Southeast Asia may be better known for tropical heat than snow-covered slopes, but that has not stopped Seiko from launching a pair of winter sports-themed Seiko 5 Sports Winter Sports limited editions through the Thong Sia Group, the brand’s exclusive retail partner in Singapore, Hong Kong, and other key Asian markets. Executed in unconventional purple and brown colourways, the two models build on the familiar “5KX” platform, pairing the line’s accessible pricing and diver-inspired design with hues said to be inspired by winter sports equipment.

Produced in limited quantities and exclusive to select Asian markets, the watches reflect Seiko’s ongoing willingness to use the Seiko 5 Sports collection as a platform for bolder aesthetics that might feel risky at higher price points, but feel entirely at home here.

Initial thoughts

While some brands have caught flack for releasing endless limited editions, that is arguably a strength of the Seiko 5 Sports line, which is an ideal canvas for iteration by virtue of its already ubiquitous diver style and impulse buy-friendly pricing. While collectors often gravitate towards safer colours such as black, blue or white when spending thousands of dollars, purple and brown (and even pink) are much less intimidating when priced under US$400.

According to Seiko, the purple and brown colour choices were inspired by winter sports equipment; I can imagine the purple pairs perfectly with Patagonia.

Snowbound

Both colourways are based on the 42.5 mm “5KX” platform, with its now-familiar specifications. The crystal is slightly domed Hardlex – Seiko’s proprietary tempered glass – framed by a bidirectional bezel that’s colour-matched to the dial. The dials sport a grid motif, which could be a callback to the “graph paper” dials found on other Seiko 5s in recent memory. The purple flavour, though, ears a passing resemblance to this year’s Grand Seiko SBGE313 Ginza limited edition, for a much more accessible price.

While not considered a true dive watch by Seiko, both are water resistant to 100 m – more than enough for skiing or snowboarding – with a screw-down display case back and a well-guarded push-pull crown. And while much of the watch industry has moved away from drilled lugs – which the SKX007 lacked – Seiko has recently become one of this feature’s greatest advocates. The drilled lugs make strap changes easier, which Seiko 5 Sports collectors are sure to appreciate, and give the watch a more utilitarian aesthetic.

The sporty Oyster-style bracelet helps capture the unmistakable dive watch aesthetic that makes the 5KX platform so appealing, while female end links ensure a supple drape over the wrist. Given its intended environment, a twin-trigger release and fold-over safety clasp help ensure the watch stays on your wrist should you crash into a snowbank.

One of the reasons Seiko is so respected by collectors is that it’s one of the few brands that truly does everything in-house, especially in this price bracket. Naturally, the 5 Sports is powered by Seiko’s workhorse automatic cal. 4R36. This tried-and-true movement offers a quick-set day and date function, is capable of being manually wound, and features a stop-seconds function when the crown is pulled.

While far from upscale, the cal. 4R36 offers everything collectors want at this price point: it’s reliable, durable, and offers a pleasant tactile experience when manipulating the crown. It also winds in both directions, avoiding the rotor ruckus of some of its competitors. The movement also features Seiko’s MEMS technology, developed for the production of semiconductors, which has quietly trickled all the way down from Grand Seiko to the humble 4R (and NH) series, which now use skeletonised pallet forks per Seiko’s technical guide.

Key facts and price

Seiko 5 Sports Winter Sports
Ref. SRPM11 (purple)
Ref. SRPM13 (brown)

Diameter: 42.5 mm
Height: 12.1 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Hardlex (tempered glass)
Water resistance: 100 m 

Movement: Cal. 4R36
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date.
Frequency: 21,600 BPH (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 41 hours

Strap: Stainless steel bracelet

Limited edition: 1,000 pieces each
Availability: Seiko boutiques and select retail stores in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Brunei
Price: SGD473.10 (~US$367) excluding taxes

For more information, visit seikowatches.com/sg-en.

This was brought to you in partnership with Thong Sia Group.