This Little Seiko Is the Most 2025 Watch $200 Can Buy
ShoppingThe delightfully dainty SWR is a dead ringer for a certain Cartier grail, at a fraction of the price.By Gerald OrtizFebruary 6, 2025Photo: Bowen FernieSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.Looking for more killer Seiko watches? Start here.You’ve heard of—and luster after—the Cartier Tank, right? The legendary square-faced watch has remained, well, squarely situated in the fashion conversation for decades, though it’s only over the last couple of years that the chatter surrounding it has truly reached a fever pitch.As stylish fellas began swapping their gargantuan wristwatches for decidedly petite alternatives, the French maison’s flagship model has exploded in popularity, bolstered by cosigns from marquee names like Tyler, the Creator and Jacob Elordi. (For more proof, see Noah’s very Tank-adjacent—and very sold out—collaboration with Timex.) Still, the eye-watering price of Cartier’s most famous square ticker, and the limited quantities of Noah’s riff, remain tall barriers to entry.SeikoEssentials SWR066 Watch$215 $130 AmazonSeikoEssentials SWR053 Watch$195 $120 AmazonLuckily, though, there’s a third alternative worth prime real estate on your wrist, though for reasons entirely unbeknownst to us it has yet to elicit the same degree of hype: Seiko’s Essentials SWR watch. As it happens, the Japanese company’s SWR series incorporates a slew of details that make this model a dead ringer for the Tank, down to the telltale rectangular face, Roman numeral indicators, cabochon crown, and croc-embossed leather strap.The one big difference? Price. Seiko’s $200 version can’t quite match the craftsmanship of the real deal, of course—and it doesn’t boast the same degree of household-name pedigree. But for a watch that gets you 98% of the way there for 2% of the price, it’s a no-brainer until you’re really ready to pony up for the OG.SeikoEssentials SWR085 Watch$295 $236 AmazonSeikoEssentials SWR083 Watch$295 $236 AmazonThe SWR is available in a variety of colors, and you can pick-and-choose from a selection of different straps and bracelets. But fellas, if there’s one thing we suggest when it comes to this particular It watch, it’s that you buy the women’s version. It’s more discrete, more slender, and frankly, more elegant than its big brother—and a lot closer in proportion to the Tank itself.Much like its counterpart, the SWR will play nice with a slick suit on the red carpet or swank up a graphic tee and jeans at the grocery store. You can pass it down to your grandkids or repurpose it as a whistle-clean anniversary present. (It’s not afraid to jostle for space next to a few bracelets, either—just peep the picture above.) What we're saying is, however you rock your wee little watch, we guarantee it’ll keep your wrist in the conversation.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Looking for more killer Seiko watches? Start here.
You’ve heard of—and luster after—the Cartier Tank, right? The legendary square-faced watch has remained, well, squarely situated in the fashion conversation for decades, though it’s only over the last couple of years that the chatter surrounding it has truly reached a fever pitch.
As stylish fellas began swapping their gargantuan wristwatches for decidedly petite alternatives, the French maison’s flagship model has exploded in popularity, bolstered by cosigns from marquee names like Tyler, the Creator and Jacob Elordi. (For more proof, see Noah’s very Tank-adjacent—and very sold out—collaboration with Timex.) Still, the eye-watering price of Cartier’s most famous square ticker, and the limited quantities of Noah’s riff, remain tall barriers to entry.
Luckily, though, there’s a third alternative worth prime real estate on your wrist, though for reasons entirely unbeknownst to us it has yet to elicit the same degree of hype: Seiko’s Essentials SWR watch. As it happens, the Japanese company’s SWR series incorporates a slew of details that make this model a dead ringer for the Tank, down to the telltale rectangular face, Roman numeral indicators, cabochon crown, and croc-embossed leather strap.
The one big difference? Price. Seiko’s $200 version can’t quite match the craftsmanship of the real deal, of course—and it doesn’t boast the same degree of household-name pedigree. But for a watch that gets you 98% of the way there for 2% of the price, it’s a no-brainer until you’re really ready to pony up for the OG.
The SWR is available in a variety of colors, and you can pick-and-choose from a selection of different straps and bracelets. But fellas, if there’s one thing we suggest when it comes to this particular It watch, it’s that you buy the women’s version. It’s more discrete, more slender, and frankly, more elegant than its big brother—and a lot closer in proportion to the Tank itself.
Much like its counterpart, the SWR will play nice with a slick suit on the red carpet or swank up a graphic tee and jeans at the grocery store. You can pass it down to your grandkids or repurpose it as a whistle-clean anniversary present. (It’s not afraid to jostle for space next to a few bracelets, either—just peep the picture above.) What we're saying is, however you rock your wee little watch, we guarantee it’ll keep your wrist in the conversation.
