A few years back, Seiko revamped its 50-year-old Seiko 5, which has become the de facto entry-level automatic line for the brand over the years. The new collection debuted just a year after the discontinuation of its beloved SKX dive watch, which had been an enthusiast favorite for years. Fortunately for fans of the SKX, these new Seiko 5 Sports pieces boasted a design that loosely echoed that of the diver. However, today, the Japanese watchmaker has added the very first GMT into the Seiko 5 lineup, and with it, a more aggressive approach to paying homage to the SKX.
The watch’s full name is the Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports-Style GMT, acknowledging that the company has been listening to enthusiasts of the deceased sports watch all this time. Unlike the Oyster-style bracelets of past Seiko 5 pieces, this GMT sports a five-link, Jubilee-style bracelet in stainless steel. Additionally, the 42.5mm case — 0.5mm wider than the others in the line — harkens back to the SKX with some of its color schemes and overall design ethos.
The new watch has a traditional GMT function with an independently adjustable fourth hand to go along with a rotating 24-hour bezel. In addition to the larger case size, the sizable GMT hand helps with legibility, as does the date window magnifier and Lumibrite-coated hands and indices. The stainless steel case houses the Caliber 4R34 automatic movement, which has manual winding capabilities and is visible through the display caseback.
Enthusiasts of the SKX can relish in the fact that Seiko has at least acknowledged that the fan-favorite diver has been missed, even if it’s only been 4 short years. As for the GMT, it’s a much-welcomed addition to the Seiko 5 Sports lineup and will undoubtedly sell like gangbusters. Available in black or orange with a black and gray bezel or dark blue with a Batman-style blue and black bezel, the Seiko 5 Sports GMT is expected to go on sale in July for $475.
