Sometimes I forget how long the early pioneers of online watch media have been around, but Worn & Wound is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the fellow watch media outfit, which is celebrating the occasion with the release of the Seiko 5 Sports x Worn & Wound 10th Anniversary Limited Edition. Paying homage to Seikos of the not-distant past while adding contemporary refinements, this latest release is likely also one of the most meaningful for Worn & Wound co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Zach Weiss.
All you Seiko nerds out there will recognize that the Seiko 5 SNK803 serves as the primary source of inspiration here, as well as being the second-ever review published on W&W. The fact that the brand was planning on rereleasing the Seiko 5 Pilot’s watch created an ideal opportunity for this collaboration. It’s limited to 1,000 pieces and priced very well, so act accordingly if you’re interested.
Looking at the watch itself, it measures 39.4mm-wide, 13.2mm-thick, with a lug-to-lug measurement of just about 48mm, with 100m of water resistance. The case has nice alternating brushed and polished finishes, with everything being exactly up to the standards one would expect from Seiko.
Where the watch really stands out is the dial, which is set up in the classic navigator layout with an outer ring for minutes and an inner circle with 12-hour markers. I love the dial colors and cohesion, but the quality of the finishes really stood out to me. The outer ring is done in a khaki color with a diamond-shaped waffle pattern that adds so much texture and vibrancy of the dial. The inner circle is done in a metallic charcoal with a delicate sunray pattern and is finished with a very fine guilloché. It really is a fantastic dial that is truly great when considering the price point.
The hands are also large and legible, and I have to appreciate the hour hand matching up exactly with the circumference of the inner circle. The red-tipped seconds hand and red triangle beneath the pip at 12 o’clock add just enough color to keep things from getting drab. Of course, I can’t forget the special date disk with both English and Kanji day options. The Worn & Wound team really nailed the little things here.
From the exhibition caseback, we can see the Seiko 4R36 movement, as well as the Worn & Wound limited-edition text done in gold tone. One of Seiko’s staple automatic movements, the 4R36 operates at 21,600 vph and has a 42-hour power reserve.
Seeing watch media thrive is always deeply satisfying, and the Worn & Wound team knocked its 10th anniversary out of the park with this Seiko 5 collaboration. Along with the green fabric strap with leather backing, this watch also comes with an ADPT mil-strap done in Admiralty Gray. Again, the Seiko 5 Sports x Worn & Wound 10th Anniversary Limited Edition watch will have 1,000 pieces produced, with a price of $325 USD. It will be available via this link at windupwatchshop.com.