Seiko 5 Sports SRPG29K1 Military / Trench Watch (similar to SRPG27K1, SRPG31K1, SRPG33K1, SRPG35K1, SRPG37K1, SRPG39K1, SRPG41K1 & SRPG42K1) - Another Winner From Seiko, A Review (plus Video)

I have been collecting Seiko 5 series of military inspired watches for many years. These watches are basic, robust and practical. In fact, I would recommend these watches as a good starter watch for someone interested in the world of horology.

The genesis of the Seiko 5 military inspired watches is the iconic SNK805K2 (the link to the review is here). Nevertheless, the journey for me start with the next iteration of the genre, the SNZG09K1 which I reviewed in November 2013 (the link to the review is here). For me, that watch was a great value for money piece of machinery that can handle any situation. From then on, I start to collect the examples of the genre as new models were introduced.

Recently, the brand, under Seiko 5 Sports, launched the latest series of military style watches. There are a number of models to choose from. Although I would usually go for a green dial version, unfortunately, none came with a bracelet. Instead I chose a blue dial version, the SRPG29K1 to take home with me.

Daiso Military Style Quartz Watch - Cheap but Versatile, A Review (plus Video)

When I got my SeiyaJapan watch recently (see the review here), the package also included a free watch. A cheap watch but a watch nonetheless. It it a watch sold by Daiso Industries Co. Ltd. of Japan. Daiso is famously known as “the Japanese dollar store”, where all items on sale are kept under a certain price. In Japan it is typically YEN100 per item. In Malaysia it is RM5.90. This watch came straight from Japan and is listed for YEN500.

The Watch

Made out of plastic, the watch is 38 mm in diameter with a lug-to-lug length of 41 mm. It comes with a boxed clear plastic window which bumps up its height to 12 mm.  

The crown which happens to be the only metallic on the watch casing is located at 3:00. Although the watch casing is black, the crown has a bright polished steel look to it.

Marathon GPM Government Black Mechanical Reference WW194003BK, Rough & Tough, A Review (plus Video)

Prior to the Covid-19 lock-down in Kuala Lumpur, I got myself a well-known military watch from a famous Canadian brand, Marathon. The Marathon GSAR Government Diver Automatic WW194006 was purchased from Gnomon Watches of Singapore back in March 2020 (The link to that watch can be found here). That watch is a famous dive watch by Marathon. 

Another iconic design by Marathon is the GPM or General Purpose Mechanical model, a field watch. I decided to get one also and I chose the reference WW194003BK for the collection. This watch is a subject of this review.

This field watch is issued to entitled military personnel especially those serving with ground forces. A no-frill timepiece, the watch provide the two basic tenets of is specifications - accuracy and simplicity. The specifications is based on the US Government Standard MIL-W-46374 specifications which states that a timepiece fulfilling this standard must need to have: 15 jewels (or more) mechanical movement; at least 36 hours of power reserve; has a hacking mechanism; shock resistance; water resistance of at least 30 meters or more; have nylon straps; and have luminous hands and markers that have to glow for 8 hours or more in total darkness. There are other requirements but the one listed above are the primary ones under the standard.

Marathon GSAR Government Diver Automatic - Rubber Reference WW194006 - A Lot to like and Very Little to Fault, A Review (plus Video)

When I first started my deep-dive into the world of watch collecting, the Marathon Watch Company was one of the first few brands on my radar screen more than a decade ago.

The genre that started the interest in this hobby was the diver and military styles watches. As such, Marathon's Government-issued Search And Rescue (GSAR) Diver’s Automatic watches are some of the most practical mechanical tool watches around. These watches are akin to the PROSPEX line by Seiko. Unfortunately, there wasn't any authorized dealer in Southeast Asia and I wasn't that comfortable to buy online for the amount being offered.

A decade later, Gnomon Watch of Singapore got the dealership from Marathon and I was instantly hooked. Currently there are only two models on offer on Gnomon's website (at the time I made the purchase on 20 March 2020), the bracelet version and the rubber strap version. An introductory price to celebrate the new dealership arrangement between Gnomon and Marathon was also on offer.

Gruppo Gamma Venturo Field Watch #2 - A Standalone Design, A Review (plus Video)

One genre of interest in my collection is military style watches (see here for the set of military watches in my collection). One of the more striking vintage military style watches (as well as rare) is the Rolex 3139. In 2020, Gruppo Gamma has decided to scratch-the-itch of military watch collectors by offering a close reinterpretation of the 3139 with some modern tweaks. The Gruppo Gamma Venturo Field Watch #2 is the design the brand came out with.

This is the second Gruppo Gamma watch in my collection. The first was a model from a collaboration of 50 pieces made for the Malaysia Watch Forum Group (or MWF) which was delivered in December 2013 (see here). I just realised that 2013 was also the year of establishment for Gruppo Gamma. I am very happy to note that the manufacturer MWF chose for that special project has grown into a proud brand.

I booked the watch when a pre-launch announcement was made for an introductory price of US299. The 200 meter water rating, the box sapphire crystal and the use of the SII NH35 automatic movement makes the introductory pricing look like a steal!

Casio G-Shock Square Titanium Camouflage GMW-B5000TCM-1JR - The Ultimate Practical G-Shock Square, A Review (plus Video)

I have in my collection two Casio G-Shock squares. The all resin GWM5610BC-1JF and the all stainless steel GMWB5000GD-1ER. You can read a review I wrote on a head-to-head comparison between the two here. It was a long wait for me before I got the metal G-Shock due to the overwhelming demand.

While waiting, in February 2019, Casio announced the ultimate G-Shock Square, the 18 Karat Limited Edition Gold G-Shock 'Pure Gold' G-D5000-9JR. Only 35 pieces will be made and this has an MSRP of YEN7,700,000 or USD70,000. I was definitely interested but the pricing definitely it out of contention.

Around the same time news came out that Casio will also be coming out with a titanium model. What got everyone talking was the expected price point of the new model which has been estimated to be three (3) times more than the standard stainless steel unit. Immediately, a lot of not-so-nice comments were made on social media platforms complaining about this (no one commented much about the price on the Pure Gold version though). Since the pricing is not too exorbitant, I decided to hunt for this as well.

Orient Star Sports Outdoor Green PVD Reference RK-AU0208E - Clean Dial but Stiff Leather Strap, A Review (plus Video)

Another new offering from Orient Star under the Sports series is the Outdoor group. Consisting of seven models, this group caters to adventurers. The design is not as aggressive as a dive watch but more substantial than a standard wristwatch. In fact, the design of the crown is more in-line with a pilot watch.

Orient describes it as a field watch. However, at first glance, what most people would notice (me included) is the strong “Flieger” or German pilot watch design of the Second World War that has dark matte dial, brightly luminous sword hands and equally bright Arabic and line-shaped markers. The  onion crown is also another give-away to its aviation-style DNA. Nevertheless, what sets it apart from a pilot watch and to be in-line with the brand's official definition is the size and the fact that it has a power reserve indicator. More about these later.

I chose the PVD green model with reference RK-AU0208E. This particular model comes with a black painted casing, green dial and thick double-layered leather strap.

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical H76419931 - A Re-craft of the Classic W10, A Review (plus Video)

One of Hamilton's enduring legacy is its connection to military watches. No, I am not taking about "wannabes" military style watches but actual watches endorsed and pressed into actual military service. In the 1960s and 1970s, Hamilton became one of the manufacturers of watches for the British Army. These pieces are very easy to recognise thanks to their “broad arrow” markings on their dials. Hamilton's more famous design was the W10. This went into production between 1973 and 1976. It was made specifically for the Royal British Air Force.

In 2019, the brand announced a re-craft of the original W10. In the press release, Hamilton used the term “exact remake of the W10” which I believe only refers to the dimensions. This in itself is very good as a lot of 'remakes' nowadays do not strictly follow the original dimensions, just the basic shape.

The Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical came at the heels of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. In Hamilton's website, the expected release date was September 2019. Imagine my suprise to see a few examples already on display in a Hamilton AD in Kuala Lumpur by early November 2019. I had to get it and I chose the nylon NATO strap version.

Glycine Combat 6 Vintage Reference GL0122 - A Wise and Good Investment, A Review (plus Video)

I am definitely into the military or infantry watch phase. Everywhere I look, only military style watches appeal to me. When I was crazy for dive watches I used to wear them in every occasion but experience have taught me that contemporary styling is important and a mismatch situation of a timepiece with a specific attire is a fashion faux pas.

The Glycine Combat 6 Vintage Reference GL0122 is a simple watch. Made from 316L stainless steel, it has an original military style dial layout with an automatic movement. Manufactured strictly to the MIL-W-3818B military specifications (see the PDF document at the end of the review), the three handed watch with a date complication is easy to use, reasonably accurate and tough.

Since this is the first Glycine in the collection, it would be good to cover the core history of the brand.

Glycine was founded by Eugène Meylan in 1914, The company has been producing watches at its factory in Bienne, Switzerland. One of its famous series is the Combat range. Combat or military style watches stand out for their classic design, enduring strength and reliability. Since the early 1960s, Glycine has offered a slew of examples made for severe conditions of wear and use using military specifications.

Casio G-Shock Black Out Basic Series GX-56BB-1DR – A Brute with Limited Flexibility, A Review (plus Video)

The Casio G-Shock series have been around since 1983 and have a very strong cult following due to its ability to withstand battering. Despite being a watch collector that tends to collect watches with significant contribution to the world of horology, I have yet gotten a G-Shock in collection thus far. However, today a new chapter has dawned and the collection has a new member in the form of the Casio G-Shock Black Out Basic Series GX-56BB-1DR.

The GX series are typically called the “King of G-Shock" models. These are the biggest G-Shocks ever produced by Casio. The company launched the first back in 2010. It has the classic 5600 G-Shock design but in a size that is close to twice the size. The over-sized design is its call to fame. Unfortunately, for some people, the size could be a bit overwhelming.

I got the watch from the Watch Style of Mid Valley Megamall. The MSRP was RM809 (with GST). I was able to get it for RM680. Although I believe I could get it cheaper elsewhere, I still decided to get it from this brick and mortar shop due to the personal service rendered.

SeiyaJapan Original Watch Automatic A167-A (Dial Type A) – Simple Yet Complete, A Review (plus Video)

When Seiya-san of SeiyaJapan started the project of creating his own version of a military watch back in early 2016, I followed with interest the development via his Instagram account. With the design specification finalized in the first half of 2016, production commenced and the first complete examples were ready for sale by the end of the year.

I took my time and finally I made the decision to get one. There are two models to choose from. The Type A and the Type B. The former is more traditional in the hands and dial design while the latter has a contemporary design. I chose the Type A or officially known as the SeiyaJapan Original Watch Automatic A167-A.


The reason I chose the Type A is because I believe this is Seiya-san’s favorite design. Based on his blog postings, he often brought up the subject of vintage military watches from bygone eras. He spends a lot of time researching and writing about these watches which has a similar design to the Type A. Although I am just making an assumption, all indications seem to point to that fact. If Seiya-san is reading this blog, do drop a comment on this at the end of the posting.

Seiko 5 SNK805K2 Automatic Military Stainless Steel Watch with Olive Green Dial & Canvas Strap – A universal watch - Everyone can use it, A Review (plus Video)

My love affair with military watches with green dial continues. This time around, I caught the Seiko 5 SNK805K2 in the net. Got it via Amazon Prime. Interestingly, the watch has its origins in Malaysia! It travelled to the US, stayed there for a while and then took another long haul trip back where it was made. What a homecoming.

Since the Seiko 5 sub-brand was first launched back in 1963, it quickly made a name for itself as Seiko offer a selection of affordably priced watches with a combination of far bit of water resistance, automatic movement and day & date display in a single window. The SNK805K2 maintained the standards and is one of the most cost effective mechanical timepiece currently available in the market.

The movement is housed in a 37 mm diameter by 11 mm thick stainless steel case with a Hardlex crystal protecting the dial. The lugs are 18 mm wide. The case is bead-blasted for a matte finish. The small push-in crown is located at the 4 o’clock position and is partially sunk into the side walls of the watch casing. There is a sloping fixed bezel that is the same level at the Hardlex crystal. The screw-down display case-back is also protected by Hardlex crystal.

The ORIENT Automatic Military Collection CER2D009F (or ER2D009F) Olive Green Dial – An excellent starter watch for budding WIS, A Review (and Video)

As part of my continuing focus of collecting military themed watches with olive green dial, I was able to land the Orient CER2D009F into the collection. My trusted internet merchant, www.citytime.my emailed me about the latest batch that just arrived at his store. The MSRP in Malaysia is RM418 (inclusive of 6% GST) but I got it for just RM295.

The CER2D009F is sized perfectly for my wrist. With a width of 41 mm (excluding crown) it has a thickness of just 11 mm. Its lug size is 22 mm which helps make it feel like a watch with smaller dimensions. Made out of stainless steel, the surface is polished including the solid screw-down case-back. The dial is protected by a flat piece of mineral crystal glass.

The watch is traditional in design with three hands, a date complication in an aperture located at the 3 o’clock position. The crown is also located at the same location.

There are 5 lines of text and graphics on the dial. The first three which includes the brand as well as the logo are located on the top half of the dial. The final two are on the bottom half where the fifth line is in small font with information about the production coding.

SEIKO 5 Military Sports Automatic Watch SRP621K1 Olive Green Dial & Strap (similar to SRP623K1, SRP625K1 & SRP635K1) – A Handsome Value for Money Watch, A Review (plus Video)

I have been slowing building up my olive green military style collection for the last few years. This is one genre that is seldom highlighted in watch forums. At the moment I have three in this category. The SRP621K1 will be the fourth.

This particular example is part for the Seiko 5 range of products by Seiko. Made out of 316L stainless steel, the case material has a satin finish to give it the dark silvery gray. Round shaped, it measures 44 mm (without crown) across. Lug width is 22 mm while the lug-to-lug length is 51 mm. The watch has a height of 12 mm.

The dial is protected with a flat Hardlex crystal glass. The same material is also used for the display case-back. The watch comes standard with a vintage-style crown located at the 3 o’clock position. The crown is a simple push-down system with three positions (winding; adjusting date & day; and adjusting time). The watch is paired with an olive green nylon strap with a simple buckle clasp and two thin wire bands for the strap lead. The strap has a sufficient length for a wrist circumference of 210 mm. The lugs have a straight-through pin holes which facilitate easy strap changes. Overall weight of the watch stands at 86 grams.

Seiko 5 Sports Military Automatic Green SSA299K1 (Equivalent to SSA293K1, SSA295K1 and SSA297K1) - A very good beater watch, A Review (plus Videos)

One of my sub-collection focus is military watches that are not specifically diver or pilot watches. I currently have two under this sub-category (Seiko 5 Sport 100M SNZG09K1 & Seiko 5 SRP145K1). This latest one, The Seiko 5 Sports SSA299K1 will be the third in the sub-collection.

For this particular purchase, I decided to try a new dealer located in the center of Kuala Lumpur, on Jalan Raja Laut. Perniagaan Jam May May (www.jammaymay.com.my) prices looks rather good relative to other stores that I have been going to. For the SSA299K1, the shop quoted RM644 (plus GST it would be RM682.64). The next closest was from www.citytime.my at RM780 net.

This model has a case size of 44 mm excluding crown (with crown is it 47 mm). It has a thickness of 13 mm and its lug width is 22 mm. Lug-to-lug distance is approximately 52 mm. Made out of 316L stainless steel with cloth strap, the watch weighs in at 90 gm. Protected by Hardlex crystal glass in the front as well as the display case-back. The front glass diameter is 38 mm.

Seiko 5 Sports SRP145K1 Military Watch - New Engine And A Handy Complication Thrown In, A Review

A few years after I got my first Seiko 5 military watch with the 7S36B engine (click on this link to see that review), Seiko came out with a new Seiko 5 military watch with the latest 4R36A engine. The Seiko 5 SRP145K1 has a similar concept with the same coloured dial and canvas strap. However, there are fundamental differences.

The Seiko 5 SRP145K1 is made out of stainless steel. With a watch case diameter of 41 mm (45 mm with crown), it has a thickness of 13 mm and the lug width is approximately 20 mm. Predominantly in green, this watch, apart from the day and date functions, also has a bi-directional bezel with a compass function. More about this later.

Similar to the older military watch, the glass is Hardlex, an artificial crystal made in-house by Seiko. The tip of the seconds hand is painted red for ease of reference. From this point onwards, this watch has its own design philosophy.

Seiko 5 Sport 100M SNZG09K1 Military Watch - A Value For Money Piece Of Machinery That Can Handle Any Situation, A Review & Videos

Back in July 2011, I purchased the Seiko 5 Sport 100M SNZG09K1 from a local internet vendor. This particular model is a military style automatic by Seiko with green nylon strap. It uses the 23 jewel self-winding mechanical caliber 7S36B movement.

The case is 41 mm without the crown. Like all Seiko 5s, it has a day and date function. The case is stainless steel.

The dial is green with Arabic numbering and indexes. There are three references available on the dial. The outside is an index reference for every minute. Every 5th minute is a major index while the rest is minor. The middle reference is Arabic while the inner reference is also Arabic but starts from 13 to 24.