Based on an over thirty year-old design, the Marine Master 300 (model reference SBDX001) is like taking a step back in Seiko history. The quality is supreme, starting with the monocoque case, heavy but comfortable. The movement is a 26 jewelled, 28,800 bph 8L35, an undecorated and unadjusted version of the high-end Grand Seiko 9S55. The dial is a rich and gorgeous matt black, with applied silver indices and Seiko’s magnificent Lumibrite fill on markers and hands.

This one is my 4th, and I’ve bought it again (for the last time) because I genuinely think it’s the best bulletproof, everyday watch that you can get for the money. The only fly in the ointment is that they still need to go back to Japan for servicing (although that situation may be changing any time now).

I’ve had loads of Monsters in the past, in my ongoing hunt for the perfect beater. Old and new versions, bracelet and NATO, but always the black version… until last week, that is, when someone on TZ-UK kindly sold me his orange-dialled beauty. And bloody hell, what a difference!

Somehow, and perhaps because it’s summer, the added splash of colour makes it a really fun watch to wear. The updated hacking/handwinding movement makes it more wearable as well, I think, but for whatever reason I’m really happy I bought it.

I’ve made a bit of a fool of myself lately, with a flipping spree that went along the lines of Monster – Tuna – Monster – Tuna – Monster – Tuna – Tuna. Well, that’s not quite right because the final Tuna is staying, and that’s because I eventually followed my heart and went vintage again. This one’s a 7549-7010 from 1978 and it’s absolutely amazing!

It was actually the first of Seiko’s shrouded divers, designed by Ikuo Tokunaga (Tokunaga-san was the chief designer of Seiko’s Professional Diver series) but what little information is archived away in the (no longer available) Tokunaga Watch Museum. However, it can still be accessed thanks to the amazing Internet Archive Wayback Machine, from which the following has been “rescued”:

The first professional quartz diver’s watch model of 300m saturation diving specification in Japan. The movement is (the) 7549 caliber which has 5 years battery life. There are 17 new technologies, such as L shaped glass gasket structure, glass screw ring fixing structure, twin side shield crown structure, special elastic strap made from polyurethane rubber same as 600m professional diver’s watch.

The interesting thing in that passage for me is the reference to Seiko’s pioneering L-shaped glass gasket, which is – still – the reason that Seiko’s professional/saturation divers avoid the need for a Helium Escape Valve (HEV) which you’ll find on pretty much all the the “oppositions” watches. Anyway, I can’t begin to describe how lovely it is, but here’s a few quick shots to show off the really nice lume on the dial. Apologies too, but it’s a very reflective crystal and requires more time and attention than I could give it right now.

“Idiot”, for sure; but “indecisive” too, it seems…

In the space of about a month, I’ve bought a “new” Monster; decided I wanted a Tuna instead; sold the Monster and bought a Tuna; thought I may have made a mistake again; sold the Tuna and bought another Monster; realised I wanted the Tuna all along; and sold the Monster to fund another Tuna.

Anyway, aside from throwing away some hard-earned spondoolies I’m now delighted because this latest (and last, I hope) Tuna is on the very, very good quality OE bracelet. It makes the watch, in fact, although it’s a tasty bit of kit whatever strap it’s on.

The Tuna is possibly the strangest watch I’ve come across in the last few years, or indeed ever. First off, it’s fugly… in fact, it was the watch I least understood when I first came to know it and it takes a degree of persistence to see underneath the weird shape and ungainly dimensions. When you do, though, it becomes a thing of beauty, transformed by it’s own utilitarian nature into the perfect marriage of form and function.

Secondly, it’s size is deceptive to those who haven’t worn one, because at 48mm many would think you need a massive wrist to carry it off. In fact, with lugs that remind me of the undersized hands of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, it sits really comfortably on a sub-7″ wrist and is therefore wearable by all but the slimmest/smallest of people.

Finally, it’s quartz. However, there’s always room for a grab & go in any collection, and the fact that it’s powered by a battery shouldn’t t you off. In fact, I see it as an advantage in many ways (albeit not a substitute for the mechanical wonders that make up the rest of my collection).

I sold an SBBN007 about a year ago, and amazingly – with all the high-end pieces that have slipped through my fingers since – it’s the watch that I’ve most missed and most wanted back. I’ve been scouring the sales listings on SCWF literally for months and must have exchanged about a hundred emails with members over there; however, I was after a mint SBBN015 with it’s black bezel, it’s brushed (as opposed to blasted) shroud, and it’s dial that now proudly states “Marinemaster” once again, and I simply couldn’t find one at the right price. However, just as I was giving up and thinking I’d have to bite the bullet and buy new – with the associated import charges and potential for packages to go astray – the perfect watch appeared yesterday on TZ-UK and like a big cat hunting it’s prey I pounced!!! In fact, I only just made it, but here it is, complete with an upgraded sapphire crystal, a fresh MOT and battery and some new shroud screws.

Anyone thinking about trying one of these beasts – stop thinking and buy one. You couldn’t possibly be disappointed.

I’ve had 4 or 5 Black Monsters in the past, but there have always been a couple of things that meant I moved them on, even though I really, really wanted to love them. Firstly, the lume on the dial was just a bit too green (and didn’t quite match the lume on the hands); and secondly, I really can’t cope very well with a movement that doesn’t hack or handwind. Well, Seiko must have read my mind, because the new Monster is a whole lot more refined!

Gone is the green lume, replaced by a much more subtle and pale colour that’s an absolute match on both dial and hands. Also upgraded is the movement, which is now the hacking and handwinding 4R36! It also seems to have a slightly better finish to the bezel, although that may just be my imagination.

Purrrrrfect 🙂

When I first started collecting watches, I was fairly set in my ways and had a very clear preference for divers. Even then, however, I didn’t “get” the vintage Seikos with their big cases and asymmetrical designs. I thought they were crass and ugly, and something that I’d never want to strap onto my wrist. Oh, how things change…

I must have had about 10 of the things now, and every time I find myself without one I start scanning the net for potential acquisitions until I stumble across one that meets my very particular needs. The reference with the real history and heritage is the 6105, with it’s Vietnam military connection and the fame achieved through some nifty product placement on Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now. I’ve had a couple of beauties, but the one I really love is it’s successor – the 6309. Produced from 1976-1988, there were effectively two series; the first (and my favourite) having large cushion cases whilst the later models were substantially slimmed down. The former (6309-7040/7049, the slightly different references merely indicating the market for which they were produced) had it’s share of famous admirers too..

Anyway, I’m no Mick Jagger, but I’ve still just bagged my third (or fourth?) 6309. This one has replacement crystal and insert, although the originals came with the watch. The dial is perfect, the hands a 100% match in terms of both colour and luminosity and the case near mint after a light polish applied during service. I’ve ordered a couple of Zulu straps to wear it on and for now it’s looking pretty good on plain black. Oh, and I have a Z22 and super-oyster too, but I doubt I’ll use them.

I’m very happy with it. In fact, I’m beginning to think that it really is an addiction.

For the past few months ago that I’ve been feeling a moon phase itch, and I set about looking at the usual (and not so usual) suspects without a great deal of success. More recently I’ve become quite interested in the Spring Drive technology launched by Seiko a few years ago now. Accordingly, when presented with an opportunity to try a Spring Drive that at the same time provided a modern take on the moon phase complication, it was too tempting to ignore. This morning, then, a LNIB Seiko Spring Drive Moon Phase SNR017J1 arrived in the post.

The watch absolutely oozes quality (and it should, bearing in mind that it retails at not far short of £4000). The dial is mesmerising, with both power reserve and moon phase complications in addition to the usual impeccably applied incides and perfectly crafted hands. The moon phase is the real item of interest, of course, and aside from the ultra-modern design the contrasting finishes of each element are quite beautiful. It’s quite chunky at 42.3mm but wears much smaller than I expected, and fits easily under a cuff. All in all it’s the most striking watch I’ve ever worn and one that I see myself hanging on to for the long term.

Seiko 6309-7290 on correct period S-Y035 bracelet – some luck and a lot of hard work to marry a NOS head with an equally NOS bracelet, but it was well worth the effort!

I posted a while back about a NOS 6309-7920 that I managed to pick up from the SCWF. When it arrived it was on a rather old/worn GL381 rubber and although I liked the look it was (as usual for Seiko rubber straps) too long. To cut a long story short, I actually bought two bracelets to try on the watch; one of them (a NOS Seiko S-Y035 with Y035E end links – is on route from the States and due any time, but the other is now mounted and looking pretty good.

It’s a Yobokies Hammer with SKX end links, and these fit the 729X series cases perfectly too. It’s actually really comfortable, due in part to the micro adjustment on the clasp, and is an extremely well-made piece of kit, down to the concealed divers extension and button release. All in all, I’m very pleased with it, although I suspect that the correct period Seiko bracelet will end up on the watch pretty much permanently.

I’ve enjoyed some fantastic vintage Seiko watches, from a 1960’s GS to some near-perfect iconic dive watches from the seventies. However, when it comes to divers I think this has to be the nicest I’ve had yet.

I picked it up as NOS, and being a 6309-7290 it has the slimmer case than the better known 704X series. I think that makes it very, very wearable and for a 1987 watch it’s really quite a contemporary style (well let’s face it, it’s not all that different from the SKX’s).

I really am very pleased indeed, and you can probably see why…

A rare visit to the Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum a week or so ago, and the first watch that caught my eye was this virtually-NOS 6309-7290 from 1987… still wearing some of its case back sticker, in fact, and now looking very nice indeed on a black Zulu strap.

I do have a GL831 for it, but as it’s a bit long for me I’ll keep that one in the box. It’ll probably end up on the Yobokies hammer bracelet that’s just arrived, but for now I like it just as it is. Can there be a nicer one, anywhere?

I dont know why I let two SBDX001 Marine Masters go in the past. It certainly wasn’t because I don’t feel the love for them, and in fact on one occasion it was to raise some funds for a Striking 10th. However, bearing in mind that my collection is now vintage it really is the perfect modern watch to sit alongside them.

There’s some info here for those who might be interested, but this is about the pictures!

What a 6105 would look like on vintage leather? Well, you can stop wondering now…

When I first started seriously collecting watches, one thing I couldn’t fathom (excuse the pun) was the love I was seeing in others for the old Seiko divers with their big cushion cases and asymmetric shapes. It took me some time to understand what the allure was, and the one reference that I set my heart on was the 6105.

Procuced between 1968 and 1977, Seiko made 2 series of 6105 divers. The 6105-8000 and 6105-8009 models use the cal. 6105A movement and have symmetrical cushion cases, whilst he 6105-8110 and 6105-8119 models come later and use the cal. 6105B movement within larger asymmetical cushion cases. They are both 17J and run at 21,600 bph and both have a quickset date-only calendar mechanism.

Although not a “military issue” watch, Seiko 6105s were very popular with American GIs in Vietnam, as the watch had a reputation for ruggedness and durability in the harsh Vietnamese combat environment. Indeed, for anyone who’s seen the movie Apocolypse Now (which is actually my very favourite movie of all time – bar none) Martin Sheen wore a 6105 playing captain Willard; since then, of course, the watch has become one of the all-time cult classics.

This one, another that I picked up on my visit to Stockholm, is an absolute beauty – all original and with just a little wabi to hint at it’s roots. Truth be told, it’s not the most beautiful watch you’ll ever wear… but my god, it has some character!

Okay, so it’s not a 6105 as worn and made (even more) famous by Martin Sheen in one of the best movies of all time. But it is a Seiko 6309-7040, dating from the 70’s but with some very modern twists. It doesn’t hack and it doesn’t handwind; and of course it’s not a purists watch. But I like it a lot.