Well, this Seiko 5 was bought as a present to me by my 'the other half'.
A well meaning time piece as I would see it. It was for my birthday present - many moon/s ago.
In fact, it serve me well and IMHO a very special Seiko more (sentimental) value than that Grand Seiko (value that could hurt a few pockets) sold else where.
So, what is the different between the Seiko 5 and the Grand Seiko?. While some might argued that there is a vast different... on the prices and the materials? made from?.
But then, IMHO, both calibers are in-house, matter of fact, all components from the movement, crystal to the 316L stainless steel are all from the same factory. (correct me, if I am wrong)
Wore it as a daily watch and a beater with its 'balance spring' replaced three times or more and still keep perfect time (-+7-8 sec/day). I wouldn't say it a perfect watch, but it is a watch that you can go swimming, jogging. hiking and sports while wearing without babying it. I mean, it is so economy to repair it when its break down. (while some one would advise me to dispose it), but no...remember this watch is a sentimental piece to me.
Wearing a watch is a very personal thing, you purchase it for its brand name, a niche mechanical time piece in its own right or a well recognized make in our so-called dog eat dog world. Do we wear an expensive time piece to exploits our wealth? / to please others? / or to please one selves. Or do we wear it, because it is a reliable / rich watch making history on its past glory.
To me, a reliable watch piece is most important and that the promise I make myself in my schooling days. For I still remembered a inferior mechanical watch failed (and stopped short) me during an important yearly examination.
My first and important (expensive) watch is a Tudor - Submariner (acrylic lens) and later on, decided that I wanted a Rolex and shifted my attention to the very first Rolex - 6694...( I owned over a number of years) and later many Rolexes down the road i.e the SD, Sub w date. Exp 11, Exp 1, Date, Datejust...and the rest is history. And if you ask me now, I have NIL Rolexes in my collections..... No regrets through....Yes, I still have one sport watch i.e, my Tudor - Chrono (Non-Tiger), a nice classic Cartier Santos and recently an IWC Ingenieur and who knows, what catches my eye next??...LOL
Just my 2 cents...
DC