Reddit mentions of Seiko 5 Men's SNKL23 Stainless Steel Automatic Casual Watch

You can't beat the SNK809, always a great starter watch in the seiko automatic world. 21 Joule movement for only ~50 dollars is such a good deal. It's also more versatile than many watches and considered a more military/sportier option that could be dressed up with a leather or nato strap if absolutely necessary. I own this watch and recommend without hesitation.

A more dressier watch to consider would be the SNKL23. Has some great reviews on youtube for being a great starter dress watch. I don't own myself but have seen multiple people proclaim its greatness.

Happy hunting!

Here are a bunch of Seiko 5s that were in my Amazon recommendations that seem to fit the bill (in order of similarity) they may be a little smaller thena the watch you chose but they're all good choices

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5

It depends how you look at the watch. Would you wear that with a suit and tie or would you rather wear it with a pair of chino shorts, polo, and your boat shoes?

Arguably there are Seiko 5's that certainly are more casual than other.

• Green Canvas Strap Seiko 5
  
• Brown Rubber Band Seiko 5
  
• Metal Oyster Band Seiko 5
  
  Then there are ones that look more formal than the previously ones mentioned.
  
  
• Jubilee Bracelet Seiko 5
  
• Black dial Seiko 5
  
• White dial Seiko 5
  
  Hopefully this helps answer your question!
  
  Edit: I concur with /u/cubenori that a change in the watch band for that one to leather could certainly open it up to be used in more dressy settings!

You should take a look at the Seiko 5 series. Affordable and can be dressed down or up. Amazon has a bunch, and I believe Jomashop has a sale on them.
This is the original seiko 5, about $50 on Amazon. You can buy a leather strap, and it'll fit nicely within your budget.
http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SNK809-Automatic-Watch-Canvas/dp/B002SSUQFG/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1406918982&sr=1-1&keywords=Seiko+5
Here is a dressier alternative at about $60. Don't know how it would look on leather though...

http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SNKL23-Stainless-Automatic-Casual/dp/B0065ACVYW/ref=sr_1_8?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1406919086&sr=1-8&keywords=Seiko+5
Hope this helps!

The Seiko 5 line is pretty much standard to 37mm and has a whole variety of styles including some pretty dressy ones like your Victorinox.

Although most of the Hamilton line is about 40mm, you could check out some of their 'Classic' style watches which tend to run smaller.

Finally, Christopher Ward has a few smaller style watches as well.

One thing to really pay attention to when looking at smaller watches (and watches in general) is how thick they are. My SNK809 looks tiny on my wrist compared to my old Timex Easy Reader even though the Seiko is actually a little larger simply because its thicker by a few mm.

Tried using the seiko 5 finder to identify it. No luck. Perhaps it is a combination of two watches?

The case looks like this one, which is otherwise very similar.

But the dial looks identical to this, same markings and all.

What's a better watch though when it comes to features? The Bulova or the Seiko

The Seiko 5 line is pretty good for an entry-level watch. They have a few 38-mm case diameter styles for $60 on Amazon. I bought this one and added a leather band for a sleeker look.
[Seiko 5 is probably one of the least expensive automatic movements available; mine has performed quite well over the past couple months.]

For anyone that's been searching for the ellusive Seiko SNKL23, there are 4 left in stock on Amazon for $157.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SNKL23-Stainless-Automatic-Casual/dp/B0065ACVYW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510251421&sr=8-1&keywords=snkl23

Did you want something you can wear casually and formally?

If you're willing to give the 5 a shot, I really like this model. I used to have a 5, and I really liked it a lot. Keep in mind that you can't hand-wind it so once the time reserve runs out you have to just put it on for a minute to start it up again.

I've absolutely fallen in love with this watch since staring at your post for way too long yesterday. I originally was looking to get an SNKL23 thanks in large part to the Hodinkee writeup, but now I'm angling for this one instead.

Everything I love about mechanical watches is presented subtly and thematically in the graph-paper dial... Awesome photos, thanks for sharing.