The Seiko 5 SNK803 flieger style watches are as ubiquitous to the watch community as coffee culture is to the Pacific Northwest. However, despite their popularity, they remain as an affordable ticket of entry into the world of automatic watches and the inevitable collection of them that follows. A quick overview of the important specs are as follows:

37mm case diameter, just under 11mm thick
18mm lug width
Hardlex crystal
7S26 movement, with 40 hours of power reserve
30m WR

Beside the affordability, the Seiko 5 SNK803’s versatility is what helped me decide to make this the first automatic watch I’d buy, a few years ago. The cream dial lends itself well to being paired with the abundant 18mm strap options there are on the market. Black , and olive NATOs offer a more tactical look, or add a nice leather strap for a more “field” aesthetic. Just do yourself a favor and discard Seiko’s stock canvas band. It functions, but the khaki color of the stock strap gives the whole watch a washed out appearance, and takes away the charm of the dial.

Which brings me to the next selling point – the style and legibility of the dial. It is a Type-B flieger style layout, which includes a triangle at 12:00, an outer ring of numbers 5-55, and an inner ring of numbers 1-12. A day and date window also appear at 3:00. Another nice feature for first time owners is the exhibition case back, which gives a peek into the inner workings of the watch.

Of course, there are flaws you can find. For some wrists, the case size is a bit small. The 7s26 movement, while proven, is older, and doesn’t offer the ability to hack or hand-wind. Also, 30m of water resistance means you won’t be taking a dip in the pool with this on.

All in all, despite its flaws, this Seiko 5 SNK803 is still a great everyday watch, whether your first time with an automatic watch or not.