Hugh,
The author discourages Seiko watches, although I have found them to be one of the best watches I have ever purchased. It is an auto wind and needs adjusting once every several months, which is usually when it gets 10 minutes fast and I just turn it back. My Seiko 5 mechanical watch has been diving, truck driving, shooting, and taken all sorts of abuse.
I bought my first one in Sharjah UAE on my way to Iraq. It served me well through the war, from Baghdad to Djibouti, to Manila, to China and all over. Finally, it started running too fast, so I sent it off for repair in Kuwait City. The stainless case was returned buffed to mirrored finish, new glass, and a refurbished mechanism. It looked too nice to wear every day, so I bought another Seiko 5 with ceramic biezel. It has seldom left my wrist, except for the occasional cleaning with brush and toothpaste.
The prices on the Seiko mechanicals are increasing fast. What cost $200 in 2004 is now closer to $300-350. Used Seiko 5 watches are a good value, if one can find one without much use. The amount of scratches on the case should give one a idea of how much life it has left. – B.M.