Seiko 5 : 4 months of life

Midget

Midget

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2002
Messages
2,807
Hey guys. I got my Seiko 5 in June, 03'.

I'm impressed. It has definately taken a beating in the past few months, surviving a road trip to California (from Missouri) and back, 4 day backpacking & camp to Yosemite, camps on the beach, shock, and heat. I'm meddled with the adjustments a bit, trying to get it more accurate. Right now, it runs about 8-12 secs fast per day.

I'm highly impressed with the Seiko 5, based on resilience and function. I didn't think an item with as many touchy moving parts inside would be accepting of punishment.

Several things I wish. I wish the case were made out of titanium. I wish the crystal was set BELOW the crown, instead of above it, as having the crystal jut out of the face makes in succeptible to scratches. I wish the luminescence were tritium, so I don't have to "charge it up."

Long live the 7s26. Highly recommended. :)

www.geocities.com/midgettofu/Seiko.html

questions?
rwan@umich.edu
 
Holy smoke! :eek:

That's four months wear? What exactly do you do for a living? :D

I've been considering a Yao Seiko (field type like yours, not diver) but I haven't been sure it would be able to survive as a replacement for my G Shock. Now I'd say definitely not.
 
That's an amazing amount of damage on your watch, Midget. I've had my Seiko 7T32 movement watch for about four years now, and its scratches are numerous though barely noticeable at first glance. I really have to hold it up in the right light to see them.

The two watches should have similar crystals. Like yours, the crystal on mine also protrudes above the bezel.

And I thought I was rough with my watch! I've scratched it against brick walls dozens of times, slammed it into other watches, and dropped it about 4-5 times face-first on rocky pavement. Not to mention pressing the buttons while the watch is wet (in the shower) and when swimming.

I don't see how camping or backpacking trips could scratch up a watch face very much unless you're flailing about on cliff faces and diving into gravel pits. Wouldn't that kind of punishment also rip up your arms too? Yowch. Maybe you should take a 4-month post-abuse picture of your scar-tissue arms too? :)

It is nice, however, to see that the Seiko held up to that kind of damage. I'm hoping to get a 7S26 whenever my 7T32 dies on me... (heh, not very likely eh?)
 
:):):):)

On the very contrary, I do not have a hardcore profession, and I already have a g-shock- which is in pristine condition. :)

I am a fulltime student and I work in a computer lab. Pretty hardcore, huh? I chalk most of my scatches to the fact that I frequently wear my watch face down- that is, looking at the face with my palm on the same side. Makes sense? So while I'm sitting at the computer or workbench, typing and what not, the crystal is constantly rubbing against the tabletop. The most deepest and most apparent (and most recent) scratches came from scraping the face against a cement wall as I tried to squeeze through an opening while riding my bike. I will admit that the camping trips weren't extremely hard on my watch, but climbing around the rocks and hiking at Yosemite gave my 5 a run for my money.

And my g-shock. It's a pretty sweet watch. In pristine condition, I suppose, because I'm always wearing my 5. :)

Take care guys.
 
And one thing I AM looking for is a decent band. I've been through four bands as of yet. The original metal mand was plain awfus and uncomfortable and heavy. The second two were nylon ones from Walmart. The first was lost to heat while cooking up premade burritos in a campfire (at halfmoon bay), the other had the holes wear out and fray. The last was my NATO band, which I *just* broke. I mean, half an hour ago. I spent the last six hours working on my bike (which I bought used, bent/worn rear sprockets, bent front derailleur, rusted out chainrings, untrue tires, frayed cables), only to achieve NOTHING. I can't get either the front or rear derailleurs aligned with the chain, maybe because both are bent out, or maybe because I don't know anything about bikes. Long story short, I picked up and threw my bike down in the street on my last test drive, bending the buckle on my NATO band in the process. Buzzkill.

Does anyone know of any comfortable, nylon/kevlar/etc., durable band?

Thanks.
 
Regarding bands, I've had mixed experience with Seikos. The company has multiple pricing levels for watches with different combinations of features. So as the prices go up, the band will also be of better quality. I bought my brother a 7T32 that was cheaper than mine (US$100 vs. US$80 or so) and the chronograph button started to malfunction after only a year. His band is also of slightly lower quality in terms of fit and finish. I'd be wary of buying another lowest-end Seiko.

Perhaps you would be able to find a Seiko metal band that is better made and that fits the shape of your watch.

I've got my eyes on a Rhino strap. It looks pretty rugged, but I'm not sure how well my springbars would hold up. I'm still on the originals, but they're starting to bend ever so slightly out of shape. I'd assume that a nylon strap going through the springbars would put more stress on them, compared to using the metal band that has more contact points on the watch.
 
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