In the 55 years that the Seiko 5 has been in production, a wide variety of movements have been used. Seiko’s unbreakable Diaflex mainspring within a durable case.In-house automatic movement (with Diashock shock protection system comparable to the existing Swiss Incabloc system).Day/date complication within a single window, which was uncommon at the time.In fact, it had five key innovations that inspired its name. Introduced in 1963, it offered incredible value with several innovations. The Seiko 5 is one of the brand’s most iconic watch series. It wasn’t until 1892 that it started manufacturing clocks under the brand Seikosha, translated as “House of Exquisite Workmanship.” In 1924, production of wristwatches with the Seiko name began and the brand soon became a force to be reckoned with. The company was founded by Kintarō Hattori in 1881 in Tokyo, Japan as a watch and jewellery shop. Seiko is a watch brand that just about everyone recognizes, whether they never wear a watch or sport a large collection. All of that falls into our definition of “ The Cheapest High-End Watch” – and that isn’t the case for all the aforementioned watches! Period! It does have its flaws, but arguably offers the most complete watch package for the price. The Seiko 5 SNK809 is part of a broader series of Seiko 5 watches, but this particular model might have the most mainstream appeal with a universally sized 38mm steel case, conservative colour scheme and price that most watch enthusiasts can afford. There’s a specific watch, however, that offers an in-house automatic movement, exhibition caseback, day/date complication and clean military aesthetic from a major brand established back in 1881, with still involvement of the founding family – for only USD 100 (and easily found for less). All are great value propositions in their respective price tiers and easy to recommend. Even Hamilton can make a great USD 400 watch with a hand-wound movement. The new Timex Marlin Automatics have classic styling, reliable Miyota movements and a price under USD 300 (and it’s the brand’s first automatic line since 1982). The Marloe Haskell is a good example of a microbrand piece with a Swiss ETA, coming in well under USD 1,000. We have many articles and reviews covering them, from microbrands financing via Kickstarter to established brands offering compelling deals. There’s a countless number of watches falling into the value proposition category. Time to demonstrate this, with the not-even-100-dollar Seiko 5 Military SNK809. Japanese movements are gaining traction in general, and d espite being cheap (the word affordable doesn’t even work anymore), Seiko 5 watches are true mechanical, bang-for-the-buck “high-end” pieces. It was a Seiko 5! While pretty much everyone thinks of Switzerland when we talk about high-end watches, we felt that one specific brand was often missing in the discussion… Today that’s changing already and certainly since Grand Seiko has been positioned as a separate brand, this Japanese giant is being taken very seriously. And guess who won the title… not Patek, not Vacheron, not even Rolex or Omega. We searched for the most affordable high-end watch, comprising a mechanical movement, in-house manufactured of course, from a brand with an undisputed pedigree, preferably family-owned, and the watch should be (relatively) small and elegant. A few years ago, we published a story named “ The Cheapest High-End Watch“.
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