Reply With QuoteGreat review. They really are great watches, I would be very interested to see the mesh effect when you get it as I fancy one for my Darth Tuna.
Hello Gents,
So, I'm trying furiously to consolidate my collection. I have some nice watches, better ones than I deserve, and I find that I simply don't wear any one of them enough. I always had one watch growing up, and wore that one watch to every occasion. Thus, it became part of me.
Later on in life, I had a bit more disposable $, and started collecting the watches that always intrigued me.
The last couple of years, I found I had too many watches. Maybe 20+, and it simply meant that I never wore any single one of them for too long. I actually wanted to get down to 2-3, and wear those, but some are too hard to part with (you guys know all about this!). So, I've slowly been selling off those I don't wear too much.
This however, is an addition to the collection:
I have the MM300, and love it. I feel it is every bit the equal of the Rolex SD I have, and it's one of the ones that I can't imagine selling. I purchased the MM300 because I heard so much about it, but felt it was not all that interesting. Looked like a Seiko, and a Rolex Sub. But I thought I could sell it on if I didn't like it, and I was unlikely to see another unless I bought it. I did. When it came I was thoroughly impressed, and remain so.
I received the quartz SS model of the MarineMaster Tuna can watch in a trade, and thought it was a fantastic piece, but I thought in the long run, the quartz aspect would bother me. I don't have a problem with quartz, but prefer the automatic model if one's available.
I sold my Doxa Searambler TGraph 600T to fund the SBDX011, and am happy with the decision. This one arrived from Japan in about a week from the order, and has been ticking away at +5sec/day since. My MM300 needed tweaking to get it to run with the accuracy I wanted, and Jack/IWW did that for me, as well as switched out to a sapphire crystal. The MM300 keeps about +1-2sec/day on the wrist now.
I'm really impressed with the MM300's cousin, the SBDX011. The Ti construction actually makes it wearable, with heft that's not unbalanced. I love, love the Ti shroud that's ceramic coated-it looks almost brushed, and has a beautiful sheen in the light. The AR coating on the sapphire crystal is a pleasing brown tone. The crown/winding action is great-similar to winding the MM300, but perhaps a bit smoother, and the screw-in function is a bit more "rolexy" if that makes sense. Less-fine threads, perhaps?
What would I change? Perhaps the bezel insert to have the first 15 minutes luminous. That's about it. Oh, and the supplied strap is a bit stiff, but not too uncomfortable for me. I may order a PVD Isofrane, and I do have a PVD sharkmesh on order for it. However, the supplied strap is fine, and seems like it will "break-in" with some abuse.
:)
Chris
Great review. They really are great watches, I would be very interested to see the mesh effect when you get it as I fancy one for my Darth Tuna.
Cracking lump of metal. I haven't got the wrist to carry it off. Congratulations.
That's a beauty, would look lovely on a PVD mesh
:D Got to love the Tuna, especially the big black auto ones.
Nice pair of Seikos! 8)
Looks great on your wrist. Congrats!! :thumbright:
Love it,
If I may say something though: its very round, like the moon.
Can you detach it from its holder. It kinda looks like you can take it out, do you see what I mean?
recommend the PVD Isofrane,goes great on my sbbn013,and comfortable too.
The "holder" is a Titanium shroud, and is coated in Ceramic. You *can* take it off, with the 4 hex screws, but this defeats the purpose of the protective shroud. Somewhere on the internet is a pic of this dismantled, and it's nice to see that the finishing of the Titanium watch case is equally flawless beneath the shroud.Originally Posted by hugo2703
So yes, you can take off the shroud should you desire, but I think mostly you'd want it in place, other than removal for the occasional cleaning perhaps...
Congratulations on a truly great piece, Chris 8)
I like the SBDX011 Emperor Tuna alot as it payes tribute to Seiko´s very first large shrouded professional Tuna, the 6159-7010 :)
I like to wear my large Tuna´s on a 24mm Divestrap Classic cut to fit the 22mm lugs :wink:
That's a great addition to any collection. I've had mine since the end of 2010, and I have bonded with it surprisingly well.
I have changed the strap for a Timefactors "Retro" (Similar to the Isofrane), and that works very well for me.
Hope you enjoy yours as much.
Bazz.
Tunas are just lovely lumps of metal!
Especially on either a super oyster they look simply cool
Alex
Love these - I wonder how the Ti shroud would look beadblasted?
There is post on the Seikoforum about a modded sbdx011 tuna: http://www.thewatchsite.com/index.ph...c,18415.0.html
Sorry if this already has been posted.
Btw: congrats to the OP and thanks for sharing :-D
Very cool! BTW Tunas look great on mesh bracelets IMHO
very nice! love those Tunas :P
cheers,
Peter
Congratulations for this fantastic watch.
Anyway I think it is a bit large and heavy for my taste.
Remember that only a few years ago Seiko start to make large watches. Maybe since the year 2000.
Japanese men have thin wrist sizes, therefore Seiko was always around 37 mm watch diameters.
In my opinion this model was specific made for export, only.
Seiko released its very first titanium shrouded diver more than 35 years ago in 1975, the 6159-7010 with 50mm in diameter and 53mm lug-to-lug, so imho there is a lot of history behind the current sbdx011 :wink:
However, it is still a large watch, but soooo lovely :D
I disagree, mostly because this watch is not an export model. It is JDM only, as far as I know.
I think the size is fine, as the weight is not an issue, especially underwater, and the size only contributes to legibility underwater, really. It is a bit large for non-diving purposes, though!
It wears far better than I would have thought at first. I do think that the supplied strap is a concern, and makes it a bit hard to fit correctly. Maybe once it breaks in a bit...
Another interesting thing I noticed is that I was opposed to the handset when I saw it in pictures, even thinking I might change them out to the quartz model, if possible. However, in person, I really like the hands, and actually prefer them to the quartz versions I've seen in the past.
Strange...
got your new strap?
Currently I have it on an orange O7 iso-style strap. It has a PVD buckle. I wanted to see how I thought about the orange/black, and I like it a lot!
Not sure yet if I'll spring for the Isofrane in orange, or keep it the way it is. I do think that 24mm lugs would probably have suited the watch better.
Chris
Bronze!!! :thumbleft:There is post on the Seikoforum about a modded sbdx011 tuna: http://www.thewatchsite.com/index.ph...c,18415.0.html
Sorry if this already has been posted.
Btw: congrats to the OP and thanks for sharing :-D
john
Costume jewellery. Ouch!!!
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