Tonya Wright
UPDATE 5/10/11I've owned this watch for almost a year now and it has continued to perform excellently. The battery is still good, and the watch is holding perfect time, as compared to satellite-updated phone clocks. I have used the stopwatch countless times while cooking, so the battery has been put to the test.Two things have come up during the year. One is that I replaced my car's water pump and forgot to take off the watch. I severely scratched the metal bracelet on the frame rail of my car in the process. This is entirely my own fault, but be aware that the band is scratch-prone. Second, I changed the date at the end of a short month, but I did it during the time when it was changing to the next day. The watch then proceeded to change dates at 12 noon instead of 12 midnight, until I resolved it at the correct time. Again, this was my fault, but be aware if you are changing the date. Otherwise, no complaints with this great watch...I have received many compliments on it, assuring me that this was the right choice.ORIGINAL REVIEW:Like most typical teenagers, the watch I wore for years was a cheap, plastic digital affair with a Velcro strap, which had about as much class as a pair of Crocs. As my college years drew to a close, job interviews began to transpire, and my parents acquired new wristwatches on an Alaskan cruise, I decided that it was time for me to step up as well.Being a huge gearhead and enjoying an active outdoor lifestyle, I wanted a watch that not only was rugged and water resistant to a substantial depth, but also possessed an automotive theme (without being tacky). Fortunately, wristwatches are one of the many accessories that have been tailored to the world of motorsports, with offerings from Tag Heuer and others specifically oriented toward the automotive enthusiast. Unfortunately, I am a typical college student, not able to pick up a $1000+ Tag Heuer, though I'm sure they are fine watches. I didn't want to settle for some cheap off-brand watch with a fake carbon fiber face, either, so when I saw the Seiko Sportura series I knew this was my ticket. I already knew Seiko products were high-quality and reliable...just like Honda, whose Formula 1 drivers wore this very watch series (as part of an advertising sponsorship, of course).There are several models of Sportura available from over the years, but this one is in my eyes the most aesthetically pleasing. The low-impact background has a attractive "gritty" appearance, the white markers and numerals are high-contrast and look very technical, and the perforated orange needles add a very delicate, precise appearance to the package. Note that the needles are indeed fluorescent orange...the photographs I had seen of the watch beforehand made them look like a bright red, so I was a bit surprised when I opened the box.I debated for considerable time whether to buy the P1 (this product, with the metal bracelet) or the P2 (with leather strap). It seems that leather is perhaps a bit classier and distinguished, which is something I aspire to, and perhaps even sportier with its high-contrast red stitching. I was unable to try on a leather strap so I can't say how it really would have looked on my arm, but I'm not unhappy with the metal bracelet. My decision was eventually based on the fact that the metal is more durable and allows for the watch to be put on quickly and easily. I still wonder if I made the right choice, however.Aside from my personal strap dilemma, the watch is SUPERB. At first, it looked very large on my arm, but that was due to the small size of my very old digital. This watch is very average in size; case diameter is the same as you are likely to find on a large number of wristwatches. The watch claims water resistance to 100 meters (330 feet or so). This isn't a dive watch, and although I'd like to scuba dive someday, I don't currently. For snorkeling and free diving, this watch could actually be worn...there aren't a lot of people who can make it to 100 meters in a free dive and deal with 11 bar of water pressure. The point is, it keeps up with my needs for an active lifestyle.The fly-back chronograph is wonderful. It allows for very precise timing (my old watch had tiny buttons that were nightmarish to press...this one has large, easily activated controls) and manages to look cool doing it (especially the fly-back feature). The tachymeter, again a common feature, is quite handy. I double checked the questionable accuracy of my car speedometer with it, which was an easy task thanks to the big stopwatch buttons. I haven't had the watch for ages, so I can't comment on its battery life or long-term accuracy, but I would imagine that it is very good...Seiko doesn't make junk.As good as it is, there are a couple things I don't like. The luminescent hands appear to be "glow in the dark," e.g. very bright when you first enter darkness, then fading to nothing over time. I had assumed they would use tritium like gun sights and some expensive watches, so I was a bit disappointed; my old watch had a backlight I could activate at night. The date counter always runs to "31," so if you aren't paying attention at the end of February, April, June, September, or November, you'll be off. This is typical of most watches, but it's mildly annoying (again, cheap old digital handled this fine and even factored in leap years). There is no alarm, so if a description somewhere claims there is, ignore it. I don't use my watch for an alarm (my iPhone works fine, even overseas), so I don't mind, but be aware. Finally, as a result of choosing the metal band, I deal with things like loose fit on some days (perhaps my arm shrinks slightly), pinched hairs (painful), and accumulating scratches. Again, this is not a flaw of the watch, but rather the consequences of my strap choice. I appreciate that Seiko has made both strap types available. If you plan to remove links from the band yourself, as I did, be aware that each pin also has a sleeve at one end that keeps it fitting tightly. I almost lost the sleeves before I realized my mistake due to a loose-fitting pin.To be honest, now that I look at Tag Heuer products, I don't care for them much. They are great watches, but I prefer the styling of the Sportura, which makes its lower price even more appealing. Rest assured, the Seiko Sportura (SPC039 series) is an excellent, stylish, rugged, and quality watch that you won't regret wearing.
