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Seiko SNK809 Review – Seiko 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch

The Seiko SNK809 is a rugged and affordable sports watch with a military flare. It is excellent for active lifestyles, and it is as easy to read in the darkness as it is in the daytime.

Seiko SNK809 angled

In 1969, Seiko was the first company to introduce the quartz watch; and at that time it was the same price as that of a car.

Now Seiko is the producer of some of the world’s most advanced watches; some are expensive, but not all. One watch that provides great value for the price is the Seiko SNK809.

It is a combination of advanced technology and aesthetics.

This Seiko SNK809 review will expand upon the features of this excellent watch.

SEIKO Men's SNK809 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch with...
  • To the start the watch initially, swing from side to side in a horizontal arc about 30 seconds.
  • 37 mm stainless steel case and Hardlex mineral dial window and Precise 21-jewel automatic movement with analog display

Dial and crystal

The SNK809 crystal is scratch resistant hardlex crystal, which is a proprietary mineral crystal made from thermally and chemically treated glass. As a result, you will not have to worry about wearing the watch all the time, and watch will continue to look sharp for a really long time.

Seiko SNK809 front view on Bold Pink Background Source: Johannis Hermann JEAN on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/147337775@N06/32685098025/
Seiko SNK809

The dial has a black background and silver color hands. The black dial makes it easy to read the time during the day, and the luminous hands make it easy to see the time at night.

Seiko SNK809 Hour, Minute, and Second Hands and Indicators

The Seiko SNK809 has a specially designed face with two rings of Arabic numerals. The design is quite clever! The inner ring matches the radius of the hour hand, and the markers are for the hours. During the daytime, or in bright lights, your eye is drawn to the inner ring by the hour hand, and the time is easy to read. The Arabic numerals are bright white, which stands out against the black face.

Seiko SNK809 Close Up. Note the hour, Minute and Second Hands on Dial and two rows of indicator numbers. Source: James Case on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/capcase/49789482746/
Seiko SNK809 Close Up. Note the Hour, Minute, and Second Hands, and the two Rings of Indicator Numbers

The outer dial indicates the seconds, with numerals marked every 5 seconds from five to fifty-five, with a triangular marker at zero. The second hand has a red tip which makes it simple to track.

Seiko SNK809 in the dark Luminous Hands Glowing in the Dark. Source: Johannis Hermann JEAN on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/147337775@N06/31873034653/
Seiko SNK809 glows in the dark

At night, the rings seem to switch places. In the dark, the luminous indicators at the outer edge of the watch face become visible, and the the glow in the dark hands make the time easy to read. At the same time, the second hand has a luminous circle on one end, and at night, you can watch it track on the inner ring.

There is a feature for the day and date display at the 3 o’clock location.

Watch movement

The SNK809 is an automatic watch. It winds itself by an oscillating weight that turns on a pivot. It is wound by the natural movement of the wearer’s body. Usually, such a watch comes with a high price tag. Therefore, it is surprising to find an automatic Seiko watch at a moderate price point.

The watch has a 40 hour power reserve so you will not have to worry about it when you are not wearing it at night. If you wear it every day, it will become a watch that you can wear for a really long time and it will maintain its power and accuracy.

Seiko SNK809 back showing 7s26 movement. Source Johannis Hermann JEAN on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/147337775@N06/32685096295/
Seiko SNK809 Back showing 7s26 Movement

The time is kept by the Seiko caliber 7s26 movement. It is non-hacking and non-winding mechanism, that was first used in watches in 1996. It is considered on the economical and lower end of Seiko movements, and its accuracy ranges from -20 to +49 seconds per day. It has 21 jewels and is self winding. The 21,600 beats per hour translates to 6 ticks per second. In addition, it holds over 40 hours of power reserve, which is the amount of energy stored in the watch main spring.

Case and crown

The case size is 37mm in diameter and the case thickness is 11mm. The bezel is wide and has a sloping bevel, which adds elegance to the design, and is just incredible.

The watch crown is the standard size but is located at 4 o’clock. This is a unique feature of the Seiko 5 series, and makes the watch special because most watches have the crown at 3 o’clock.

Watch Construction

The watch case is Stainless Steel. The bezel is also stainless. The crystal is hardlex crystal, and the watch band is braided black canvas nylon. It is a durable watch that will survive all your adventures. This is an excellent sports and military watch.

Strap and buckle

The black canvas strap (also called band or bracelet) is made of braided nylon. This sporty strap will allow you to easily wear the watch all day without causing discomfort. The width of the band is 17mm which is the optimal width for men having a small or a large wrist.

The buckle is stainless and silver in color with the logo of Seiko as it will look really nice with the watch’s color scheme when you will wear it.

Seiko SNK809 showing canvas band. Source: James Case on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/capcase/49788942308/
Seiko SNK809 with Canvas Braided Nylon Band

Bezel

The bezel of Seiko SNK809 is made of stainless steel. It is a really nice material for the bezel as it will prolong the life of the watch. A simple bezel is a perfect combination as the other parts of the watch are simple. This will allow you to wear the watch at casual as well as formal occasions.

Water resistance

The watch is water resistant to 30 meters depth of water. This means that it works well for the incidental water exposure. Being in the rain and washing your hands are alright. It technically could be used in the shower and swimming pool, but that is not recommended for this water resistance specification. It is not good for deep water or diving.

Seiko SNK809 on wrist

Seiko 5 Family

Seiko 5 SNK809 is part of the Seiko 5 family of sports watches. One of its tenets is “Be Disruptive.” The first Seiko 5 was introduced in 1963 and the “5” stands for the five key attributes of this family:

  • Water Resistance
  • Case and band (bracelet) is built for durability
  • Automatic movement
  • Day and date display at the 3 o’clock position
  • Recessed crown at the 4 o’clock position

Other notable features

Seiko SNK809 has the latest skeleton case back which is one of its unique features. Through the clear back, you can view the watch mechanism in operation. This watch will amaze you.

The hands are filled with luminous material. The hour and minute hands are filled at center while the seconds hand is a lollipop design with a glow in the dark dot at one end. This will enable you to see the time even when you are in any dark place, and especially at night.

Seiko SNK809 on Display. Note Luminous Hands. On a glass table against hardwood floor. Source: Matthew Kendall on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdkendall/8305821190/
Seiko SNK809 Luminous Hands

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All in all

We conclude that the Seiko SNK809 watch is perfect for your outdoor adventures. With its understated black strap, and elegant face, it would even to look good as a formal watch. It will fit in perfectly for all casual occasions. No other watch in the market has the stainless bezel, skeleton back, luminous hands, water resistance, and hardlex crystal at this price. The SNK809 features make it a perfect watch for men to wear and it can make the amazing gift for someone you love. It is good for military, for sportsmen, for outdoor adventures, and for everyday wear.

SEIKO Men's SNK809 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch with...
  • To the start the watch initially, swing from side to side in a horizontal arc about 30 seconds.
  • 37 mm stainless steel case and Hardlex mineral dial window and Precise 21-jewel automatic movement with analog display
Men's SNK803 SEIKO 5 Automatic Watch with Beige Canvas Strap
  • Round watch featuring beige dial with day/date windows, sword-shape hands, and exhibition case back
  • 37 mm stainless steel case and Hardlex mineral crystal dial window
  • Precise 21-jewel automatic movement with analog display
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  • Military-inspired timepiece featuring green dial, luminous accents, and day/date functions.Case dimensions: 37mm,Strap length: 7...
  • Automatic movement with analog display; Hardlex crystal
  • Features green nylon strap with buckle closure. When setting the minute hand of a quartz watch, advance it to a few minutes ahead...
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  • Round watch featuring blue dial with day/date windows at 3 o'clock, luminous sword-shape hands, and textured off-center crown
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