We thought about putting the breaks on our nearly incessant Seiko 5 coverage, but then we thought better of it, because that would be doing you, dear reader, a disservice. The Seiko 5 is a venerable paragon of horological affordability, a mechanical object bereft of extraneous features that commands respect by virtue of its simplicity and utility. None may speak ill of it!
This one’s also on sale for $70. Who can argue with a $70 mechanical watch? You get a perfectly sized 38mm case, 30m of water resistance, a scratch-resistant Hardlex crystal and a beautiful blue dial with lumed hands and a combination of slim indices and Arabic hour markers. An automatic Seiko 7S26 movement gives you 40 hours of power reserve and a day-date complication, and you also get a matching steel bracelet.
We’re gonna keep harping on this because it’s true: the Seiko 5 line provides one of the best values in affordable mechanical watches, full stop.
Gear Patrol also recommends:
Timex Expedition Scout 40 ($37+)
Citizen Eco-Drive Field Watch ($89)
Bertucci A2-T ($160)
A note on Drop:
Drop is not like other online retailers. It’s a members-only site that requires signing up (all it takes is an email address). If you’re not a member, you can sign up here. When you place an order from Drop at a discounted price, you’re not buying from them directly. The site works by taking orders from consumers, then bulk ordering product at a discount directly from brands and other wholesalers. For more information on how Drop works, click here.
