Do NOT buy the Seiko Presage!! (Here's why)

To be honest this chick has no idea what she's talking about. The Presage line are some of the most beautiful and timeless designs made by anybody.

Totally agree! You listed all the factual weak points but Seiko still sells. Maybe most people do not buy these at full price (but go to the grey market). Seiko factories make these mass production models and with all the cheap parts, non-existent QC along with zero adjustment so it is not hard go imagine how Seiko derives high margins, and let's not forget this brand has increased its pricing. The repair work carried out by Seiko service centres are often not professional.

I went with the Orient Bambino bc Seiko is getting expensive

it has dropped to 380 USD, what would be your opinion on the value now?

None of the brands you mention come close to how good the Presage dials are. I respectfully disagree. Some of the cocktail times are just stunning for the price and most of all, some of the special edition dials are Grand Seiko level quality for Seiko money, such as the Tokyo Dawn, or the Castle in the Sky releases.

if i can buy one for 260$ its good ?
Im looking for my first automatic, should i buy it ?

Valid points. However, at this price point Seikos sell on design not specs. I have a few 4r movements, all seem pretty accurate (the wide stated tolerance is mainly for Seiko to avoid warranty claims) and haven't given me any problems. I expect that's why they're popular for microbrands.

I can allow every loopholes for that brand and dial. But the movement and hardlex crystal is a dealbreaker.

Ignorent is noz for hate Presage cocktail time with second in bottom, best design for that money in baby blue it s 500 euro, best watch for that money ?

Grow up, give respect to earn respect. Simple.
Not that you don’t have some valid points,,it’s your attitude.
Plus you are wrong- imo.
You see there ☝🏻- my opinion.
You should have emphasised it is only your personal opinion…

Thanks for this!

I was on the fence about a second Seiko Presage. Your video convinced me to buy the Presage. Thank You.

There is only one reason, the crystal.

welp if not for the stunning dial design then pretty much any Presage got slap hard by Orient Star lol, far better finishing, most likely have sapphire and it feels like carrying 80% quality of a Grand Seiko on your wrist with like 20% the price

That accuracy varoes alot. Some are almost costc certified. Almost, like the Tissot prx powermatic 80

So im not a huge watch guy but i do respect watches because they're amazing.
My everyday watch is cocktail time and i like it a lot....but you're right 😂
I just like the dial but i highly doubt my next everyday watch will be a Seiko.
Solid vid my friend

Overpriced? yes. As bad as you say? I am wondering are you sure all the ones you have seen are real seikos? Because the market is flooded with fakes that do pass as the real thing yet then have all the issues you state. Checking the ones i have and I can't see the same issues you talk about. And yes the movement is a bit basic but most perform much better than the basic specs say. Don't forget the specs are much wider than needed because it allows seiko to not repair or regulate every movement that is not as good as most of them are because doing that chews up the profit margin in one go. I have taken a few apart and this issue with debris or other contamination is just not a thing. And this movement is the same one most micro brands use but just with a diff part number eg NH35-36 ect ect. It's known as a workhorse and reliable for good reasons. You make out they are unreliable and need more maintenance...Kida the opposite to what most will say about that movement range. issues and dirty movements is a thing on the fakes and also frankenstein seikos that now flood the market. But yeah they are overpriced but then who pays full retail for a seiko? Most can be had for 50-60% off most of the time.

Go for your swiss microbrands. After 10yrs and your micro brand malfunction, go struggle to find who can fix it 😂

Meh I think if someone's willing to buy it then it's worth it. $500 is certainly not overpriced, even if not the best "bang for buck". Your argumentation could be applied to any watch honestly, as everything above a certain price point isn't worth just the material alone.
What sets me off about the most Presage watches is that they're super oddly sized for a dress watch. They're a little too large in diameter but they're absolutely too damn thick for a dresser. With that bright dial and that huge size it looks like a $5k watch to unknowing people and when you get talking about it it's a disappointment for most honestly. But they still look rather nice and get people talking. And honestly, paying maybe $150 or $200 too much for a watch is nothing compared to pay 30% over MSRP for a swiss luxury watch. You can always get those cheap used unworn alternatively. They'll be discontinued soon anyways like every other watch and the successor will be another $200 more and we'll all be crying our eyes out where the simple cheap models went.

So ist es. Ich denke genauso 👍🏻

Stunning watch.
Massively let down with their pathetic 'hardlex' crystal.
Disagree with everything else.

Yesterday i was looking at spb293j1 with porcelain dial. And I was disappointed. The dial not so great as it was on photo, but still it's beautiful. The bracelet - just nothing special. But here is the things i completely don't understand:
- exhibition caseback. Why for a God 's sake they want to show me basic mechanism without any noticable finishing? It just looks cheap. What s wrong with metal cover or engraving?
-for a dress watch they are too big. Why not use 6L35 making the watch smaller and thinner? But other than dress watch i don't see them.
They was at 895 EUR. Even consider this, i decided to find something else.

Do you think the Orient Star has the same issues ?

Its on sale now for $35

People buy Seiko for the brand, and frankly I couldn't give a shit about the crystal - never a big deal for me, I don't bash my wrists against walls or doors!! The water resistance is also NOT an issue for me - if I want a dive watch I'll buy a frigging dive watch!! The big weakness is the movement - the 4 series movement is cheap junk that is often used by Chinese Aliexpress brands. Even the higher range 6 series movement, which is used in the expensive Presage watches, isn't much better either. If you want a quality Seiko you need to go for the 8 series movements, which are only available in the most expensive Seiko watches. So yes, it IS a scam, but not necessarily for the reasons you outlined.

thank you! i was about to buy this watch😅

I love my presage.a great dress watch.never had a problem.sooo beautiful.i would recommend

For 100x times the price is a Daytona a 100x better watch though?

I see them going for US $350. Yes if not for the dial, you are getting a $100 watch, at best, for $350. So it does come down to the dial. Is the dial worth $250? I haven't seen anything close to the Presage dials at that price. The one I purchased looks perfect. I don't see debris or defects on the indices but I also didn't zoom in 100x like I saw in some reviews. You said you saw dials just as nice at a lower price. Can you show some?
I also wouldn't recommend this as an every day watch but I see it as something I'll wear once in a while so the accuracy of the movement doesn't bother me.

😂

Your thumbnail states “scam”, the meaning of which denotes fraud or dishonesty, neither of which apply here. If Seiko were stating sapphire crystal and providing hardlex, for example, you would be justified in using that word. But you’re not. So either you don’t know the correct meaning of the word, or you do and are just providing clickbait. Either way, it’s a fail on your part. Having said that, there are much better watches at this price point you are spot on there.

I respect your opinion, however, according to the website they have an accuracy of +- 20 seconds per day, which is an acceptable accuracy.

I’ve always thought the same. Many people, myself include, are suckers for a pretty dial. However, the a presage line just didn’t seem good value for money to me. Good vid

Haha - I enjoyed your vid - thankyou. But it affirmed the stereotypical whinging pom vibe. "Exponentially", "Abhorrent", "Decimated in every way imaginable" huh? The dramatics and the absolution diluted the credibility for me and revealed some anti-Seiko activism. Watch enthusiasts know what they're buying. It's only $450, a pretty toy that does the job. I worked through the cocktails, they do get boring after a handful of wears, but I've kept the Starlight, the Irish Coffee and the Honeycomb, more as jewel possessions/case fillers. I had multiples of these three which I flipped at 400% which speaks to the market over rate. I also advanced to the SARX cohort of the Presage line, the 033 and 035 as a Yin/Yang rotation gives me good feels and my angular 017 and 045 Tuxedo are nice dailys. Please do a video on the current overhype of the SARB033 and 035, I'd like to see your activism vocabulary on those models.

Maybe one day, when you get a job, you will be able to afford a Seiko.

How many times did you dive below 50m? How many times did you dive below 0.5m?

Pfffff. I got a whole collection of Seiko and never found or experienced all the crap you're saying. 4R35 a 35 $ movement ? High maintenance ? Low accuracy ? You just don't know nothing about Seiko or maybe you sell the crap you mentioned as alternatives.

Personally any watch that cost more than £200 it has to have sapphire crystal and a minimum of 100m water resistant

Definitely with you on the sapphire. Should be an assumption at that price. The other gripes aren't deal breakers for me. I'll still buy one because I'm a sucker for those dials, but I'll wait until I can get one on sale. They frequently go on sale at The Bay here in Canada for around $300 - $350 CAD

No issues with mine…. Clearly you just hate seiko. Why I dont trust the brits

then i dont know why my pressage doubled in value , problably because its limited ) i dont know why someone would buy a non limited unit

Hey man, good video! I'm a bit of a Seiko fan myself and it's nice hearing someone be upfront about them resting on their laurels. Owned two Presages, three of their divers and even a King Seiko reissue. A lot of them get spanked by Orient or even some aliexpress brands which also sometimes use Seiko or Seiko Time Corps. movements. It's the QC that I'm most disappointed really.

But I will say, I still like Seiko because it's a Seiko. Branding and all that. Also, they have a distinct look and design as well, and a lot of them happen to appeal to me. At least you can get some of them on the gray market for much cheaper. Ironically, some of their quartz offerings have sapphire crystals!

Ali express brands aside, name me another mechanical watch from a mainstream manufacturer at this price that offers better value

Мне нравятся Seiko 5, серия SRPD

No worries n you're right... Most microbrands at $2 - 300 range did do better...

Which is why I'm getting my Ice Blue presage preloved n still in good condition...

At 90 bucks. 😁

This video needed to be made. Always good and bad in everything. Being a smart consumer is important.

We buy the presage for the dial

I almost bought a Presage. Might get the Bambino or a Tsuyosa instead.