Seiko 5 Sports x HUF Limited Edition SRPM09 Review: A Classic 70s Design Reimagined With A Skate-Style Twist

It would seem as if we are reaching the peak in the collab era of watches, with more and more brands on all ends of the spectrum now more willing than ever to collaborate with companies in realms outside the watch world to find new sources of inspiration. Among the many compelling watch collaborations of this year, the latest skateboarding-inspired HUF Seiko Watch one-two-punch continues to impress, both in terms of the thoughtful showcasing of both brands’ unique strengths, and for its easy-wearing potential. Now that the dust has somewhat settled after the initial release, we’re going hands-on with the Seiko 5 Sports Field HUF Limited Edition, from the source of its vintage inspiration, to key design details and choices that make this one of the most compelling watches we've seen from the duo yet. 

Notably, this is not the first time that Seiko and HUF have united creative forces for a little limited edition fun. Back in 2022, we saw the debut of the first HUF Seiko collab watch of its kind with the SRPJ19, which channeled the brand’s signature skate style into the Seiko 5 Sports line, looking to a late 1960s dive model from the 1960s for its design codes. In 2024, the duo teamed up again to launch a take on the circa 1969 Regatta timer reimaged with HUF’s recognizable box logo and the lime green hues that have become the skate-lifestyle brand’s calling card. While the latest Seiko x HUF collab turns once again to the watchmaker's past, they’ve pivoted to a completely new watch for the source of its inspiration – the 1970s-era Time Sonar. 

HUF, the brainchild of pro-skateboarder turned fashion designer Keith Hufnagel, has been a pioneer of streetwear style with a skate-oriented edge since its founding over fifteen years ago, and has been prolific in this arena, transcending the boundaries of purely skate culture to a wider cultural cachet. Defined by an aesthetic that manages to be clean, bold, and with a certain devil-may-care at once, all of these guiding principles have made their way to the watch at hand. And one could argue that this somewhat rebellious, alternative spirit was already present with the Time Sonar as the canvas. Launched in the mid-1970s, the Time Sonar’s design was playful and experimental for the time. Inspired by submarine sonar system displays, the watch was defined by its use of not only a transparent dial, but also a see-through caseback, and was among Seiko’s first chronographs with an exhibition caseback. The punchiness of all of these elements remains just as impactful today, and works particularly well with a little HUF edge.

The latest HUF x Seiko collaboration remains quite faithful to the archival model that inspired it, down to the case dimensions. The original Time Sonar models were considered quite large for the time at 39mm, though it feels well within Goldilocks territory for enthusiasts today. Measuring 39.4mm in diameter (48.1mm lug-to-lug) with a case profile of 11.6mm, on paper, this is a watch that is promising for wrists of many sizes. 

Further, the case design has undergone some reworking compared to the 1970s models. Whereas the vintage model has a quite saucer-like, tonneau-style design and short, hooded lugs, the 2026 Seiko x HUF Time Sonar opts for a more round, cushion-style case, with a round bezel and integrated lugs that flow right into the three-link bracelet. This switch-up actually helps the watch wear more compact on the wrist, while the Time Sonar of the 1970s tended to wear larger than its diameter suggested. Another important detail: you’ll notice that on the HUF take on the Time Sonar, we’ve got only a single crown at three o’clock, with no pushers in sight. This is a telltale shift in the watch’s functionality, and unlike the flyback chronograph utility of the original Time Sonar models, HUF and Seiko have instead gone with simplified time and day-date functions. Additionally, this watch is capable of withstanding depths up to100 meters, making it all the more versatile.

Undeniably, the dial is the real showstopper of this piece. At first glance, it isn’t pulling any punches. The transparent dial has been transformed into a quintessentially HUF lime green hue, which also fits nicely with the overall “sonar” theme (it’s kind of the first color that comes to mind when encountering that word, no?). Surprisingly, this is the first time the Time Sonar has ever been done in green, though there were quite a few teal iterations of the line throughout the 1970s. 

The coolest part of the dial, and what makes the vintage-inspired design feel perennially relevant and fun, is that you can see right through to the day and date wheels beneath (which have options for both Kanji and English, by the way). Honestly surprised that watchmakers aren’t leaning into the fun of transparent dials more often, as it's a simple detail with a lot of payoff in terms of novelty. The seconds hand and triangular “zero” marker at twelve o’clock are done in a matching, poppy orange, which stands out boldly against all the green going on. The dial has also undergone a slight smoked tint, which softens the view (and is somewhat ironic, considering HUF’s line of “Plantlife” socks, which were how I first encountered the brand in the hallways of my high school). This effect helps keep things legible for easy reading, while leaning into the drama and dynamism. Six o’clock is where you’ll find the boxy “huf” logo, this time done in black with white text, and complements the day-date window at three o’clock, as well as the black graphics across the center of the dial and black minutes track around the perimeter. 

As mentioned above, unlike the early Time Sonar models of the 1970s, the HUF rendition of the design is not a flyback chronograph. Like most other members of the 5 Sports family, Seiko’s workhorse 4R36 automatic caliber is under the hood, which features hand-winding capabilities, along with hacking seconds, and has a power reserve of 41 hours. A flip of the watch reveals the exhibition-style caseback, which, as we’ve seen in other collabs between HUF and Seiko, is done in a “HUF Green,” just like the dial. But this watch has switched up the caseback design a bit and features a graphic map of San Francisco, which is the home base of HUF. As this is a limited edition, after all, you will also find the individual serial number of each watch engraved on the caseback. 

Seiko and HUF have become familiar collaborators at this point, and have managed to release a lineup of quite distinct limited editions. This is a personal favorite among what we’ve seen from this duo so far, and I think it's also the one that captures the HUF vibe the most craftily. It’s also novel in that it's a design that has largely been relegated to the past, aside from the SRPJ45 Diver take on the Time Sonar, which (at the time of writing) is sold out on Seiko’s website, so it feels all the more special. Thoughtful and unabashedly bold, this piece still also manages to be relatively affordable (in the context of watches, at least) at $400, which will make it appeal to a wider range of consumers, which is particularly smart given that HUF is a brand so connected to youth culture. 

For more information, visit the brand’s website here.