Pepsi isn't just something you drink when you have a burger. For watch enthusiasts, it's the red-and-blue bezel that lived in the wild for decades as an unofficial nickname for watches until Seiko said, "Let's get this straight." And so we have an official collaboration with PepsiCo - two Seiko 5 Sports models, the SRPL99 and SSK047, both limited to 7,000 pieces and both ready to pack your wrist wardrobe in September.
If you're wondering where the booze is, the answer is: nowhere – at least not yet. The combination of red and blue was brought to the watchmaking world by Rolex GMT-Master in the mid-1950s, when pilots needed a visual distinction between day and night. Collectors said, “Hey, that’s like a Pepsi can!” and the nickname stuck. But it was always just an internal meme. Until today. Seiko went to the source, knocked on PepsiCo’s door, and said, “License, please.” Boom – watch pop culture has a new artifact. It is – the Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition.
Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition – SRPL99: a small cylinder of nostalgia
If you like small watches, the SRPL99 is your type – 38 mm diameter, 12.1 mm thick, 100 m water resistant, 4R36 caliber with day-date function. Classic three-piece steel strap, Hardlex glass and (this will please lume junkies) luminous bezel with LumiBrite coatings. The dial has retro typography from the 90s, which smells of VHS tapes and the first Pepsi Max logos. Transparent back with logo and serial number? Anyway.
Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition – SSK047: A GMT for those who travel (or just like to look like they travel)
On the other side of the ring is the Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition SSK047 – 42.5 mm, black-coated steel case, caliber 4R34 with GMT hand, which gives you a second time zone (even if the only time difference between you and your couch is five minutes). The bezel is red-and-blue again, but this time on a black background – a bit more “Tokyo nightlife” than “Miami beach”. And the strap? Silicone with embossed “PEPSI”, a first for the SKX GMT series. Water resistance? 100 m, because you never know when someone will throw you in the pool.
Packaging you'd love to have even without the watch – Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition
Both models come in a box that looks like a Pepsi can. Because why would a watch be boring when it can be carbonated? Limited edition: 7,000 pieces per model, engraved on the back with "LIMITED EDITION" and serial number. Seiko clearly knows how to play on fan nostalgia.
Prices that do not require a second mortgage
US prices: SRPL99 – $395, SSK047 – $550. In Europe around €380 and €540, in the UK £330 and £470, in Australia A$595 and A$950. Which for a watch with the official Pepsi seal and limited edition is quite a way out of Rolex’s “if you have to ask, you’re at the wrong address” territory.
Conclusion: more than a watch, less than a status symbol
Comparing the Seiko 5 Sports Pepsi Limited Edition to the Rolex GMT-Master is like comparing lemonade to a grand cru. But that's exactly the charm: Seiko took some, which was always a bit of “ours,” and turned it into an official thing that’s accessible, fun, and self-deprecating enough that you can wear it without feeling like you just blew a piece of steel. And yes – it comes in a can.
