Quick Take
Launched alongside three other blue-and-white-themed models for Seiko's 140th anniversary, this is the SRPG47, the entry-point to the special collection and a rather good home for the 140th color scheme. Based on the same Seiko 5 Sports range I dug into for this Week On The Wrist, the SRPG47 is a diver-effect sports watch produced in a limited edition of 11,000 units.
Yes, 11,000 units. That number is so big that I'm not sure I've ever seen a larger shared production number for a limited edition. In the past, I've teased Omega for making 7,007 of some Bond-themed watch, but Seiko is going with the nice, round number of 11,000. That said...I kinda get it.
If the goal is to make a few distinctive models that both connect with the brand's 140th birthday and are available in store, 11,000 feels like less of a play at exclusivity (duh) and more a suggestion that they'll make them, and then someday, they can stop making them. All that being said, even for Seiko, 11,000 is not all that limited.
With a production limit that suggests you'll likely be able to get one, the question becomes – do you want one? I spent time with around a dozen Seiko 5 Sports SRPD models, and I feel they are best when they stick to the basics. I also think the bare steel case, blue bezel with a circular finish and engraved markings, and textured white dial look really good. As a somewhat more modernized SKX007, these new Seiko 5s have traded some legit diving credibility (this is why I said "diver-effect" above; 100 meters water resistance and no screw-down crown or lume pip on the bezel) in a play to become a more well-rounded everyday sporty Seiko.
To that end, the myriad options one has in versions of the new Seiko 5s ensures a somewhat specific entry point to the Seiko brand and, if you're looking for a handsome and capable Seiko that is *technically* a limited edition, the blue and white nicely suits the SRPD/SRPG shape. And the RM 1,330 price tag remains a strong value regardless of how many they'll make.
The Basics
Brand: Seiko
Model: Seiko 5 Sports 140th Anniversary Limited Edition
Reference Number: SRPG47
Diameter: 42.5mm
Thickness: 13.4mm
Case Material: Steel
Dial Color: White
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes, hands and markers
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet
The Movement
Caliber: 4R36
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve: 41 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21, 600 vph
Jewels: 24
Pricing
Price: RM 1,330
Limited Edition: 11,000 pieces.