I just got this watch (the Seiko SNE109 Solar with orange face) and I'm pretty happy. My wife ordered it through Amazon at an "Amazon-ing" price of around $150! (The price actually dropped about $40 as we procrastinated ... go figure ....) This watch is a huge value when compared to others at twice the price. First off, the box is pretty classy, textured blue with embossed brand name, a cute little pillow for the watch, paperwork, etc., everything you need.
The watch is a solid piece of work, right up there with my old Seiko 7002 divers watch, a classic piece. The polish and lines are excellent and the bezel is snug, not too loose and the "starfish" design is "not as bad as the pictures lead you to believe." I really like the dial. The orange is muted, not at all garish, and subtle enough for my tastes. I wanted something easy to see at a glance and this does very well. I like the black lines contrasting between the orange and white. The luminescence is outstanding, just as I remember my older watch, probably better.
The bezel was a deciding factor. Photos don't do it justice. The "white metal" - stainless, shiny and bright - reflects light and shadow in interesting ways. In person the sculpted metal transforms in appearance depending on what angle you view it from. The scalloping actually aids in gripping the bezel when you turn it; my old 7002 is not easy to turn. No, this not a traditional look - as with most divers which are homage to the Omegas and Rolexes - but it could be a classic given enough time.
The size is comparable to my old 7002 and my ten year old Victorinox Swiss Army Officers watch. I look down, can tell the time immediately and I like how it looks on my wrist. I'm keeping the original rubber band at present - if I get restless I'll get a stainless bracelet, but since my other two watches are already so fitted, I see this one staying with the original. It may be mundane in some circles, but it's well suited in my neck of the woods.
And finally, I look forward to seeing how the solar feature works. From what I gather from this forum it's nothing to fret over. My Victorinox needs a battery every few years - I just changed it this spring - and the 7002 was losing five minutes a day, down from the gaining of three minutes per week when I brought it home from the war back twenty some years ago.
The only thing I would change is to put the crown -- which has the classic shoulders like my old watch, yay! -- at the 4:00 position instead of 3:00. Of course, that's just being picky.
FYI, I flipflopped over this purchase several times between this and the other models everyone recommended. I don't need a chronograph (as cool as they look) and simplicity in reading the dial makes me happy. Since I already have an automatic the longevity of solar appealed to me. The only non-Seiko I really liked was the Tissot Seastar 1000 in black with orange numbers, but at $600+ it was not for me. I am practical (translation: cheap) and want something that is bulletproof, reliable, looks good and easily repaired or replaced. If it's precious and I'm afraid of losing or scratching it, I won't wear it, so why have it, right? The SNE109 fit my preferences and so there we are.
I also recommend my favorite online vendor, Amazon. The price is right and the delivery and service first rate, blah-blah-blah. What more do you ***want?
*** July 24, 2014 UPDATE ***
I've had the watch for nearly two years now and so far, so good. I've been wearing it regularly, switching with my old 7002 automatic every week or so depending on what I'm doing, where I'm going, what kinda mood I'm in. Some days I like the vintage black on stainless look, some days the modern orange on stainless.
The only mod I've done is dumping the original rubber strap in favor of a selection of Nato and Zulus. Unlike some reviewers, I found nothing wrong with the original; I just like the variety and practicality of the fabric straps. I've two five ring Zulus for the SNE1