REVIEW: Seiko Presage SARX017

Introduced close to a decade ago, the Seiko Presage SARX017 is still a strong contender for the hypothetical one-watch collection. The blend of sporty and dressy aesthetic cues allow it to work with almost any outfit from casual to business executive.

Even better, the SARX017 is relatively hard to come by due to the fact that it was only intended for the Japanese market. Coupled to an entry-level price, one will be hard-pressed to find a more all-rounded watch for the money.

Powering the Seiko Presage SARX017 is the in-house 6R15 calibre with hacking and hand-winding. The movement contains 23 jewels and beats at 3 Hz or 21,600 vph. Power reserve is rated at 50 hours so you can practically take it off on Friday evening and still have a watch that’s running come Monday morning.

The Seiko Presage SARX017 has a water resistance rating of 10 ATM so the odd splash or two should be fine. However, I’d caution against doing so as the stock leather strap might not hold up to such abuse.

Which brings me to the biggest flaw of this watch – the strap. The original black leather strap offered by Seiko is where you can tell the brand had to cut costs in order to make the watch that more affordable. Even with minimal wrist time, the shine of the strap has started to wear off.

Furthermore, the strap itself has little to no padding. The only saving grace is the deployant clasp with stamped Seiko wording on the buckle. Operation is fairly easy as you only need to push the two side buttons to unlock the clasp and it clicks back into place with a satisfying, well, click.

Other technical details of the watch include a case size of 39 mm excluding the crown and a lug to lug measurement of 47.5 mm. Those with skinnier wrists should find the Seiko Presage SARX017 a good fit.

As for the looks of the watch itself, at first glance most would find it a tad sombre. However, look closer and several details being to pop up, providing a nice contrast and a touch of flair to an otherwise conservative-looking watch. For one, the red-tipped seconds hand adds a dash of colour to the dial while the crown guard contributes to a sportier approach.

Elsewhere, the vertical stripes on the dial ape the previous Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra models. Finally, the combination of brushed and polished surfaces allow the Seiko Presage SARX017 to perfectly straddle the line between casual and business.