I’m going to be honest with you. I wouldn’t buy myself a Seiko Samurai SRPB49K1 today. I bought this watch about 1.5 years ago, when I was just getting into watches. Back then, I didn’t know exactly what my tastes and preferences were going to be. I knew Seiko was respected for their affordable divers such as the SKX, so I figured a step above that would be a good place to start. The hacking and handwinding 4r35 movement seemed useful, and the design looked a lot more interesting than an skx to my eye, so I happily payed a bit more to get a bit more.

Let’s get on with the review.

The Quality: This thing wears like a tank on anyone, especially on me. It’s a heavy, chunky piece of stainless steel that you won’t forget is on your wrist. You truly feel like you can bang this thing around, and I have. I took it cave exploring at the coast of Italy, where I banged and scraped it against the rocks. I even took it to concerts where I wore it in mosh pits. Sammy took everything like a champ, and still keeps great time. There’s not a single scratch on the hardlex, but still I think they should have used a sapphire crystal at this price point . The bezel action is great, I love turning it for no reason, it feels like setting an ultra high quality egg timer in the best way possible. Which, coincidentally, is also what it’s mainly used for. There is a bit of back play in the bezel, which doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but it should be mentioned.

The Movement: Mine keeps great time. There’s nothing wrong with the 4r35. You do hear a slight rotor wobble when giving it the Seiko Shuffle, but that’s to be expected. It’s no Rolex Submariner.

The Looks: That’s subjective, so decide for yourself. Personally, I like it. The lugs are amazing, and they’re accentuated nicely by the polishing on the case.

Do I recommend the Seiko Samurai SRPB49K1? Yes! to anyone who likes larger watches.