Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is a very nice watch, but in my opinion it has some flaws; one serious. I returned the watch because of this.
One of the qualities I liked about this watch was its attractive black finish. It's made from anodized stainless steel, which should increase wear resistance (but not prevent it). In fact, one Seiko salesperson explained to me that scratches would hardly show because of this, as the metal was black throughout. This of course is not true, to my understanding anodizing does a lot of things, but in this case it's used to increase wear resistance and provides better adhesion of the top coat (If anybody knows more about anodizing, please feel free to comment).
Nevertheless, I expected the black finish would eventually wear off, but not so easily, or in the first week. Moreover, I only wore it in the office, and even kept it under my sleeve. Where the finish came off was on the band -- obviously caused from using a keypad and resting my arm on the desk. The links all the way from the latch up to the crown (on one side) wore down creating a silver streak down the middle.
The finish should not have worn off this easily, but as a warning to those interested in this color, I would not wear it while using a keypad if your arm rests on the desk, and definitely not for sports or outdoor activities.
The other issue, while not a big deal is the Kinetic function and the size of the watch, though I understand this is preference. Apparently, the Seiko Kinetic movement does not fit in small packages (that's why it's not offered in woman's watches). But another disadvantage is functionality of the sleep mode. Take in mind this is not an automatic watch, but a quartz (they call it an "automatic quartz"). It uses the automatic movement only to store energy in a rechargeable battery (or some type of capacitor) which then powers the quartz movement. After 24-hours of inactivity, it goes into sleep mode but continues to keep time. In sleep mode time is maintained not by the quartz movement, but by a microchip. In my opinion, this defeats the advantage of quartz accuracy over automatic movement watches because the accuracy may be lost each time the watch emerges from sleep, and just like an automatic may still need to be adjusted when woken up (as Seiko advises in the manual). However, the IC is rated at plus/minus 15 seconds per month, so it's not that big a deal but worth noting. I think a better design would be to kick into sleep mode only when the battery is running low. Better yet, they should just use a regular battery and be done with it (the rechargeable battery will eventually have to be replaced anyway - at a much higher cost). This would also reduce the size and weight. After all, it is a quartz. There's nothing wrong with a quartz (I prefer quartz), but if you want an automatic, get a real one. Seiko makes great auto watches for dirt cheap, and for about the same price as this watch, you can get a beautiful Swiss made Tissot, such as the PRS 516.
As far as the pros:
1. The perpetual calendar is a great feature, I wish more watches had this feature (why I bought it).
2. Seiko quartz movements keep great time, though this ran a tad fast (about +2 seconds per week; though that's still good)
3. Great looking watch
4. Very well built and rugged (except for the finish on the band)
I would still recommend this watch if you like the style, but would suggest the silver, and only for those who don't mind a larger, and slightly heavy timepiece.
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UPDATE: See my photos added in customer images
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Seiko Coutura where innovation meets refinement. Time is perpetual: Now there's a watch to reflect it. By the simple movement of your wrist, the rechargable battery charges itself. Once fully charged, it captures and stores energy up to six months. Kinetic – the most advanced electronic watch technology. Environmentally friendly. This masculine watch has a brushed steel case with a Black Ion Finish and is presented on an attractive link bracelet; polished steel bezel is accented with studded detail. The attractive black dial has Lumi Brite hands and markers with twelve month and twenty-four hour subdials. The calendar is accurate to 2100. 100 meters water resistant.
Kinetic: A powerhouse in technological innovationLike mechanical and quartz, Kinetic is a platform. Over the past 20 years, SEIKO has created on this platform a suite of Kinetic movements, each bringing unique features to the consumer.It was at the 1986 Basel Fair that SEIKO unveiled its first Kinetic prototype. Introduced under the trial name of 'AGM', it was the first watch in the world to convert kinetic movement into electrical energy. It was the first step in a development that, 20 years later, has made Kinetic synonymous with environmental friendliness, high performance and long-lasting convenience to a generation of users worldwide. From the launch in 1988 of the first commercially available watch (then under the new name AGS) until today, over eight million Kinetic watches have been sold (as of 2007).In 1998, Kinetic Auto Relay was released, extending the 'at-rest' operating period of the watch to a remarkable 4 years. 1999 saw the launch of the Ultimate Kinetic Chronograph, a masterpiece which fused the very best of SEIKO's mechanical and electronic watch making skills, and in 2003 another Kinetic Chronograph was launched. At Baselworld 2005, the Kinetic Perpetual made its first appearance, combining Kinetic convenience and longevity with a perpetual calendar, correct to the year 2100. In 2007, SEIKO's emotional technology Kinetic Direct Drive is introduced.
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