Seiko 5 Vintage Advice

If you like how they look then I think they are worth it. I own three 70's Seiko and I love them. I love their looks and I love wearing something that is 50 years old, older than me, and keeps working perfectly.

There are many vintage Seiko around, especially if you look in Japan so I think it's worth to look around for a while until you find one in good enough condition. Also look for original models without any modification, Seikos for this are quite good because they are many websites providing information on them so you can learn what to look for when shopping.

And consider they will probably need a full service, unless already provided by the seller, so you can wear them with confidence. But they have solid movements too.

If the vintage watch speaks to you it's worth it. Depending on what vintage watch you want you must be prepared. You may need to have it serviced. Servicing can get costly.

Why wouldn’t it be worth it? For 80 bucks you’re getting a great looking watch with actual history, not just a modern copy. Sure, it may require maintenance once in a while, but that’s a tiny price to pay for being custodian of a lovely machine for a few years or more.

Plus, it looks cool as hell.

Don't expect a 60 year old movement to be as solid as a modern nh35, although donor movements can usually be found relatively easily. Maybe don't use it as your main daily watch.

For the work week I rotate my daily wear between two vintage Ricoh watches, both from 1969-1970. I serviced them so I know they are solid and can be used without inflicting any unnecessary wear or damage. I love the way they look. That Seiko was built to be used and enjoyed. Buy it, wear it a bit assuming it runs to ensure you like it, then service it and wear it with joy!

Great looking watch, but keep in mind the upkeep/servicing that an older watch will need compared to a new model. At least with Seiko, replacement parts can usually be found pretty easily, obviously there are exceptions. Good luck.

I really like the design of these vintage seiko, how are yours, still running fine ?

Yes, it looks cool, I prefer vintage Seiko designs for dress watches over modern ones, they look more timeless and classy. Most modern Seikos tend to have large diameters.

How about the accuracy of your watch? Can you still rely on it ?

And for daily use, how long does it take for you to service a vintage watch?

Yes, they work well. My first one was a Panda,I've had it for 14 years without even servicing it and it still work perfectly, I am going to take it to be serviced soon. The other automatic one is currently being serviced, I bought it a few months ago and although it was working well and very accurately I have sent it to be sure is clean and lubricated. The third one is a quartz from 1978 I've have it for a few months and it also works well after all those years.

It's true I try to be more careful with them, they aren't beaters and water resistant is normally nonexistent due to worn gaskets which can be hard to replace,but as part of a bigger collection/rotation they are great.

I did the service myself as a hobby. Each watch took me about 2 months tinkering in my spare time. If you find a professional they can likely turn it in a couple or a few days. Yes they are as accurate as any typical modern mechanical watch. .1 ms beat error and +/- 10 or 15 seconds a day.