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This Ultra-Affordable Seiko Watch Is Officially the King of TV Cameos

After appearing on ‘The Pitt,’ one of Seiko’s cheapest watches again stole the show on HBO’s hit series ‘The Last of Us.’

Seiko field watchSeiko

By Jack Seemer

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So much for just 15 minutes of fame.

After appearing on the wrist of Noah Wyle in HBO’s hit series The Pitt, one of Seiko’s beloved affordable watches is back on TV — and the stakes are even higher this time around.

As first reported by the Instagram account @telewatches, the Seiko 5 Sports field watch recently made a surprise cameo in The Last of Us.

However, the watch, worn by Young Mazino’s character Jesse, appeared to be the blue-dialed SRPG39 reference, not the discontinued SRPG35 used by Wyle in The Pitt.

Still, its presence underscores everything Seiko fans love about the ultra-affordable field watch, which retails for less than $300 and can be had for even less if you shop around.

a seiko 5 sports field watch laying on a desk
Unlike Noah Wyle’s SRPG35 in The Pitt (pictured), the Seiko SRPG39 is still in production today.
Seiko

For starters, it features brand’s in-house 4R36 automatic movement, a workhorse caliber found in a bunch of mid-tier Seiko models, including the ever-iconic Prospex “Turtle” SRPE93.

Beyond simple street cred among Seiko die-hards, that means the hand-wound watch boasts a hacking seconds hand and power reserve of 41 hours.

Seiko field watchSeiko

What’s more, the SRPG39 carries the same legible dial design as the Seiko SKX collection from the 1990s, complete with large Arabic numerals and a thick coat of lume for low-light visibility.

Seiko field watchSeiko

Where this specific reference charts it own course is the strap. Here, Seiko gave the watch a cow-leather band, which the prop department on The Last of Us appears to have preserved for Jesse’s costume.

For our money, a NATO seems like the more appropriate choice for surviving a zombie apocalypse. But that’s easy enough to swap out — and Seiko even sells the Seiko 5 Sports field watch on one by way of the SRPG31 and SRPG33.

Either way, thanks to yet another high-profile TV appearance, the affordable watch continues to gain credibility and fame by way of HBO’s biggest shows.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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