Reply With Quote.
Nice write-up and pictures, thank you.
john
Eddie has been selling this watch for some time now. Having dithered over it for a while, a recent encounter with one in a shop (at a considerably higher price than Eddie is selling them for), prompted the purchase. This is my first watch with an ivory dial. I considered the black dial version, but I already own a dress watch that looks like this, so I thought I'd try something different.
The Seiko 7S35 movement seems barely an improvement on the standard 7S26 movement. It has 2 more jewels but still doesn't hand-wind or hack. So what's the point of it? There is a small amount of decoration on the rotor but you are not going to mistake this for anything other than a mass produced Seiko movement. Its early days for determining the accuracy, but it seems to be running the standard +15 secs a day, as do the other three Seiko 5 based watches in my collection.
The watch is a very nice size, at around 38/39mm and is suitably chunky. The dial is finished to a very high standard which is easily the equivalent of Swiss watches in the £400-500 range. You willl have to refer to Eddies photo of the dial for a detailed look at the decoration, as my camera can't get this close. The chapter ring is a little superfluous on a watch of this type, but it is nearly completely hidden by the edge of the crystal. The date display is black on a white background, and is in a small window at the 4:30 position. The strap is of nice, thick leather quality, but not particularly flexible. It also seems to have been put on 'upside down' as it were, as the free end of the strap is on the inside of the wrist (rather than the conventional outside of the wrist.) I don't know if this is the convention with deployment clasp straps, but I can always change it round if it bothers me. I'm not a great fan of deployment buckles on straps, and this one illustrates the issues perfectly. The strap is oversized, much bigger than a normal strap, by about 5cm or so. This may not seem much, but it means that it fits my wrist in a different way. The buckle side of the strap is of fixed length and is way too long. This side of the strap goes right under my wrist and ends up fastening near the opposite side. For my 7" wrist, the strap is on its tightest/smallest fastening.
The crystal has no anti-reflective coating. Anti-reflective coating is one of those things you only notice when it's not there!
I really like the chunky sculpted look of the watch. The case has a lovely profile, and there are interesting lines to be seen from any angle. The metal ring around the crystal is not overbearing, as it can be some some watches.
The thick, Hardlex crystal is slightly proud of this ring, but has a nice soft curve to its edge; almost acrylic in profile. This makes it less likely to get chipped.
The small crown has a token guard, which looks quite ineffectual and was no doubt designed with looks rather than effectiveness in mind.
Eddies photo of the watch hands is somewhat misleading (not deliberately of course). Only the seconds hand is a matte black. The other hands and the roman numerals on the dial are a sort of shiny gunmetal black. The following photo completely fails to show this, and ends up looking exactly like Eddie's does, with all-black hands! This, along with the creamy ivory dial, give a nice contrast to the matte black sweeping seconds hand.
To sum up then, another high quality watch from Seiko which displays their usual attributes of value for money and quality of finish. I'm sure they meant well with the strap/clasp combination, but I don't see why they sized it for larger than normal wrists. Judging by Eddie's pictures, the black dial version of this watch will be just as nice.
I have noticed that some collectors seem to collect only black dialled watches (and in some cases, only slightly different versions of the same watch). Well, I think you are missing out if you get stuck in this rut. Try something a little different, you never know, you might actually like it,
.
Nice write-up and pictures, thank you.
john
Costume jewellery. Ouch!!!
Thanks for that, interesting read and photos.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Good review. I've got the black-dialled version, the SNM007, with which I have been very impressed to date, although like you I had issues with the strap. I have small-ish wrists, and even on the shortest hole the thing would spin round my wrist. I also found the deployant clasp uncomfortable. I've since tried a couple of aftermarket straps on it, and have finally settled on a new Seiko-signed calf leather strap I scored on the SCWF.
As far as accuracy is concerned, it's always pot luck with a 7S26 derivative, although I find mine to be better than average at about +4/day.
On the few occasions I wear it this watch solicits more comment than pretty much any other I have owned. It is beautiful.
Good review and pics. Many thanks for posting. :D
IMO Seiko are a very underrated and undervallued watch. :roll:
Wear it in health. :D :D
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Hi,
Thanks for your comments chaps. It seems the strap is sized for large wrists, but makes no concession to anyone with smaller than 7" wrists , which is strange. Ordinary straps go down to about 6" or so. I too thought the strap would be uncomfortable, but after a couple of days wear, it still feels fine. By shear luck, it fits me at it's tightest setting, so it might be OK in the long run. Does anyone know the claimed benefits of the 7S35 movement over the 7S26?
Seiko as a brand are only undervalued if you have to have overpriced/overadvertised Swiss watches on your wrist all the time. Wear your Seiko's with pride, I do. The other week, I was in a meeting with a project manager who was wearing his latest aquisition, the green bezel anniversary Rolex Sub. I had my copper-dial £20 Seiko 5 on and felt just as good. :D
There aren't any. Couple of extra jewels that do nowt.Originally Posted by Gruntfuttock
Preaching to the choir, my friend, preaching to the choir. :)Seiko as a brand are only undervalued if you have to have overpriced/overadvertised Swiss watches on your wrist all the time. Wear your Seiko's with pride, I do. The other week, I was in a meeting with a project manager who was wearing his latest aquisition, the green bezel anniversary Rolex Sub. I had my copper-dial £20 Seiko 5 on and felt just as good.
Hi,
just a quick addendum to the review. Here is the Raymond Weil watch I own already that stopped me buying the black face version of the Seiko. Fairly similar don't you think? Compare this with Seamaster73's Seiko pic.
I don't mind integral bracelets so much on dress watches (and this one has a perfect butterfly clasp). It's quartz of course, but without the tell-tale second hand, it doesn't bother me. I expect that the original selling price of this was somewhat in excess of the Seiko's.
I actually prefer the Seiko SNM007's face - the Weil's face look too cluttered with all the numerals, whereas the Seiko's looks just right.
Great review and pics btw. Though I must admit to being partial to a black face, I might give the ivory face a go someday. :wink:
Cheers,
Hi,
In this photo, the RW's face does look more cluttered, but it's a smaller thinner watch and somewhat more delicate looking than the Seiko. It is about half the thickness of the Seiko, and fits under a shirt cuff beautifully. I doubt that the Seiko would fit under some of my shirt cuffs, certainly not the cufflink variety. A case of 'horses for courses'.
One of the things I like about the SNM007 is its size. It's pleasingly proportioned to my mind, being chunkier than watches like that RW. I don't have big wrists by any means, but I find dress watches that are smaller and slimmer (ie most of them) a little too effete for my taste. The original padded leather strap on the SNMs (and the aftermarket Seiko one I have fitted to mine) helps, of course.
Hi,
I agree that the Seiko's are pleasingly proportioned. I like dress size watches as well as 'tool' size watches as they serve different purposes. The RW has a nice chunky bracelet to accompany it, and looks anything but 'effette' on the wrist. In the end, it's what you think suits your wrist.
Great Watch! Ewan Wilson had one for sale on a really chunky bracelet some time ago. I wish I had bought it when I had the chance!
Cheers,
Martin :cry:
I did and, whilst not wanting to make you feel worse, it's the only watch the wife won't let me sell.
It is really is the dogs.............
Apologies for the big pics but i can't get photobucket to resize them and in this case I think they are worth it.
I'd best no say what Ewan was selling these for.
Hi,
lovely looking watch/strap combo you have there. Does the strap have a separate number so that I can try to get hold of one? I do like the look of mine on the brown leather as supplied, but I'm still not sure of the long term comfort value of the deployment buckle as supplied. Perhaps I should just look round for a similar conventional-buckle brown strap for it? VFM is off the scale for this Seiko compared to Swiss stuff. Even German prices are starting to creep upwards... :cry:
The bracelet is stamped 3264-Z-I. Best of luck with your search.
Yes ,have to say that i like it alot :)
Hi,
As a bonus, the Seiko dial colour matches the dials in my new car: :D
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