I recently bought my SBBN035 Tuna from Sales Corner and I think it will be a keeper. I have flipped a lot of watches over the last couple of years looking for my ideal daily wearer, including an SBBN015 which, despite the similarities with my latest watch, just wasn’t for me.
I have seen the SBBN035 described as a Darth Tuna and a Stealth Tuna on account of its black DLC coating and its white/red/blue) on black day/date ring. For me, the coating transforms the appearance when compared to the brushed steel finish of the SBBN015. The design (although identical under the finish) does not appear as brutal and the white markings on the high gloss bezel look so crisp. I’m not normally a fan of glossy bezels, but the width of the gloss area is narrow, so it doesn’t look too dressy. It looks great!
The other difference I really like is the silicone strap. All but two of the watches I have had in the past 40 years have had bracelets, which I have always preferred. But this rubber strap makes such a difference to the heft of the watch. It still feels balanced on the wrist, but it’s so much lighter than the SBBN015 (despite its titanium clasp - aka the 'scratch magnet'). The other thing I really like about the rubber is its very slight flare as it joins lugs – it makes the transition from case to strap look a little softer than the abrupt transition from perfect circle of the case to parallel lines for the bracelet on the 015. Not having to get a jeweller to adjust the length was a bonus too!
The 7C46 movement is also a bonus. It may be a quartz, but a good quality one only found in these Marinemasters (as far as I know) and designed to be ultra robust and reliable – essential when being used for its original purpose (though sadly, I think my diving days are over).
Here’s a wrist shot on my 7.25ish inch wrist
ATB
Jon