New Seiko 5 GMT Field: Seiko’s Explorer II / BB Pro?
Just days after my post lamenting the pricing and availability of the Longines x Hodinkee limited edition Zulu Time (Longines’ take on a BB Pro alternative, which itself has the DNA of the Rolex Explorer II… but I digress…) Good old Seiko seems to have read my mind and has come through with exactly the affordable tooltastic GMT field watch we didn’t know we needed.
A great looking (though not exactly groundbreaking) design, inexpensive, and presumably reliable, daily GMT, from a beloved brand. It’s a home run in my book.
While I’m definitely excited for this release, I know this game well, and will be holding off until after the requisite cycle of pre-order > limited availability > price gougers / flippers > eventual return to retail price and hopefully pick up one of the non-dlc versions at a 15% - 20% discount after about a year. Then throw it on the undoubtedly forthcoming Uncle Seiko Oyster-style bracelet. 💸
How about the wider Cruncherverse? What do you guys think?
Just a man with a few too many watches…
The bracelet is surprisingly good except for the stamped clasp. I tried the standard anniversary non GMT model that came on the same bracelet and its a very nice bracelet. Solid endlink, solid links and just the clasp is stamped but you can swap it out for a aftermarket milled clasp if you wish. The model is a nice take on the field variants in the Seiko 5 lineup. Pricing is also same as the 5KX GMT lineup.
Its nice, a gmt/sports/field is a very versatile watch. You have great patience waiting a year !
I prefer this to the skx style gmt but not as much as the alpinist gmt, but that's to be expected given the price difference. I honestly think Seiko's best watches are the seiko 5s.
Its nice, a gmt/sports/field is a very versatile watch. You have great patience waiting a year !
Waiting is the plan, anyway haha. We’ll see how that pans out if one comes up at a reasonable price sooner 😆
The bracelet is surprisingly good except for the stamped clasp. I tried the standard anniversary non GMT model that came on the same bracelet and its a very nice bracelet. Solid endlink, solid links and just the clasp is stamped but you can swap it out for a aftermarket milled clasp if you wish. The model is a nice take on the field variants in the Seiko 5 lineup. Pricing is also same as the 5KX GMT lineup.
Good to know! The bracelet does look good, it’s just those Seiko clasps 😬. I do hope Uncle Seiko comes out with an oyster style though. That would be 👌