Seiko 5 Sports SRPE77; An Ice Blue Dial On A Flashy Milanese Strap

Seiko SRPE77 Case Size

The dimensions of the Seiko 5 Sports case are well documented particularly because they drew so much inspiration from its beloved predecessor, the SKX. Nevertheless, it’s still worthwhile to list them:

• The case is 42.5mm in diameter
• Lug-to-lug measurement is 46mm
• The case is 13.4mm thick
• Between the lugs (strap size) is 22mm

The case is constructed entirely of steel and is marked by an attractive brushed finish on its top side and high-polish case flanks. The crown and crown guards at 4 o’clock, as can be seen in the picture below, also feature a polished finish.

The lugs possess lug holes which make it incredibly easy to change the strap on this SRPE77. Indeed, a simple paperclip will be enough to remove the current steel bracelet and implant a different strap. That being said, I’m not sure why you’d want to change out this awesome steel band (more on the band later).

It’s also worth noting that, since the crown doesn’t screw down into the case, the depth rating on the case is 100m as opposed to the 200m rating encountered on other Seiko divers.

Bezel Details

Being a diver’s watch, this Seiko 5 Sports SRPE77 is outfitted with a unidirectional diver’s bezel. Naturally, it’s also made of steel and possesses a “knurled” texture on its outer flank that helps with grip.

It’s difficult to tell in images, but the diver’s scale insert on the bezel is a transparent material that has a blue backdrop. Up close, this gives the bezel the appearance of having depth and makes for an attractive look. This is quite different from any other Seiko dive watches we’ve reviewed, all of which had metal bezel inserts.

Lastly, the silver bezel calibrations coupled with the blue backdrop offer great contrast and impart great legibility.

The SRPE77’s Ice Blue Dial

Continuing with this review, we get to what is in my opinion the most remarkable aspect of this Seiko SRPE77, the ice blue dial. Not only does the dial have a beautiful brushed sunray finish, but it also appears to have a woven texture that, once more, I’ve yet to encounter on any other Seiko 5 Sports watch.

Indeed, both the bright dial tone and intricate texture make this a very unique watch, even among its peers. You can get a great sense of the dial’s texture in the image below.

Also present on the SRPE77’s dial are applied hour indices, surrounding minute markings in blue, a day-date window at 3 o’clock, and a very generous amount of lume. Additionally, while also having a lot of luminous, the hands at center are presented in a polished blue tone to match the overall theme on the face of the watch.

Since this SRPE77 is a Made in Japan model, it possesses a small print at 6 o’clock denoting this. Moreover, the Day wheel of the day-date function possesses two languages; in this case, they are English and Spanish. Generally, the Made in Japan version have English and Japanese, but the example I procured for this review has Spanish as a secondary language.

Other than the different Day languages and the small print on the dial, there is no difference (either cosmetic or mechanical) between the version of this watch that are manufactured in Japan and those that are not.

Stainless Steel Bracelet

This SRPE77 is sold on a stainless steel mesh or “shark mesh” band. While the bracelet is on the heavier side, the heft is not uncomfortable – it also balances out the weight of the watch head very well.

Since the clasp is a slide clasp, it can be set to pretty much any length. Yet, it is not so easy to set that it can be done “on the fly.” You will likely set this once and not touch it again, seeing as how it requires a good amount of strength to close the clasp into the final position.

Overall, this Milanese bracelet is very fluid and flexible. While counterintuitive, I found the heft made it more comfortable to wear and provided the feeling of having a substantial and well-built timepiece when on the wrist.

SRPE77 Automatic Movement

Moving on to the mechanical machine beating inside this SRPE77 – the Seiko 4R36 self-winding movement.

If you weren’t already familiar, Seiko movements are known for their reliability, durability, and affordability. They may not be the most accurate on the street, but for the price, you will be hard-pressed to find better quality.

In the case of the SRPE77, Seiko has gone a step further and designed the watch with a see-through case back that allows you to see into the intricate machinery that keeps your watch beating. Even more, they’ve also finished the movement bridges with an attractive brushed texture; clearly, they understood that watch owners were going to be peeking through the caseback on a regular basis.

I’ve enhanced the picture above to augment the finish of the movement. In-person, it is a lot more subtle though it’s clearly noticeable in the hand. Lastly, Seiko also places a reminder of the country of manufacture on the crystal case back. Once more, this only speaks to where the movement was made and not improved performance or quality over examples manufactured outside Japan.

Other movement specifications to note are the 41-hour power reserve, hand-winding functionality, and +45/-35 secs/day accuracy.

Seiko 5 Sports SRPE77 Overall Review

By this point, I’ve had the chance to become familiar with a number of different styles within the Seiko 5 Sports family. More specifically, I’ve worn other watches within the Suits collection (same case and bracelet) for weeks on end.

The watches wear quite comfortably and, as I’ve alluded to throughout this review, the Milanese bracelet is an outstanding option because of its looks and feel.

That being said, the light blue dial color isn’t necessarily my cup of tea. For example, if it came down to this exact style of case and bracelet, I prefer the green dial on the SRPD75 / SBSA019.

I can certainly appreciate the design theme that Seiko is going for here, I’m a proponent of its excellent construction, and I have no doubt that this watch is a great value proposition. Yet, the color scheme simply isn’t for me. Ultimately, if you find the ice blue dial attractive, then I think this SRPE77 will 100% satisfy your expectations.

Further Reading

Let us know below what you think of this SRPE77 or if you have any comments regarding this review. Otherwise, you check out some of our other popular watch pages:

• Guide To The Seiko 5 Sports Collection
• Is The Seiko SKX Really That Great?
• Brief History Of Watchmaking In Japan
• All Of Our Seiko Watch Reviews
• Watches Homepage