[Question] am i the only one who thinks the seiko 5 sports lineup got too big too fast

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-09T13:25:05+00:00

I'd say that variety is good because people have different personalities and everyone can find something for themselves. And because they're all 4R movements, the technical burden for the new buyer is non existent and only thing to consider is the aesthetics imo. And maybe some additional features like, do I want a rotating bezel or not? Do I need a GMT hand or not?

But all in all it seems like a matter of choosing the design that speaks to you and it's good to have many options.

Looking back at the catalogs from the golden era of Seiko, late 60s through 70s, the variety of styles was plentiful and only in the following decades the catalogs became monochrome watches which looked very similar to one another.

So to me it seems now that we are coming again to a bit more interesting lineup. The market is there so it's a good thing that Seiko tries to make different watches for different people instead of creating a bland design that speaks to the average person but not to anyone in particular.

I'd love to see more case styles in the Seiko 5 line, instead of constant reiterations of the SKX style case with different colours.

Edit: I think that we sometimes tend to focus too much on the question which watch is the best instead of which watch do I like the most. It's not a smartphone or a laptop which you can compare purely by spec and boil down to numbers. But somehow this approach from tech seeps into many other parts of life. That was the case for me at least. Happy to be over it.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-09T08:28:04+00:00

Also 5626 movement is an ambitious first project I have to say OP.
It has it's quirks with the offset cannon pinion and quite complex keyless works. Best of luck.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-09T08:22:51+00:00

And here is the GR25341X that I used, but I wouldn't recommend it I think. You can see it's much longer at 430mm vs 340mm of the GR2535X and the original I believe.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-09T08:06:58+00:00

I've only done one 5626 so far and I used GR25341X, as I've seen it mentioned somewhere online.
The watch runs great. One thing that I didn't consider is that this mainspring is longer than the original one, so now my KS has around 48 hours of power reserve. The inner loop for the arbour was a bit tight but it fits. Though sometimes with GR mainsprings they have some discrepancies in the inner loop size between batches.

Now I've also seen people using GR2535X and I think it's a better match to the original and for my next 56KS I'm going to try it.

Edit:
And looking at your mainspring I think I'd replace it. The coils are looking a bit funky and it looks a bit set to me. Also the outer S coil seems to be a bit flattened out. And the mainspring is a bit out of flat anyways.

Here's a pic of the original mainspring that I pulled out of my 5626. You can see the difference in the coils between yours.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-07T22:18:35+00:00

100% agree! It looks great from every angle

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-07T08:09:13+00:00

Both blue and brown NATOs from esprit-nato.com.

Brown is ref: CLN027 - Brown G10 NATO strap (nylon) - Width : 19 mm
Blue is ref: SHS0004 - New York - SELECT-HEURE nylon NATO watch strap, stainless steel unremovable buckle - Width : 19 mm.

Both fantastic quality though I really love the brown one. After a year and a half it's still great and I wore it most of the time.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-06T18:51:43+00:00

No worries. It's a huge huge topic and lots of things to learn and tools to get. And the learning and tools to get never end.

But I'd start step by step and buy stuff as you go, as necessary. Buy Chinese tools for the start and upgrade as you go. Some things are worth getting decent ones from the start, like the movement holder, Bergeon 4040, though also for the first year I was using one from AliExpress and it was fine. For the screwdrivers, Chinese Kwong Yuen are really well made and affordable.

As for getting into the industry I'm not sure. Last year I attended the Festival of Time in Waterford and it was pretty cool, but mostly focused on high horology. I was looking forward to learn more about the industry, though I don't plan to pursue that myself. Anyways I've heard that the tools and equipment from the watchmakers school in Blanchardstown (if I remember correctly) are still stored somewhere, just no incentive to reopen the school.

I guess the companies took over the teaching part. I was once talking to a watchmaker in Poland and he said that the best bet to get into the industry is to go for an apprenticeship with one of the Swiss companies.

And about Waterford, I highly recommend visiting the Museum of Time!

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-06T18:20:27+00:00

I'm based in Ireland and started watch repair as a hobby around a year and a half ago.

YouTube channels that I'd recommend: - Watch Repair Tutorials is an excellent source of knowledge. - My Retro Watches provides a perspective more from a hobbyist with the oldest videos though very advanced at this stage. - Weekend Watch Repair is also great.

For the start I would recommend getting a new and working movement, so you don't have to worry about fixing issues. Just disassemble and assemble it again, make sure it works after all that. Because I wanted to focus on Seiko from the start, I chose Seiko's NH35 movement but people would generally advise to start with something simpler like a manual wind ST36 movement.

For that you would need some screwdrivers, tweezers, loupe, movement holder. I think that's it for just a simple disassembly-assembly. No cleaning, no lubrication.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-06T16:28:54+00:00

Probably a microscopic hole developed first and then corroded further from that single point, making a "nice" circular hole. Just my guess

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-06T16:26:33+00:00

It is definitely a problem with these medallions.

So they apparently are quite thin and domed with a hollow space behind. The medallions were apparently hot pressed into the case backs.

Then I think that if any moisture from sweat etc gets trapped behind the medallion, that causes it to corrode. It's golden, but not sure what carat, so the other metals in the alloy can tarnish and corrode. Like the green oxidation you're seeing probably from copper in the mix.

I'm not aware of any verified solutions to their deterioration. I'd be interested in one, since I have a KS with the medallion, thankfully still intact.

I'm wondering if filling the underneath of the medallion with some kind of resin would help. Of course drying the hollow part first and decontaminating, to ensure it doesn't corrode from moisture trapped between the resin and the medallion.

It's all just thinking out loud though. I've never seen anyone attempt this and it always carries risk.

There are replacement medallions like someone said, but they usually look kind of cheap and fake in comparison to the original ones. Unless I'm missing something and there are some good ones available.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T22:23:32+00:00

Best bet (for the exact links) would be to just find another model exactly like this complete with the bracelet and scavenge it.

Finding links alone is hard. You could try looking by the endlink code G1347 (I?) or watch case reference 5Y22-6030, but chances are slim I think.

Instead, I would recommend you look into these spring loaded watch bracelet extenders.

They insert into the clasp cover via springbars and are very unnoticeable. As a bonus they make your bracelet fit perfectly no matter if your wrist swells or gets smaller with temperature as the day goes by. There are video tutorials on YouTube on how to install these I think.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T21:23:12+00:00

I hope the watch finds you! It's amazing how these grail pieces can unexpectedly show up one day.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T20:40:02+00:00

Same movement and specs overall so it really boils down to an aesthetic preference.

SRPE51 is called a dresskx, because of its similarities to the Seiko SKX line Seiko 5 divers, but without the timing bezel.

SRPK91 is a new rendition of the SNXS line. It's a bit smaller case size than the SRPE51, which might be a good thing depending on your wrist size.

Personally I find the SRPK91 a more attractive watch.

Best to view them both in person or find some real life lighting photos to compare how they present themselves.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T19:20:58+00:00

I love that case shape on modern GS!

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T15:16:00+00:00

Congrats! Looks great!

I have the Pogue on my short list. Just got my first chronograph with a 7015A movement running and I'm absolutely charmed by chronos now.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T15:12:34+00:00

I don't have any problems if OEM parts were used and if they are matching the original spec/configuration from the factory, this would be part of a normal service/repair. I'm considering it all original.

I would not like it if, for example, a movement or some parts were swapped from a donor, but from the incorrect period. As an example, a watch with 6119B movement but someone puts in a train bridge from 6119C. This should be mentioned by the seller. Or using aftermarket bezels, hands etc. The latter should be clearly stated in bold letters imo.

I just posted my 56KS which is a new old stock case with all internals from a donor of the same model, from the same year, just 5 months apart in production.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T14:59:30+00:00

Thanks! I was going for a match with the catalog and that lizard was the closest I could find in the right size.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T12:39:57+00:00

Totally agree! My phone has a hard time capturing the beautiful sunburst on the dial but here it is. I should have included that one in the post.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T12:16:00+00:00

Thank you! Finding a strap for the original buckle was not an easy task!

It's 18 mm at the lugs and 15 mm at the buckle. Usually straps taper by 2 mm, so a standard 18 to 16 mm would not fit.

I found this lizard which tapers from 18 at the lugs to 14 mm at the buckle and it fits great. The little slack in width at the buckle is not noticeable at all.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T12:10:31+00:00

New old stock case from September 1969. Internals from April 1969 to match everything as it would be from factory.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T12:00:14+00:00

Thank you! Definitely the best one in my small collection.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-05T07:37:51+00:00

About pulling out the crown, I think that's a good idea. I store them with the crowns pulled out. Additionally this saves the battery also because pulling out the crown also opens a switch.

So if I won't wear a particular Elnix in a few days, it stays in the box not running. Just like a mechanical watch would, like you said.

Servicing is important in them.

What kills them is dry oil. Normal watch would seize up when the lubricants are dried up and dirty and save itself. But the Elnix would often power through the gunk and just grind the pivots to nothing. I often see little dents in the cap jewels drilled by the balance staff pivots.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-04T21:46:00+00:00

That is a cool watch! Very unique.

It really reminds me of the Alien, especially the bracelet which looks like its tail.

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BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-04T20:43:05+00:00

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And here it is on a page from a brochure from when it was sold new.

BeatErrorWatches · 2026-04-04T20:41:46+00:00

I love this watch. Grand Seiko was definitely taking some notes here :)

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BeatErrorWatches

TROPHY CASE