To buy, or not to buy? That, is the question.

Oh boy, why did I get into this hobby? As if my life doesn't throw enough difficult decisions at me already.

Well, here it goes:

On the left, we have my handsome, tough ticker - the Citizen Reguno.

On the right is the contender: the more glamorous and beefier (or is he?) Seiko SARX027.

FIGHT 🥊🤜🏻🤛🏻🤼‍♂️

ROUND 1: Dimensions While the Reguno is far more modestly sized at 36 (EW) x 10 (height) x 20 (lugs), the Sarx clocks in a beefy 40 x 13 x 20. Clearly the Reguno is appropriately sized for my embarrassingly spaghetti-thin wrists as well as the general idea of a dress watch being thin and smaller from the 1950s through the 70s. The Sarx while not to non-dressy in it's dimensions, is still thicker and bigger - were it only sized 38 or 37 x 11mm, I'd have seen it win this round.

Reguno 1

Sarx 0

ROUND 2: Materials

Well they've both come with solid 316L SS cases and decent leather straps. But that's probably where the similarities end. The Sarx has a super scratch-resistant sapphire crystal coated with anti-reflective treatment on the underside. And though I haven't held the piece in my hand, I think it's crystal has a slight curvature on the underside as well. On the other hand, the Reguno packs a (yet again) modest mineral crystal that's flat and displays no sign of any anti-reflective coatings on it. I guess we have a clear winner here!

Reguno 1

Sarx 1

ROUND 3: Technology

Highly subjective isn't it? A solid solar powered movement that came as a precursor to Citizen's poster child, the Eco-drive calibre Vs. the tried and tested venerable premium 6R15 from Seiko. I guess the charm of an automatic watch blends in well with the dress watch aesthetic that both these timepieces are trying to embody. But that 7 month power reserve and grab-n-go convenience thanks to the Reguno's E101 movement carries it's own appeal. This could be a tie for both contestants here.

Reguno 1

Sarx 1

ROUND 4: Appearance and feel

Oh this one's easy for me. While the Reguno has a white sunburst dial with beautiful Times New Roman numerals and sharp hands, the Sarx simply stands leagues above with that gorgeous enamel dial and crisp printing of those Arabic numerals. Though I'm not much for display case backs, the Sarx delivers there just as well. On the wrist, the Sarx with its mechanical movement would certainly weigh and express it's presence much better than does my Reguno. Even the crown and finishing on the Sarx are done to a truly premium standard while the Reguno, though elegant and simple is still nowhere near the Presage model.

Reguno 1

Sarx 2

ROUND 5: Price and availability

Ho ho ho.... If the previous round was an easy win for the Sarx, then this round will be... Anyway, as of this date and time, the Sarx can be bought from almost 10 sellers on Ebay for about $750 from Japanese sellers. The Reguno on the other hand about 7% of this price at the Sakura Watches website. Not to mention, it's not available in any other website online, barring any physical outlets in Japan itself. While both pieces are rare generally, I'd say the Sarx is more easily available while Reguno I'd like to think of as being more exclusive. We all knew how this round would end.

Reguno 2

Sarx 2

I could probably pit these two against each other for more rounds on resale value, brand recognition, serviceability and maintenance costs. But I guess we'd have these two still standing as equals in the end (or almost).

There really isn't a clear winner. And that is why I whine that life is full of hard decisions. To buy (the Sarx), or not to buy? That, is the question.