I’ve owned both the Seiko 5 and the Timex Weekender for about a year. My wife purchased the Seiko 5 for me as a gift while I bought the Weekender to have a good-looking, inexpensive watch that I would’t worry about damaging. Both have performed well during the time I’ve owned them. I wear the Seiko 5 around once per week and the Timex about 3 days per week.

I dropped the Weekender from about four feet off the ground onto a hard tile surface. All that happened was a small scratch on the face that can’t be seen unless the light hits it just right. Luckily, I haven’t dropped the Seiko so I can’t comment on how tough it is.

One last thing on the TImex Weekender, the rainy season just started here in Vietnam and while I have not immersed the watch in water at any time, the humidity and rain have somehow penetrated into the watch. At times the face is foggy and the Indiglo light can hardly be seen. As the Seiko 5 was a gift from my wife I will no longer wear it in the rain to prevent it from a similar fate. Pics are at the end of the post.

The best way to purchase the Seiko is online. The Weekender can also be found online, yet Target has a great in-store selection. First up… the Seiko 5.

Seiko 5

Seiko 5 Overview

Specs

Strap size is 18mm
Case size is 37mm
Face comes in four colors

Face Colors

Biege – SNK803 Seiko 5
Green – SNK805 Seiko 5
Blue – SNK807 Seiko 5
Black – SNK809 Seiko 5

Seiko 5 Pros & Cons

Seiko 5 Pros

Automatic – if you’re into that sort of thing.
More expensive – although not terribly so. If you’re looking for a watch you can destroy and not worry about it then spending the few extra dollars may not be worth it.

Seiko 5 Cons

No Nato strap – which means that if you want to swap out straps you’ll have to purchase a watch tool such as this (link to watch tool). Every man should have one of these anyways so not really a huge deal.
Fewer color combos – if you’re looking for a bright color out of the box then the Timex Weekender is the better choice.
No white dial – this is a huge deal for me as the white dial looks great with any color of strap.

Timex Weekender

Timex Weekender Overview

Specs

Strap size is 20mm
Case size is 38mm
Face comes in four colors. Many options for different colored second hands.

Face Colors

White – Multiple strap options
Cream – Multiple strap options
Grey – Multiple strap options
Black – Multiple strap options

Timex Weekender Pros & Cons

Timex Weekender Pros

Less expensive – for a cheap go-to, who cares if it breaks watch, the Timex is hard to beat
Clean look – really stands out and looks quite classic
Many color options – make it easy to find the perfect color combo to suit your taste

Timex Weekender Cons

Perhaps less durable – however my watch could be a fluke. Although for $30 I don’t expect much in a watch. Dropping it may also have led to its current state of allowing moisture to penetrate the dial.

Timex Weekender with Alternate NATO Straps