Jewellery & Watch News
For Japanese watch manufacturer Seiko, durability, precision, and aesthetics are a specialty. Their 5 Sports line in particular remains one of the brand’s most successful for these very traits, named as such for five key design features: an automatic movement, date and day display, water resistance, recessed crown at 4 o’clock and a durable case and bracelet. These very traits are relived once again in a new duo of stealthy all-black timepieces suitably named the Seiko 5 Sports Stealth watches.
The Seiko Sportmatic 5, the watch that inspires today’s Seiko 5 Sports collection, was launched back in 1963 as a versatile, sports instrument for those that valued dependable robustness. Since its rebirth in 2019, we’ve seen several new variations of the Seiko 5 Sports watch unearthed including the 5 Sports Flieger with its resolutely aviator-inspired design and the newly launched Seiko 5 Sports GMT SKX collection which takes several design cues from the original Seiko SKX divers watch and pairs it with an innovative GMT complication. The line-up also hosts the 5 Sports Field watch, a design offering its five key features with an outdoorsy aesthetic. Within this is the new pair of the Seiko 5 Sports Stealth watches, reference SRPJ09K1 and SRPJ11K1, both perfectly suited to covert operations with an all-black composition.
The jet-black cases of the new Seiko 5 Sports Stealth watches are engineered from stainless steel and treated to a layer of super-hard black coating for scratch resistance and a clandestine finish. Both cases measure the same with a diameter of 39.38mm and a height of 13.2mm and pair with a fixed unadorned bezel, Hardlex crystal glass and a large knurled crown at 3 o’clock. The crown is screw down as is the exhibition screwed case back for a guaranteed water resistant rating of 100 metres.
The differences between the two Seiko 5 Sports Stealth watches lie within their dials. Reference SRPJ09K1 elects a matte black display decorated with a printed minutes track with square applied indexes, a large set of Arabic numerals and a small 24 hour scale. The hour and minute hands are broad and sword-shaped while the seconds hand ensures precise timekeeping with a sharp needle tip. All the hardware is black coated for a covert look during the day, and then at night, the elements illuminate thanks to Lumibrite inserts.
The dial of the Seiko 5 Sports Stealth SRPJ11K1 watch is a little different, opting for a slightly more utilitarian display similar to those found on B-Uhr pilots watches. The printed minutes scale instead commissions rounded markers at each 5 minute point and a 60 minute track for the main numerals. At 12 o’clock, you’ll find a large triangle marker which points away from the 12 hour track on the interior circumference. It features the same blackened day and date window as reference SRPJ09K1, Lumibrite coating on the syringe-shaped hour and minute hands and a white-tipped straight seconds indicator.
Securing the Seiko 5 Sports Stealth SRPJ09K1 watch to the wrist is a three-row link stainless steel bracelet coated in the same black treatment as the case. The bracelet closes by a three-fold clasp with push button release. Meanwhile, the aviator-influenced Seiko 5 Sports Stealth SRPJ11K1 watch appoints a black textile strap and a classic black coated pin buckle. Both watches are powered by the brand’s in-house 4R36 automatic winding movement boasting a 41 hour power reserve, a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and 24 jewels.
If you’d like to learn more about the new Seiko 5 Sports Stealth watches and shop the collection for yourself, head over to the W Hamond website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at info@whamond.com.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 39.38mm
- Case Material: Black coated stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Curved Hardlex crystal
- Crown: Screw down
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Movement: 4R36 automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date
- Power Reserve: 41 hours
- Jewels: 24
- Frequency: 21,600vph
- Dial: Black with 12 hour scale 60 minute scale
- Strap: Textile or bracelet
- RRP: Starts from £260
