the movement can re-start.
Seiko has several collections that use automatic movements (like the popular 7S26 21 Jewel automatic) and most don’t need additional mechanisms. As such, if the movement is left without kinetic energy, it’s enough to set the correct time and shake the watch a bit to get it started. Once started, the movement will keep going without requiring a battery or any other power source.
Some of the most well-known collections with automatic movements are Seiko Kinetic and Seiko 5.
Seiko Mechanical Watch
Mechanical movements are very similar to automatic ones, but they require manual winding to keep going. By winding the watch, the user winds the spring inside the mechanism and provides the system with extra energy.
Seiko uses Spring-Drive movements to create a few models that are considered classic timepieces by connaisseurs (like the Grand Seiko).
Seiko Quartz Watches
Seiko is the brand that invented the Quartz movement in order to keep making amazing watches and make them available to the regular folks. Quartz movements require a battery as a power source, and they are reliable, accurate, and extremely durable.
In fact, Seiko is most popular for its quartz movement watches, which are considered to be the best in the world. Their quartz timepieces are accurate within five to ten seconds per year, and the battery is guaranteed to last up to two+ years.
Furthermore, some quartz movements from Seiko are solar-powered, so there is no need to change the battery for a very long time. Some even last a lifetime!
Seiko Solar Watches
In their drive to find the perfect power source, Seiko managed to capture the power of light and turn it into energy. The first solar model was designed in 1977, but the technology became popular a bit later when it allowed recharging from both natural and artificial light sources.
These watches use solar cells, placed underneath the dial, that absorb light and turn it into energy that recharges the battery. Modern solar cells can turn one minute of light exposure into an hour of energy for the battery.
So, as long as the battery can be recharged, the watch doesn’t need any maintenance from this point of view. It’s also a way to care for the environment, as these watches don’t need a new power source anytime soon.
Design
While the amazing mings behind the Seiko brand keep looking for new ways to make movements efficient and durable, the design is a different approach. The brand is very cautious with the visual aspect of their models and focuses on tried and tested designs that fare well in time.
Most Seiko watches feature the classic analog dial with two-hand or three-hand movements, some complications (usually date), and round watch face. The top Seiko watches are designed for the classic man, who wants a long-lasting timepiece that fits both casual and elegant outfits.
Style
A classic Seiko watch features a simple dial, usually with Arabic numerals as hour markers, a classic crown (in the 3 or the 4 o’clock position), a bezel (fixed or unidirectional), and a strap that compliments the case.
The hands are easy to see and are usually contrasting with the background. Also, even though some dials can get a bit crowded, Seiko is always trying to make it as easy as possible for users to read the information.
Overall, the brand promotes a simple and elegant style, accepted by both the young and the more seasoned users. Its timepieces work for both formal and informal events and speak of certain social status that many aspire towards.
Materials
In order to support their name and reputation, Seiko is very careful in choosing the best quality materials for their watches and their movements.
Furthermore, they use a wide range of materials from platinum and titanium to stainless steel and carbon fiber. The type of materials used fits the price, but all timepieces are made with the same care and dedication for reliability and durability.
As such, a Seiko stainless steel watch is made with the best quality stainless steel and will maintain its integrity in time. Regardless of the price tag, you will receive a solidly built piece, with a high-quality movement.
While a Seiko titanium men’s watch may be more durable than a stainless steel one, the difference is made by the material’s limitations; not the craftsmanship. In addition, luxury designs have carefully-crafted details (leather strap, skeleton case back, additional complications, and more) that improve the overall value and look of the timepiece.
Pricing Range
The brand has a wide selection of collections and each is designed with a specific audience in mind. As such, their price range starts from affordable (under $150 – $200), goes through medium ($200 – $600), and ends with luxury ($600+).
However, the price difference is not immediately visible in design. This means that almost anyone can buy a Seiko watch under $200 and let people believe it is a more expensive piece. Since Seiko is a brand that makes all the elements in-house, their focus for quality is present in all their models. In addition, regardless of the type of movement, users will get to enjoy a high-end experience.
Our Verdict
Anyone who is looking for a reliable timepiece that’s durable and stylish should consider a Seiko! Their collection of watches for men is rich in elegant and affordable designs, with a wide range of movements and styles.
Furthermore, their higher-end models are easily comparable with Swiss brands that are pricier without adding much in value. Based on our reviews and buying guide, it’s easy to see why the brand is so popular, even if they don’t do smartwatches and focus on old-school watchmaking.
Overall, these are gorgeous watches, with reliable movements, designed to last a lifetime.
