Simply put this is a solid watch and I'd recommend it to anybody looking to get into automatics, or add to their collection. It's elegant, sturdy, and conveys sophistication.

I'm a student and work part time at Starbucks. All of my personal effects take serious abuse while I'm at work (via cleaning agents, heavy lifting, hot liquid spills, bumping into things, etc.). This watch has yet to show any wear. In fact I spilled bleach on the band and watch just today while I was doing laundry. After drying it off and washing the band in water, it still looks like I just got it out of the box.

Most negative reviews fall into one of three categories: user error, unrealistic expectations, or user negligence. I've found many reviewers comparing this watch to more expensive automatics, which is unfair given its price. To this point I still believe this watch to be a bargain for what you get. There are also some reviewers who seem to have taken this watch into water and been shocked to learn it's not a diving watch. It's not and the instructions that come along with it clearly state you shouldn't take it into water like you would a dedicated dive watch. With that said, I haven't had any problems with the watch when I wash my hands, or when it incidentally gets splashed with water (or bleach for that matter).

On another point some reviewers have talked about, I don't find the watch to be small. I have a medium to large size wrist and the watch does not at all look small, or feminine. I don't think Seiko had overweight girthy American wrists in mind when they designed it. However it does not have the oversized look that many fashion watch makers are opting for these days.

If I could note something about the watch that could be improved, it would be the band. It fits the overall look of the watch, but I'm afraid it won't prove to be as durable as the watch itself.