Seiko SNE098 Solar Analog Watch Review

Still looking for a new dress watch for the new year? You might want to check out Seiko’s model SNE098, a silver and gold-toned stainless steel timepiece that has a relatively sleek and slender design and a couple neat little features as well. Seiko is known for creating great dress watches in the $100 price range and, though there are some reported issues with this one, it’s an overall solid device to add to their collection.

SNE098 Pros & Cons

I’ll start off with some issues I’ve found with the watch because there aren’t too many. I personally don’t quite like the size of the body/case. It feels a bit too large and bulky on the wrist and looks big. Some people might like the flashy design, but it’s a little much for my taste. Don’t get me wrong, I think the watch looks fantastic, but this is just a little hiccup in my book. Additionally, some of the pictures you might find of this watch online show it with a dark blue dial, but don’t be confused, this model’s dial is a dark gray gunmetal color.

Other than the size, I really like the style of the SNE098. I dig the silver style with gold trim along the band and bezel, and I also enjoy the simplicity of the dial and characters. I do, however, think the red characters on the date window to be a bit ugly. I guess it makes it easy to read, but it just looks odd; why not make it black or gray? Another minor gripe, but a gripe nonetheless. The overall look is slick and classy though, and it’s not like anyone else is really going to notice the dial window unless they’re right next to you.

Weight & Features

As you might guess, it’s a heavy watch. It’s one of those watches that definitely is as heavy as it looks, if not more. The weight isalso a reflection of its construction, and it feels super sturdy and well-made. The thickness of the case is actually 9 mm, so it’s a tad thicker than I’m used to, though the diameter is just 38 mm. The hardlex window also feels decent and I’m not too worried about the dial getting busted. I actually dropped it on the floor when I was taking it off, and it landed face-down on the floor (linoleum) without a scratch on the glass.

Regarding features, the SNE098 has a nice solar-powered feature and charges fairly well. The watch automatically resets to the correct time, and has a quartz-based movement set-up. I can’t really complain about any of the features except for the red font on the date window that I can’t get over. I did notice the crown took some getting used to adjusting because of the raised edges on the bezel next to it, but this is a good feature to make sure you don’t accidentally tweak the time. I’m sort of sad that the watch doesn’t feature a chronograph; I think it would look perfect on a design like this.

Overall Vibe

The Seiko men’s SNE098 solar analog watch is a solid dress watch for the price. It’s overtly silver tone with gold accents make it look pretty fancy, though I do wish the body were a bit smaller and less “in your face” sometimes. At the end of the day, it looks great and keeps time, which is all I can really ask for. Its simple design make it easy to use, but it’s obviously sturdy and well-built. If you’re looking for a watch in the $100—$150 price range, keep the SNE098 on your radar.