What We Know
Last fall, Seiko introduced an online contest that gave watch collectors the opportunity to design an original watch, based on the entry-level Seiko 5 Sports platform, with five adjustable components (bezel, case, dial, hands and strap/bracelet). Then fans got to vote on whichever submitted design was their favorite, a true community effort.
The Seiko 5 Sports SRPH19 Limited Edition
The campaign officially wrapped in January of this year, after 16 million votes had been submitted from more than 48,000 original watch designs. The winning watch, announced earlier this week, walked away with over 50 percent of the vote total. The dial is a sunburst yellow/gold color, while the red-and-blue “Pepsi” bezel should be familiar to anyone who’s ever strapped on one of Seiko’s cult-favorite dive watches. My own collection contains an SKX009, so I’m clearly not immune to the charms of a good ol’ Seiko diver. Limited to 2,021 pieces, for $295, the Seiko 5 Sports SRPH19 Limited Edition will be available starting this August.
Who said watch companies don’t listen to their customers?What We Think
The new-gen Seiko 5 Sports series continues to expand at a wild pace, and I say the more options the better. At under $300 a pop, this kind of variety in style and aesthetics continues to offer more entry points to the watch world. I can easily imagine gifting one of these watches to a friend who wants to try out mechanical watches for the first time. Not only is it a more-than-solid watch benefitting from the Seiko name, but it also features compelling nods to vintage Seiko references that a new collector could discover and fall further down the collecting rabbit hole.
The Pepsi bezel isn’t the only old-school reference worth flagging here. The bezel plus gold dial is a clear callback to the classic Seiko “Pogue” chronograph, a beloved automatic chronograph with an unconventional gold dial and fixed red-and-blue bezel that is famous for going to space on the wrist of Colonel William Pogue in 1973. I know many people who have waited years for an authentic Seiko reissue of the Pogue chronograph, but it doesn’t appear to be on the horizon anytime soon. For just $300, the SRPH19 doesn’t seem like a bad consolation prize at all.ADVERTISEMENT
The Basics
Brand: Seiko
Model: 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker 2021 Limited Edition
Reference Number: SRPH19
Diameter: 42.5mm
Thickness: 13.4mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Yellow
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes, LumiBrite
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with secure lock & push button release
