Is there any mechanical watch like the Seiko 5, but thinner and hopefully not much more expensive? I have a 5 and like it, it does feel a bit chunky at times.
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Seiko 5 is probably the cheapest, worthwhile mechanical watch. You can always get cheap Chinese and Russian watches as well but they will be of lesser quality and reliability than the Seiko. So to answer your question directly - probably not. But I would recommend checking out Orient watches. They have a decent set of mechanical watches of all different styles, not much more expensive than the classic Seiko 5, but definitely a step up in quality. https://www.orientwatchusa.com/
Thickness is always going to be an issue with automatic watches. You can get thinner watches if they are manual wind since they don't have a rotor. Usually, the thinner they get, the more expensive they get though, so keep that in mind. You can get super thin manual wind watches but they will cost hundreds to thousands of dollars usually.
This is funny because Seiko has notoriously terrible quality control, from misaligned bezels and/or chapter rings to dodgy bracelets across their entire lineup, even the more expensive ones.
About Orient: they are pretty much poised to take the spot that Seiko has occupied for entry level mechanical watches, as Seiko themselves move further up market. I love the design of their Bambino and some of the OrientStar offerings but they have a few quirks I'm not fond of.
I definitely recommend also trying a hand-wound watch because the slimness is wonderful and the winding has a charm to itself as well. I have RSI issues so the lightness and slimness is certainly a big plus, combined with the fact that most vintage or vintage-inspired manual wind watches have small dials and cases too.
It seems to me that the the QC issues are largely cosmetic, but are mostly with the Prospex models (some of their priciest models!) and seem to have intensified in the last few years.
I've heard from watch geeks with friends in "the business" that Seiko is aware of the issue thanks to the negative online word-of-mouth these issues have generated, but I don't know how reliable that hearsay is. (Really, though, Seiko would have to be blind not to be aware of the issues...)
We'll see if Seiko is actually aware and if that actually results in an improvement. If so I suspect that it will take some time for results to be seen given the lag time between manufacture date and watches winding up in consumers' hands.
> mostly cosmetic
Agreed, but then again much of the point of wearing watches nowadays is cosmetic. Plus, their terrible hollow rolled-link bracelets and press-clasps aren't really cosmetic issues, just poor quality that they haven't bothered upgrading. The movements themselves though seem to still be solid, and they are a huge provider of movements (eg the NH35/36) to several microbrands.
> Seiko is aware of the issue
Yeah, it's weird. They not only seem to be aware of it, but also say they have "hand-checked" units sent out to reviewers or units that are purchased from boutiques if you ask specifically- only for them to have the same issues as always. Not sure what it will take. The Just One More Watch YouTube channel does a ton of Seiko reviews but he's been extremely jaded because of these issues.
At this point is probably anything they produce except Grand Seiko. Not sure why would they choose to ruin their reputation that way. Yes, SKX007 or 009 were cheap, but their Prospex line replacements aren't really.
I'm baffled by their choices as well. I'm no manufacturing expert but the misaligned chapter rings seem so comically easy for Seiko to avoid - why not design the case and chapter ring with a notch or something so it can't be misaligned? If that's not feasible, how is this stuff passing even a cursory QC inspection?
It's not like they're a public company being squeezed for profit at the cost of quality by a private equity firm or something. I have some faith they will right their ship but who knows.
QC does cost a lot because it's not also about checking but rebuilding your manufacturing to avoid it. So they probably prefer to close their eyes on it.
My understanding is that NH35-powered watches are generally 13mm minimum (the divers at least) because the Seiko movements are generally on the thicker side as far as three-handers go. I'd look for something PT5000-powered on AliExpress like the offerings from Escapement Time [1].
I’m very fond of this watch, I picked mine up during a Macy’s sale for $300: https://www.hamiltonwatch.com/en-us/h69439931-khaki-field-me...
There are few different dial and strap combos, I just ordered a steel bracelet for mine.
It’s a bit thinner than the Seiko 5 SNK803 or SKX007, is a reasonable size (38mm) and the hand wound movement reduces the thickness since there’s no rotor. There isn’t a day/date complication either, just a three hand watch.
This is definitely not cheaper but just wanted to share this link on the Piaget Altiplano Watch so people can see how thin it can be:
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/piaget-altiplano-ultimate-...
The degree mechanical watches push the boundary of miniaturization (outside of lithography) is amazing.
The Seiko 5 movement is reasonably thin but often packaged into a large case. You might not have the thinnest Seiko 5.
Vintage soviet watches tend to be pretty thin, from what I've gathered. They also tend to be less well made/reliable than modern equivalents, and many of the ones you see on ebay are maxed out on their typical adjustments to stay reasonably in time.
You can usually find used Hamiltons for less than $500. They're a solid watch with an ETA movement and a sapphire crystal.
Also, some of the microbrands are pretty interesting at the $500-$1500 range. I like many of the designs Farer is doing.
Christopher Ward is another good value mechanical.
Be warned I was looking at a sub from them, and got sucked down the rabbit hole and now have a Tudor BB58 Pepsi GMT.
Tudors the feeder brand for Rolex BTW.
My SNK807 feels thin at 11mm, but there are Seiko 5's that go up to 14mm. The flatness of the field watch design probably makes it feel thinner too.
Perhaps some vintage manual wound watch? For example Seiko 6300-8009. There are models from other brands, too. Just look for a steel case.