About a month ago, I started my very first Seiko watch collection.
Watch collecting is an interesting hobby, to say the least. Technically, in today’s age, you don’t need a watch at all. Your phone can do everything a watch does. But there’s something about owning a watch that communicates who you are. It conveys a part of your ethos to the whole world. It says I value things with craftsmanship, and I’m not afraid to put them on display. It’s an intensely personal pursuit, like any other hobby, but it’s also a definitive statement of who you are.
From what I gather from the YouTube horology circles, the baseline number for a watch collection would be two. You need a watch for everyday use and a timepiece for formal occasions.
But for me, two is too small. I think five should be a number that any self-respecting collector of anything has to aim for, just so you cover all the bases without breaking the bank. Thus my Seiko watch collection will start at five timepieces for now.
A Case for Seiko
The natural question to ask is why Seiko watch collection then? Like I said, the act of watch collecting, as with any endeavor, is representative of your core values. You collect things because it is a distillation of your passions and drives.
And a Seiko watch collection happens to tick all the right boxes for me.
First, it has a unique heritage. Starting in a watch shop in Japan founded by Kintaro Hanzo in 1881, the mission has always been clear. Build better. Over time it kept building and building on the technology of watches. From better movements to better materials, the timekeepers just kept improving exponentially.
And this pursuit has created some of the most powerful innovations in the watch history. For example, the introduction of the Seiko Astron, the first ever quartz watch, shook the foundations of the watchmaking industry. For the first time, the Europeans who ruled the watch world stood up and took notice.
But it did not with much aplomb. It’s a quiet kind of self-assuredness that speaks of confidence without boastfulness.
Secondly, it’s that Japanese heritage. When you think of Japan, you think of quality. And you can see it in every watch Seiko has produced. Solid construction means a watch you can enjoy for many decades.
Finally, the aesthetics speak to me. Something about Seiko tells you that it’s not about ostentatious display. Rather, you get classic, versatile design that is noteworthy and demands attention but does not distract. It tells a story without shouting. A Seiko watch collection walks quietly but has a certain gravitas that are attractive to many people.
Five Watches to Start
Here are my picks for the five watches I’ll be adding in my collection. It’s a diverse set of watches based on need and aesthetics. I chose these because I really like the history and how it looks on my wrist. If you want to check out, the Seiko Online Boutique has a nifty display filter onsite that shows how each watch will look when you wear Hopefullym this gives you also some excellent Seiko watch collection ideas.
The Seiko 5 Sports SRPD53K1 for Everyday
- Movement: 4R36 Automatic with Manual Winding
- Case: 42.5mm
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Bracelet: Stainless steel with a threefold clasp and secure lock push-button release
- Water Resistance: 100m
The proof is in the pudding. The Seiko 5 Sports is one of hte best Seiko watches for beginners and this is a prime piece.
Admittedly, I bought the watch purely because I loved the colorway. The familiar red and blue bezel is unofficially called in horological parlance as the Pepsi. I was giddy when I first wore it on my wrist. The bezel and the blue dial looks so utterly divine under the sunlight.
Plus, if it’s your first mechanical watch, you’ll find out soon why it’s so addicting with this timepiece. The movement of the seconds hand plus the display back where you can see all the tiny movements that keep it tickiing all make it so intriguing.
By definition, an everyday watch is something you can wear, well, everyday to put it bluntly. The SRPD53K1 has immense value and it feels like a more expensive watch. It definitely punches above its weight. Thus, this is my first watch under my Seiko watch collection.
The Seiko Prospex SPB121J1 Alpinist for Field
- Movement: Caliber 6R35 Automatic with Manual Winding
- Case: 39.5mm
- Crystal: Sapphire with cyclops magnifier
- Bracelet: Cow leather with a threefold clasp and secure lock push-button release
- Water Resistance: 20 bar
- Featuring a rotating inner ring compass
Ostensibly, a field watch has a military look and feel. It will have rugged, no-nonsense aesthetics that fits right at home at boot camp or out in the battlefield. But really, it’s not the looks. It’s what it can do.
And Seiko Prospex SPB121J1 Alpinist has everything a field watch needs; a very durable case and crystal, a deep water resistance when you need to go plunging through rivers and waterfalls, and a inner compass ring to find your way back.
The Alpinist was built for Japanese mountaineers and I could definitely see a forest ranger in the lush Honshu treeline and mountains wearing this. This will be the watch I’m taking when I hike the five day Nakasendo trail from Tokyo to Kyoto in September. The green and gold aesthetic feels at home during the brisk coolness of Japan’s autumn forests. The ultra durable Alpinist is thus my field entry for my Seiko watch collection. Its versatility also makes it one of the best Seiko watches for beginners.
The Seiko Prospex Speedmaster SSC813P1 for Chronograph
- Movement: V192 Solar Powered Movement
- Case: 39.0mm
- Crystal: Curved Sapphire
- Bracelet: Stainless Steel with a threefold clasp and secure lock push-button release
- Water Resistance: 10 bar
- Featuring a tachymeter
Like every hot-blooded male, I dream of driving fast cars. Specifically, I’ve been looking at a Toyota GR Yaris, a pocket rocket that even top gearheads who own Ferraris and Lamborghinis consider as a great addition to their garage. And what better timepiece to pair with it than an iconic chronograph watch?
A Seiko Prospex Speedmaster or SSC813P1 (also called the Panda) comes with a street cred like no other. The clean white dial and oodles of useful functions make it a must for people who like to live in a precise, octane fueled world. This makes it one of the top Seiko watches for a first collection.
I don’t have a Toyota GR Yaris yet but until then, I’d settle for timing my pasta boil with my Seiko Prospex Speedmaster. The fact that it’s solar-powered means I can go anywhere without having to worry about my watch’s power reserve.
The Seiko Presage SPB095J1 Arita Porcelain for Dress
- Movement: 6R35 Automatic with Manual Winding
- Case: 40.5mm
- Crystal: Dual-curved Sapphire
- Bracelet: Crocodile leather with a threefold clasp and secure lock push-button release
- Water Resistance: 10 bar
- Featuring an Arita Porcelain Dial
To be fair, most Filipinos don’t really know the distinction between a dress watch and a sports watch. Usually, if it costs a lot, then you wear it with a suit. But I digress. There’s something about wearing a proper dress watch during a formal event. The Seiko Presage SPB095J1 is a gorgeous watch with an Arita Porcelain dial. I fell in love with electric blue hands that fits so well with a blue Armani suit.
It helps that the timepiece is a walking conversation piece. You can tell everyone that it’s made with a special ceramic found only on an island in Kyushu, supervised by a master craftsman named Hiroyuki Hashiguchi. Perfect for when you’re trying to impress your in-laws over an expensive dinner at Gallery by Chele.
The Seiko Astron SSH158J1 for a Grail
- Movement: 5X83 GPS Solar-powered
- Case: 43.4mm
- Crystal: Dual-curved Sapphire
- Bracelet: Titanium with a threefold clasp and secure lock push-button release
- Water Resistance: 10 bar
- Featuring a perpetual calendar, chronograph, automatic hand alignment function and GPS reception
Being a grail watch means that like King Arthur’s Holy Grail, you seek it until you find it. There’s a significant meaning in choosing a grail watch.
For me, the Seiko Astron SSH158J1 is my grail watch for many reasons. It’s a celebration of the original Seiko Astron that shocked the world all those years ago. This time, Seiko honors the same spirit its ancestor possessed by creating a watch with almost every complication known to man.
It’s solar-powered so no need to wind it or keep wearing it. The GPS adjusts the time wherever you are in the world. The perpetual calendar and chronograph are the icing on the cake. It’s feature-packed and just about the perfect do-everything watch.
Even if this is the most expensive watch on this list, it feels like you’re getting tremendous value like all Seiko watches you’ll ever own.
I also love how imposing it looks. It demands that you take it seriously. It’s a technologically superior watch and it looks the part. This stands at the pinnacle of my Seiko watch collection.
Does it end here?
This is my initial Seiko watch collection. But as you know, once you start, it’s kind of hard to stop.
For one, I don’t have a selection for a true diver’s watch on this list. Although the Seiko 5 Sports and the two Seiko Prospex watches are technically diver’s watches, if I decide to move into that direction, I would probably look for a Prospex Marinemaster.
Plus, there’s always an ever-evolving lineup of colorways and collections that Seiko will have. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe a Philippine exclusive next time or a JDM. The Whiskered Pitta honestly looks intriguing and I love how it reps my country.
In any case, I’ve been sourcing my timepieces Seiko watch collection from one place. For guaranteed authentic Seiko watches, I trust only Seiko Philippines. Check them out online or visit their boutiques strategically located all over the Metro.
This journey looks to be exciting. I invite you to join me as we explore the world of Seiko together.
Until next time. And as always, next time is time for Seiko.
