Quad 10 vs. Speedbird III - in pictures

[mr1973]

As promised some shots of the Quad 10 and the Speedbird III.
Sorry for the quality, my camera broke a few weeks ago. And all what's left is my cellphone :-(









The Quad 10 didn't come with AR.













Lug to lug with is enormous on the Quad 10. :shock:







Both have a domed sapphire crystal.





Different bezels and crystal alignment.



That's it for now. Perhaps I'm going to do this again with a better cam some day.

[Jeroen]

Thanks Mike,

nice comparison

the differences are easily spotted and IMHO all pointy in favour of the SBIII
I prefer the bezel, crystal fit and lug shape of the SBIII and AR coating is a helpful feature too

[mr1973]

Thanks Mike,

nice comparison

the differences are easily spotted and IMHO all pointy in favour of the SBIII
I prefer the bezel, crystal fit and lug shape of the SBIII and AR coating is a helpful feature too

Thank you Jeroen. But please note, AR was an option on the Quad but I didn't choose it ;-)

But you're right. The overall appearance of the SBIII really stands out. Fit and finish is, IMHO, superior to the Quad. Anyhow, does it make sense to have both in the collection? A clear yes from me.

They are completely different watches in pretty much every aspect.

[Glamdring]

Interesting: both watches after the same market segment. The Q10 seems markedly thicker. From what you say though they are different. Can you quantify why?
Another really important issues is that of bracelets. What does the Q10 offer to compare with the custom SBIII's?

With regard to your camera, what I'd like you to do is invest in an Olympus E520 and post lots of pics so I can decide whether to buy one or not. Or maybe the Panasonic LX3. Cheeky of me, or what! :P

[Dave E]

Interesting, the Quad is noticeably bigger in most dimensions, isn't it? I really like the proportions of the SBIII, so I'm happy I held out for it (nearly got a Quad a couple of times). I think the Quad would have been to long for my wrist.

[b11ocx]

What is the cost differential ?

[Neil.Ldn]

They both look good ( to me anyway, I like this style of watch fullstop ). From your pictures, I like dial, hands, bezel and general proportions better on the SBIII - looks better quality. I like the longer lugs on the Quad, but I think they are too 'shaped' toward the ends.

Neil

[VinceR]

Good comparison shots - both look good!

[YODAHAWK]

I like the bold numbers on the SB3. I think they stand out better.

[Ron Jr]

The only thing I would take from the Quad10 and add to the SB3 would be the drilled lugs. Just to make strap/bracelet changes easier not that I am planning on taking the bracelet off.

[Crusader]

Thanks for the comparative pictures, Mike. 8)

Seeing the two dial variants so close to each other, I am surprised at how different they look. I didn't quite expect that.

While I probably could get away with the lug-length of the Quad 10 given my wrists, I decided against it and converted one of Eddie's PRS-53 with the help of the Yao dial and hands into my "Mark MCXLVIII":



This wasn't meant to be a big watch. :wink:

[mr1973]

Interesting: both watches after the same market segment. The Q10 seems markedly thicker. From what you say though they are different. Can you quantify why?

Because of the dial, the hands, the crown and the case, the antimagnetic cover and dial, the AR coating etc. :lol:

Another really important issues is that of bracelets. What does the Q10 offer to compare with the custom SBIII's?

Nothing imho. But I've never tried to fit one.

With regard to your camera, what I'd like you to do is invest in an Olympus E520 and post lots of pics so I can decide whether to buy one or not. Or maybe the Panasonic LX3. Cheeky of me, or what! :P

:mrgreen:

My next F31FD is expected to arrive today ;-)


b11ocx:

I don't know the price of the Quad, it has been discontinued. But I've paid around EUR 400 inc. taxes and import fees. So not much of a difference (but the SBIII comes with a bracelet, mind you).

[deano42]

Mike

Thanks for taking the time to post the pixs.

Quite a difference really.

SBIII font look "bold" compared to the Quad
Lug-to-lug the quad wins :shock:

What doesn't come through in the pictures is the way the quad crown is slightly sunk into the case, which I think is a nice subtle touch.

Would I swap my Quad for the SBIII.... hmmm I like the quad too much.

Thanks
deano

[Tickeros]

How does the SB3 and Quad compare weight wise, obviously minus bracelet ??

The SB3 is a heavyweight compared to say, my Stowa Airman and seems as weighty as an Explorer 1 I once had.

[Steven]

excellent comparison . they both look very good I must say.
Does anyone know if it would be possible to put the Yao dial from the Quad 10 into the Speedbird III case? I think that would look smashing :)

[rfrazier]

The font on the SB III is much more to my taste. Indeed, it looks to be very similar to the font on my Mil2.

Best wishes,
Bob

[docd]

Both look good - great pics for a phone cam :)

I really like metal edged hands (Yao / old Seamaster) but the SBIII is most excellent in other ways.
Like the elusive domed sapphire effect .... quality :love5:

[Crusader]

Does anyone know if it would be possible to put the Yao dial from the Quad 10 into the Speedbird III case? I think that would look smashing :)

Not sure. The Yao dial is a normal dial, the SBIII should be antimagnetic, and hence thicker. Not sure how a slimmer dial would sit in the case against the shoulder.

[swanbourne]

Does anyone know if it would be possible to put the Yao dial from the Quad 10 into the Speedbird III case? I think that would look smashing :)

Not sure. The Yao dial is a normal dial, the SBIII should be antimagnetic, and hence thicker. Not sure how a slimmer dial would sit in the case against the shoulder.

The Speedbird III dial is a soft iron anti-magnetic dial and is 1.3mm thick.

Eddie

[rfrazier]

Standard brass dials come in at about .4mm.

Best wishes,
Bob

[mr1973]

I see no prob whatsoever.

- Get 3 Yao dials
- Get some superglue
- Glue them together
- Get a new date disc
- Install the new date disc
- Get new hands (as the length wouldn't match the size of the dial)
- Install them
- Put everything together just to know that there's something wrong with it. Nothing major, really, but you hate it a little bit more every time you look at it. You can't really say what it actually is that troubles you, so you begin to annoy the wife and bug your best mates (you ask what they think - they love these things!). After looking at it for 12 days you *think* that you've found out what it is. So you begin to annoy the (...see above).
18 days later you've lost all your friends, you are probably close to a divorce... BUT you definitely know IT IS THAT F*CKIN NEW DIAL that just doesn't look as nice as the original one! So you ask your wife if you should put the original one back and ....

[Ron Jr]

Thats when your neighbors here the shots ring out. All because you couldn't leave well enough alnoe.

[Crusader]

I think that the modern-style fonts of the SB3 dial go better with the sapphire crystal of the watch, and that the Yao dial (which is closer to the original Mark 11, whereas the SB3 dial is patterned after the Mark XV) really belongs in a case with an acrylic crystal. :)

[KavKav]

I see no prob whatsoever.

- Get 3 Yao dials
- Get some superglue
- Glue them together
- Get a new date disc
- Install the new date disc
- Get new hands (as the length wouldn't match the size of the dial)
- Install them
- Put everything together just to know that there's something wrong with it. Nothing major, really, but you hate it a little bit more every time you look at it. You can't really say what it actually is that troubles you, so you begin to annoy the wife and bug your best mates (you ask what they think - they love these things!). After looking at it for 12 days you *think* that you've found out what it is. So you begin to annoy the (...see above).
18 days later you've lost all your friends, you are probably close to a divorce... BUT you definitely know IT IS THAT F*CKIN NEW DIAL that just doesn't look as nice as the original one! So you ask your wife if you should put the original one back and ....

Brilliant Mike! :laughing6:

[Nalu]

I think that the modern-style fonts of the SB3 dial go better with the sapphire crystal of the watch, and that the Yao dial (which is closer to the original Mark 11, whereas the SB3 dial is patterned after the Mark XV) really belongs in a case with an acrylic crystal. :)

Agree. My problem is that I like the Mk11 dial a little more while preferring the construction/size of the SB3 :?

[redmonaco]

I prefer the SBs date at 6 o'clock position

[swanbourne]

Now, if only the dial maker would do his job properly and shift the 7 and 8 horizontally to the left by a few points on the SB dial...

I'm prepared to be flamed on this one but its not perfectly done and no-one can say with all honesty that it is.

So you've had one in your hands then? Everybody who has one can't see straight but you can?

Eddie

[walkuere]

the Yao dial (which is closer to the original Mark 11 really
belongs in a case with an acrylic crystal.

Good point crusader, and another excuse to show my Mark XIII (after all it was
your great project that got me into modding).



Frank

[redmonaco]

Now, if only the dial maker would do his job properly and shift the 7 and 8 horizontally to the left by a few points on the SB dial...

I'm prepared to be flamed on this one but its not perfectly done and no-one can say with all honesty that it is.

So you've had one in your hands then? Everybody who has one can't see straight but you can?

Eddie

No, I havent held one, but your sales pic shows the anomoly quite clearly.

[JCJM]

:sleepy2:

[mr1973]

Lads, you know I was one of those who drawed a circle on Eddies pic.
In real life however, it looks perfectly aligned. Let me illustrate this.



If the 8 was shifted to the left a few points, the 10 would be much too heavy in my opinion.



As Eddie said before, you have to see it in the metal. It feels just right.

[swanbourne]

I'm glad you've done that. I agree that "in the metal" it looks just right and I also agree that on some pictures it can appear differently. I think you need to be able to move it around in your hands before you can make a judgement, the fact that the only two people to comment about the dial haven't handled the watch seems to bear this out.

Eddie

[MartinCRC]

I've had a crack at this one and come up with the following:



This was done by eye and so I would not make any claims that this is in any way geometrically perfect or indeed that this approach is the correct one when deciding how to place the hour markers but it does suggest some asymmetry.

Martin

[JCJM]

Guys. Lets give Eddie a break here.

If he says it is OK it is OK. - We all know how precise Eddie is with stuff like this. No-one who has the actual watch has commented the dial being offset. It would not be the first dial that looks a bit funny on the pics but is perfect in reality. Usually its the other way!

Lets just move on :!:

[MikeB]

wearing mine now, looks perfect from any angle.

[swanbourne]

Let's see what circles and lines make of this one then. Unfortunately I don't have the pic without the red circle, I overwrote the original file.



Eddie

[mr1973]

Oh man Eddie, if you'd have done this the people would probably go crazy about the fact that IWC is not really aligned below the triangle marker :shock: :shock: :lol:

[redmonaco]

Oh man Eddie, if you'd have done this the people would probably go crazy about the fact that IWC is not really aligned below the triangle marker :shock: :shock: :lol:

quite right, the IWC is screwed!! :D

[MartinCRC]

Let's see what circles and lines make of this one then. Unfortunately I don't have the pic without the red circle, I overwrote the original file.

Eddie

There you go:



Same disclaimers apply!

Martin

[Glamdring]

Well, as someone who had doubts along these lines I'm hoping my SBIII will arrive tomorrow, so I can judge for myself. I've asked by PM people who already had one. The answers were unequivocally positive.

[MartinCRC]

Well, my view is that lack of symmetric notwithstanding, it is a beautiful watch, beautifully executed. This flaw, if that's what it is, makes it just a little bit more interesting!

Martin

[Dave E]

Meh, I look down at my wrist and it looks properly proportioned and positioned to me. I have to say that I am finding that the SBIII is one of those watches that has nailed all of the proportions just right: case size to dial, height, weight, the lot. Very pleasing, frankly!

[redmonaco]

Let's see what circles and lines make of this one then. Unfortunately I don't have the pic without the red circle, I overwrote the original file.

Eddie

There you go:



Same disclaimers apply!

Martin

is it just me, or is this watch (complete with all the coloured lines and circles) strangely attractive...? :o
:shock: :o :o

[mr1973]

It is just you.

[redmonaco]

It is just you.

thought so...

[Crusader]

Visual symmetry is different from geometrical symmetry. :wink:

Consider columns/pillars: unless they are bulging (convex), they will not appear straight, but concave.