If there is one watch company I can
always recommend, it's Seiko. Your friend who knows nothing about
watches needs something to wear every day? Seiko. New enthusiast wants a
quality automatic for bargain price? Seiko. Aspiring watch snob wants
in-house manufacture movement and everything else, but can't afford a
Rolex? Seiko. They just deliver excellent quality and value at every
price point. It's great, but after a while, you take it for granted.
Soon you start thinking, "Oh dude, they're nice, but when are they going
to follow something special? Well, my jaded Seiko afficianado, how
about a limited edition model, like today's subject, the Homage to Mt.
Fuji.
In 2013, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named Mt. Fuji a World
Heritage Site. In honor of this event, Seiko released three limited
edition Seiko 5 sports watch's, each with similar blue and pearl design
cues, and proudly bearing the words “Mt. Fuji as a World Heritage”
around their display case backs. Thanks to a fellow watch nerd, I got
may hands on a brand new SRP783 for some quality wrist time.
This is a sizable sport watch,
measuring 44mm across, nearly 13mm thick, and just under 50mm long - not
so large as to overwhelm my 6.5" wrist, but more than enough to occupy
every bit of it. The matte stainless steel case is
round with broad, angular lugs that extend beyond its perimeter for a
stepped appearence. Its large crown is of the push-pull variety, as you
might expect given the watch's 100m water resistance rating. Typical of
the Seiko 5 series, it is unsigned.
A dark blue compass bezel sets off the dual layered dial, which features a blue rehaut bearing the minute index, and a ring of blocky, cut-away markers over a guillioche
pearl white surface below. Day and date appear in a 3 o'clock window.
The hands are broad swords, nearly identical to those of the SBDC "Sumo"
models, and the red-tipped second hand carries a matching "5" on its
tail. Dial text is consistent with other Seiko 5s: an applied brand and
logo followed by the word "Sports" up top is balanced by "Limited
Edition", "Automatic", and "100M" below. Personally, I could have lived
without having "Limited Edition" emblazoned on the dial (generally, the
more loudly that stays is proclaimed, the less believable it becomes),
but I can appreciate its symmetry with text at the top. This quibble
aside, it is a gorgeous dial. It's sheer size, pleasing color, and
shimmering effect caught the eye of many an admirer in the wild,
including many who knew nothing of watches but found the Mt. Fuji pretty enough to complement.
A
see through case back ringed with "Mt. Fuji as a World Heritage Limited
Edition" reveals the 4R36 movement within. Used in many modern Seikos,
this 24 jewel automatic hacks, hand winds, and hums at 21.6k bph. Power
reserve is over 41 hours from fully wound. it is a solid performer. is
neatly finished, if not particularly decorated. Up front, a flat Hardex (Seiko's proprietary mineral) crystal protects the face.
The watch comes standard with a 22mm
blue rubber strap that complements the blue on its face. Like other
Seiko rubber, I found it perfectly serviceable, but unpleasantly stiff. I
would have preferred a bracelet, but a simple strap would be easy
enough, particularly given the Mt. Fuji's drilled lugs.
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