Dont hate but....

I have 2 watches with a seiko movement, a snk807 and a Invicta pro diver, both are good enough in time keeping. I haven't really measured them with anything. If I really want some super accurate thing I'll toss on a quartz, but for just normal days the autos are fine.

I've got a Garmin Fenix 6 solar and a Seiko 5. The Garmin doesn't get too much use now, has an occasional outing, the solar isn't all that on mine as I still have to charge it regularly. If accuracy is your thing get the Seiko 5 quickly followed up by a G-Shock with solar & multiband 6 so you can set the Seiko accurately 😛, my Seiko gains ~5 secs / day which is great for a mechanical from any manufacturer.

I have an SRPD and worn it for the past week - it's averaged +1.9 seconds a day:

Seiko are very pessimistic with their stated accuracy.

I also have a Garmin which I wear for exercise and turn off straight after.

A seiko 5 is is a good starter mechanical. Accuracy isn't too bad but probably won't compete with a quartz movement.

This price point starts to get you into the microbrand space as well. Might be worth checking out some smaller brands if you're willing to delay your purchase.

Looking back at your first post your previous amount your were looking at was ~$800 (?)

Everyone's financial circumstances differ but I would save up back to or close to it.

So whilst the Seiko 5 is not a bad first watch choice, saving up means it'll give you more options to choose a watch you really want.

Think about it this way: Which daily event would be negatively impacted if you were 5 seconds early or late?

Don't be concerned about Seiko accuracy. And you can always set the time here if needed.

Seiko is a great entry level brand and based on the things I heard about them I would say that their accuracy is good enough for simple daily use. Maybe also have a look into Orient for some great divers under 300 Euro. But choose which watch fits you the most, a checklist is perfect for that. Just write down every up and downside you can imagine about every watch and your decision should be at least a little bit easier. Although I would choose a Seiko over a Garmin watch. Have a nice day mate!

If you like the srpd go for that. I'd also check out some of the islander watches as you get a little more bang for your buck.

I picked this one up recently.

Get a Seiko 5 SRPD or SRPE (dresskx) which is more versatile. The watches with use perform good and the accuracy wont be off by too much. It it bothers you, you can get it regulated to a tight tolerance easily.

All great suggestions. Go with the watch you think looks best with no regard to accuracy. The Seiko 5 is a great first mechanical watch and probably has been for many a watch collector. If that Islander that someone suggested is to your liking go for that.

When you jump to mechanical watch’s, accuracy or lack thereof is something you’ll have to accept. As stated earlier in the comments Seiko’s stated accuracy is hugely underestimated. All my Seiko’s gain about 3-5 seconds a day.

I really appreciate the craftsmanship and the micro-engineering of my mechanical watches that are COSC certified or better (METAS or Superlative, Spring Drive). But here’s the kicker, I find that in my daily life I almost never need that kind accuracy. Who does? I glance at my mechanical watch and I’m in the ballpark.

I had smartwatches years ago. They were good when my son was younger so I could always know if he was contacting me. Your use case suggests to me you'd be much better off with a real watch to go along with the Seiko. Maybe like this Invicta. I love this watch and it's spend friendly. ($60 with NH35!). Just my 2 cents. Cheers and enjoy whatever you decide on!

One may become a slave to a smart watch: ‘feed me…stand up…sit down…check your resting heart rate…review your notifications…let us steal your data for our gain etc.’

Personally, I'd go for a g shock. Highly accurate, great for daily wear.. And you can still use the timer functions for work outs. Best of both worlds.

I would go with the Seiko all day. I had one for a short while and it was a great watch. Plus you have a ton of color options

Look at swc. Great titanium watches and look great!

A lot of people overlook a brand made by Seiko. They overlook Pulsar. They have a bunch of nice looking watches. They have solar and all of the other goodies. They just say Pulsar instead of Seiko when it's the same watch for half the price.

Suss out Chrono24 for a lightly used Prospex in a color you like. Get a versatile 200m diver with an automatic movement. Keep long term and enjoy looking back on it in 20 or 30 years.

I’ve got a first gen Seiko Orange monster that fits that role for me 🙂 - now it’s a classic!

Get the Seiko, forget the Garmin.

When you can get inside the mindset that a watch is really more of an item of jewellery that no one needs to wear at this point in history, I think issues like 'accuracy' become reasonably unimportant.

Unless you're on some top secret military operation where timing needs to be laser-sharp, it really doesn't matter if you're running 15 seconds fast or slow from me. Heck, even the way most people set their watches mean they're not on the right time from the start. So I say, buy whatever you want to have on you wrist. If it's an automatic for the first time, great. If it's a quartz, super. It's up to you. The average Joe won't even notice you have a watch on, let alone what it is, so pursue what you want and be happy.