Yes, we all love Seiko‘s affordable watches because they’re reliable, practical and punch way above their price point in functionality. But it would be disingenuous to not acknowledge that a massive part of the appeal is how stylish they are. Even the sports watches.
That’s why Popeye, one of Japan’s most famous fashion magazines, feels like a natural choice of collaboration for Seiko. It gives the brand the chance to put a slightly fashion-forward spin on a design in its sportier line-up. The brand-new Seiko 5 Sports x Popeye HDB013 commemorates the magazine’s 50th anniversary, and serves as a slight reworking of the Seiko 5 Sports SKX Redux from last year’s collection, for fans of the line.
Seiko.
Seiko.
It retains the bright orange dial, gold-toned hands and black silicone band as the older one, but it’s on the bezel where things switch up a bit. Rather than the softer gold-orange on the Redux, this features silver toning on the numbers, giving the watch an eye-catching contrast. The other small but obvious swap is the inclusion of the ‘Popeye’ logo on the dial, where the older model has ‘automatic’.
On the inside, the watch uses the same reliable automatic 4R36 movement from Seiko that powers the others, but the other twist is that it comes in a more compact case at 38mm, compared to the bulkier 42.5mm design of the older model. According to Seiko, the size helps the watch fit more seamlessly into the Japanese ‘city boy’ style that Popeye magazine embodies.
Unfortunately, as of writing, this watch will be limited to a Japan release only, at a price of ¥55,000 (£253), and only 500 will be made, so it’s not going to be an easy one to get your hands on. But if you’re looking for a sporty, bold watch that’ll round off any streetwear outfit, this watch is worth hunting down.