Seiko Men's Recraft Series Automatic Leather Casual Watch (Model: SNKP27), Emerald, Automatic Watch

Product Information

Like the Captain Willard model, Seiko has listened to its customers. Many of whom favour slightly smaller watches. So the 1968 re-issue is 42mm - rather than the 44mm of previous models. But the watches real fame comes from Hollywood. In Apocalypse Now, Martin Sheen's character - Captain Willard - wore the Seiko 6105. I'm sure that you'll find something here. Be it a re-creation of Seiko's debut dive watch or a modern interpretation of their 'mountain man' piece. So it's no surprise that Seiko regularly delves into its own archives to inspire its new models. They use a variety of terms. Sometimes it's a reissue, and other times it's more of a reinterpretation. The 62MAS was Seiko's first diver, but following on its heels was 1968s 6159-7001. This was a chunkier, more heavy-duty diver. It gave us the design features that you'll recognise from later Seiko models.

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But that simple design, with its round case and slim profile, doesn't do justice to the watches specs. This watch has 200M of water resistance and a sapphire crystal. This is a versatile watch. More at home in the office than the previous two divers. It's ideal if you want more flexibility. Like many of the well-established watch brands, they've periodically reissued their best vintage models.The prices can vary widely. Some models are very expensive, while others are very affordable. So I'd like to show you a bit of both. Technically, the reissue is an upgrade of the original. The water resistance is increased from 150 to 200M and the modern Seiko movement is an improvement. That's why this watch is top of my list. This Seiko Recraft model is a more affordable way to get a vintage-styled automatic watch. Rather than a 1960s inspired design, this model has a 70s vibe.

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But the watch is a legitimate diver and has 200M of water resistance. And the other specs are good too - they should be - this isn't an inexpensive watch. It's a great watch in its own right. It had 150M of water resistance, an in-house automatic movement and a very distinctive 'turtle' case.

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Some of these are high-spec expensive watches and some are more modest and affordable. I've included both in my article. These watches were designed to be versatile. They could be used in both environments. They're tough but refined. Legible, but stylish. In short, they're functional without being sporty.

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A smallish, slightly recessed crown is the only feature that interrupts the smooth sides of the case above the lower brushed edge. The push-pull crown is easy to use and turns smoothly to set the time, day, and date. With a water resistance rating of 5 ATM (50 meters) and the push-pull crown, you’ll probably be fine getting the watch wet with splashes, but avoid anything more than that. The (relatively) modern movement

Personal Note

This is a bold watch. A watch that doesn't hint at vintage inspiration, but goes all-in. It's also the most affordable watch on my list.

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The Seiko Captain Willard was a real Seiko watch that was first released in 1968. Officially known as the Seiko 6105, it was a tough dive watch that was on sale in Vietnam during the war.The most well-known are their Alpinist line. These models were developed for the ' Yamaotoko', or Japanese ' Mountain Man'. The kind of man who spends his weekdays in the office and the weekends climbing mountains. The 62MAS was a straightforward automatic watch. But it had 150M of water resistance. That was impressive when previous Seiko watches could only boast 50M. One thing to note is that the Seiko Recraft SNKP27 doesn’t have any lume on the dial. The white dots on the dial and white strips down the center of the hands appear to be lume. But they aren’t: they are just white paint. This might have been a cost-saving measure on Seiko’s part, perhaps. But if they were going to use paint on the dial, it seems like it would have been worthwhile to use lume. No ordinary case The Alpinist line is still available. It has now been widened to include watches that celebrate their debut models. As Japan's leading watch manufacturer Seiko has a long history of innovation. Seiko watches have been worn on the wrists of celebrities and were favoured by soldiers around the world. They made influential divers watches and were a pioneer of quartz and kinetic models.