Seiko, just Seiko!
From the beginning of this journey of collecting watch I haven’t been a huge fan of Seiko. I usually bought those watches because they were affordable and I knew that are easy to maintain. Most of the people that I’ve spoke with and at that time the blogs and YouTube videos spoke highly about Swiss watches. But from my last purchases I’ve seen the quality and the execution of the movement and the dial is amazing. It’s strange how after you buy a Seiko you are searching for the next one and then the next one and so on. One piece of advice I can give ( for who doesn’t know ) is that, when you are buying a Seiko try to go to the AD and see it first. Check for some issues that appears after the QC.
Collecting watches for over a decade, and it’s all because of my late grandfather.
It's odd, I grew up wearing Seiko, and never wore anything else until I was 24. I saw the error of my ways and went back to Seiko. Their quartz watches were reliable, affordable, and not too gaudy.
Only much later did I realize how much Seiko had influenced my mind as to what a proper watch should look like.
Only Seiko 💪🏻
As much as I look at other brands' offerings when I am looking for a new watch, I end up looking at the Seiko alternative of that kind of watch: diver, dress, vintage, field, chronometer... and for any kind of watch, I always find a Seiko alternative I like better, within my price range.
As @hbein2022 said above, Seiko has influenced me so much they are like the standard I measure the rest against, the "idea" of a watch. @red.john's up here are perfect examples.
In the end, in my opinion, the most important thing in this hobby is buying what you like and enjoy, so if it is another Seiko, that's fine by me.
For me, Seiko's been a "come for the value, stay for the quality and charm" choice, which is why I've circled back to the brand several times in the 40-plus years since I became "aware"of watches as more than just a utilitarian device. The fact that you can go as high-end as you'd like (and your bank balance can endure) also says a lot about the brand, and I find it rather amusing how some folks slag Seiko for having "nothingburger" basic movements, but wax ecstatic over the microbrand du jour with the same movement dutifully ticking away beneath the dial.
As I always say: wear what suits your fancy - there's a ton of great watches out there, from so many sources...possibly the most in recent times.