The Big Crown is one of the most classic Oris models in my opinion. Maybe it’s not as popular as the Aquis, but it’s been a staple in the brand’s lineup for a long time. It was also its first pilot watch. Oris introduced its first “Big Crown” pilot’s watch in 1938, but the watch in this review is a new, unique take on this classic model.

The Oris Big Crown, With A Twist

This model is different than most Oris Big Crowns. The stark white dial (which appears to be lacquered), gives it an almost enamel-like finish. It’s a little different, but isn’t necessarily out-of-the-ordinary. What makes the watch special is the princess cut diamonds that are placed above each of the applied indices and Arabic numerals on the dial.

There’s actually 13 diamonds on the dial in total, since Oris placed two at the twelve o’ clock position. The diamonds jumped out at me right away, because I knew they’d match the princess cut of my wife’s engagement ring.

The white dial and diamonds made the watch unique and special enough that I knew it was “the one”. The watch does share some features of the other Big Crown watches made by Oris, too. This includes the signature fluted bezel, which gives the watch a little something “extra”.

The bezel actually makes the watch more interesting. A regular old smooth bezel would’ve made the watch look a little boring overall. There’s also another nice little detail if you look closely, which is the flat, highly-polished inner bezel. It’s an added touch that I didn’t notice at first, but it helps hide scratches. Due to the high-polish, it also looks black at certain angles.

The fleiger-style hands are filled with a generous amount of lume that glows blue. All of this is protected behind a sapphire crystal. The Arabic numerals and Indices are also applied, but it’s a very thin, almost printed application.

A Watertight Case With Classic Proportions

One of the best features of the watch is the water resistance. It boasts 100 meters water resistance and is aided by a screw-down crown. That makes the watch a perfect go anywhere, do anything watch in my opinion.

The case is slim and allows the watch to wear nice and slim. It measures 38mm across and it’s about 12mm thick. The lug width is only 18mm, which makes the watch wear slightly smaller than say, a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical in 38mm. The Hamilton has a 20mm lug width, as well as a longer lug-to-lug width – so it definitely seems to wear larger than this Oris.

The case itself is almost entirely brushed. The lugs curve down nicely to fit snugly on the wrist, and the angular end parts are actually polished. This is really the only polished part on the watch except the crown and inner bezel.

The strap itself is a taupe color and I think it suits the watch. It’s a color you don’t really see very often, if at all. It’s complimented by white stitching and a tan underside. It seems to be a leather strap with alligator print, not genuine alligator, but it gets the job done and has broken in nicely over time.

The exhibition caseback displays the Selitta SW-200 movement with the signature red rotor Oris is known for. It also carries over the pattern of the bezel to the outer caseback, which shows the attention to detail over at Oris.

Conclusion

I think this women’s version of the classic Oris Big Crown is hard to beat. The complimenting colors of taupe, silver, and white – coupled with the tastefully placed diamonds – really make the whole package come together. It’s a unique take on the Big Crown, and I don’t think there’s anything else like it in the Oris catalog. It’s also a great GADA watch, or even a “one watch”, for people like my wife who aren’t as into watches I am.

When I asked my wife about any negatives about the watch, the only thing she could really think of was the lack of a date window. I actually like the symmetry of the dial without the date, but my wife prefers the functionality of a date complication – especially at work. She also tends to favor metal bracelets, but her Seiko SARB035 covers both those bases. So between the Seiko and Oris, along with her Apple Watch, she’s got a nice “three watch collection”.

The Certina DS First Ceramic: A Dressier Dive Watch

Certina didn’t hold back on the features of this watch. The glossy dial and shiny, ceramic bezel give it a “dress diver” vibe. This is also accentuated by the alligator embossed leather strap. A nice double deployant-style clasp is also fitted to the strap. This is a higher-end feature usually found on higher-end watches. It’s definitely an upgrade from your run-of-the-mill tang buckle, and should allow the strap to last longer.

I think the watch would look equally as good on a tropic strap, especially given the cool 1960’s design cues of the watch. It’s also a true, dyed-in-the-wool diver, water resistant to 200 meters. The embossed turtle on the caseback makes you aware of the watch’s waterproofness and durability as well. It’s a nice nod to vintage Certina casebacks.

The ceramic bezel is gorgeous, and the bezel action is great, with little back-play. I believe it’s only 60 clicks, however. The applied indices are filled with lume and add to the overall legibility of the watch. A date at 6:00 is also a very thoughtful design touch, as it doesn’t break up the symmetry of the dial like a date window at 3:00 would.

A Slim Case, Coupled With Excellent Finishing

The case of the Certina DS First is visually interesting with nicely beveled edges. I always love this feature on a watch, which can also be found on the Tudor Black Bay, for instance.

Unlike the Black Bay dive watches, however, this Certina is not an overly thick watch. It wears nice and compact on wrist. The case is 42mm wide with a thickness of 12mm, and 22mm lug width.

For reference, I decided to take some shots side-by-side with my Speedmaster, which also sports a 42mm case size, but is a thicker watch at slightly over 13mm (although it wears much thinner than that, because some of that quoted thickness is because of the domed hesalite crystal).

The Speedmaster and Certina share similar dimensions, but the Certina definitely wears with more presence on the wrist. I chalk this up to the wider lug width (22mm for the Certina as previously mentioned and 20mm for the Omega) and the longer lug-to-lug length (roughly 50mm for the Certina and 48mm for the Omega).

The Certina is by no means overpowering on wrist, however. It wears nice and compact. I’d say it wears even slimmer than the Speedmaster. I found that I really enjoyed the Certina’s case and proportions, and I think as an overall package, it’s hard to beat. The watch has a really cool 1960’s-era vibe, just like the Speedmaster.

I think it would make a great companion to the Speedy Pro as a two watch collection, actually. I’m also admittedly biased towards watch designs from the 1960s. I’ll be the first to admit that I think this was the best era of watch design in general.

The Convenience Of Quartz

As someone who’s been collecting watches for roughly a decade now, I’ve learned a lot along the way. One thing that’s changed is my attitude towards quartz watches. I think the collecting community in general is highly-biased towards mechanical watches, whether it be at the entry level or at the higher end of the horological spectrum.

I think quartz watches have merit, too, and are unfairly looked down upon by many collectors – especially newer ones. Not sold on quartz? Check out the Grand Seiko 9F and tell me it’s not a work of art.

This particular Certina is powered by the reliable quartz caliber ETA 955.112. This same movement has been utilized from many other brands such as Hamilton and Tag Heuer. It’s a robust, worry-free movement that is very accurate.

There’s a certain freedom when wearing a quartz watch after being mostly obsessed with mechanical watches. I always find it annoying when I have to grab a watch that I haven’t worn for a few days and reset the time, as well as the date.

This led me to a phase at one point where I leaned towards “no date” watches. But then that gets annoying as well when I’m at work and want the date at a quick glance. A quartz watch doesn’t suffer from this conundrum – you just grab it and go.

Wrapping Things Up: The Certina DS First Ceramic

I really enjoyed my time with the Certina DS First Ceramic. It’s a great “grab and go” diver with a dressier side. I think Certina as a brand is underrated where I’m sitting at in the US, since it’s not readily available (unless you’re shopping online). Certina has a rich history as a watchmaker, and it was even a member of the iconic “Dirty Dozen” during WW2.

Certina watches almost always have a design language to them that I admire, and this particular model is no different. You get all the modern features you could ever want in a dive watch such as a ceramic bezel and 200 meters of water resistance, with classic 1960s good looks.

If you insist on a stop-seconds feature, Seiko does offer an updated version powered by the 4R36 movement. This version does offer hacking, but I personally prefer the styling of the original SNZG15 model. I like the original Seiko 5 logo more, personally, as well as the handset on the SNZG15.

The Seiko SNZG15: A Field watch That Won’t Break the Bank

If you’re looking for a field watch that you’re actually going to use in the field, it’s hard to beat this one. To be honest, I wear my Hamilton Khaki Field more, but if I’m camping or doing anything that is beyond the casual hike, I take the Seiko 5 with me instead. It has double the water resistance of the Hamilton (100m for the SNZG15 versus only 50m for the Khaki Field).

The Seiko SNZG15 is also much, much cheaper – only a quarter of the price when I factor in what I paid for it versus the Hamilton. I don’t need to baby it. For everything the 7S26 movement lacks (hacking for instance), it more than makes up for it with its durability. It takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’ as they say.

As much as I prefer a “no date” dial on most tool watches, the day and date is actually very useful. I find that this feature is especially useful when I’m wearing the SNZG15 for an extended period of time (I.E. camping for a few days). Like the rest of the watch, it’s all about functionality over looks.

The date window is also rather unobtrusive, because Seiko took the time to color match it to the dial. The day also displays in red on Sundays, an added detail I really like.

The applied Seiko logo is icing on the cake. I always loved the way applied logos looked on Seiko watches, and this one is no different. It’s just another little detail that adds to the overall package.

The Seiko SNZG15: Classic Military Styling

Like most military-inspired field watches, the SNZG15’s dial has a 24 hour scale for reading military time. Surrounding the 24 hour scale are standard Arabic numerals. The printing on this dial is exceptionally crisp, and the white really pops against the matte black of the dial. It provides maximum legibility, despite the busyiness of the dial overall.

The Arabic numerals aren’t lumed, and the 24 hour markers aren’t, either. Instead, Seiko added regular indices around the very edge of the dial. A raised section separates the lumed indices from the rest of the dial.

I think the overall design would have been much cleaner if Seiko chose to just lume the Arabic numerals – but it’s not like it looks bad. You’ll also notice that there’s no faux lume to be found on the Seiko’s dial, which is an added plus. This is one thing I don;t like about my Khaki Field (I wish they’d just kept the lume all white like on this Seiko).

Seiko’s LumiBrite is arguably one of the best in the business, and it’s unbeatable at this price point. It does more than glow – it blazes. Anyone who’s owned a Seiko is probably well aware of this already.

Moving onto the case, it comes in at 42mm and 12mm thick. The lug width is 22mm. The SNZG15’s case sports modern proportions, and despite its simplicity, suits the watch well.

A Perfectly Styled Case

The case on the SNZG15 is bead-blasted. It’s a slightly different feel than the similar finishing found on the Khaki Field. It feels smoother to the touch, and doesn’t feel as premium, but it does its job well. It prevents light from reflecting off the case, and unless you’re holding it directly next to the Hamilton – you probably won’t notice the difference in finishing.

The Seiko’s 42mm case definitely wears larger (compared to the 38mm case of the Hamilton), but not that much larger. This is mostly because of the similar lug-to-lug length of the two watches (roughly 47mm for the Khaki Field and 49mm for the Seiko).

In other words, the difference in wearability is noticeable, but not as noticeable as comparing a Panerai to a vintage dress watch noticeable. I do prefer the slimness of the Hamilton’s case to the thicker case of the Seiko, though.

The Seiko also has a display caseback. I can empathize with both sides of the argument for and against a display caseback on a watch like this. If this is your first watch, and entry into this addicitve hobby, then a display caseback is probably a cool feature to have. If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool military and tool watch collector, then maybe you favor a simple, closed caseback. I think that this is a neutral point.

The strap is really the worst part of the watch. It works, it looks good, and it’s not horribly uncomfortable. The biggest issue I have with it is the thinness. The case isn’t exactly thin, so I think a slightly thicker strap would have been much better. This isn’t really a problem though, considering how easy it is to simply replace it with another canvas strap, or even a NATO.

Conclusion

This is one of the best watches under $200 on the market in my opinion. I think it would make a great starter watch, or even just a great purpose-built tool watch for a seasoned collector. I didn’t want this review to be one where I compared it to the Hamilton Khaki Field, but it kind of ended up that way. I’d say that this is appropriate, however, because for a little more money, the Hamilton may be on your mind as well if you’re looking for a classic field watch.

I love my Hamilton Khaki Field, and I’d probably keep it over the Seiko if I could only choose one. The Hamilton is a great option, and makes a perfect daily wearer. Is it worth the extra money? Maybe. It depends.

The Seiko definitely feels much more like a purpose-built tool watch, and it boasts double the water resistance. It doesn’t hack and its hardlex crystal isn’t as scratch resistant as a sapphire one. The crown is unsigned, and the case lacks drilled lugs. Still, the SNZG15 just gets the job done – with minimal maintenance.

I originally bought the Seiko SNZG15 to accompany me on outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. For that job, I’m reaching for it over the Hamilton 100% of the time, and so I don’t see it leaving my collection anytime soon.

My Favorite Part Of The Tudor Black Bay 41 So Far: The Dial

The Tudor’s dial is beautiful, and carries a design language that’s tied not only to Tudor’s past, but Rolex’s as well. At the 12:00 marker, we have an inverted triangle, which you could argue is embedded with the heritage of Rolex’s WW2-era “Error Proof” dials. Rolex dials included a triangle like this back in the day so that no matter which position you held the dial, you’d know where “12” was.

The “Snowflake” hands trace directly back to Tudor’s past designs, especially military ones. But like the iconic Mercedes hands on most Rolexes, they also aid in legibility. Rolex initially distinguished the hour hand on its watches to also be error proof. This carries over to my modern Tudor, because it’s nearly impossible to mix up the hour and minute hands thanks to the Snowflake handset.

This is perhaps one of the most legible, if not the most legible, watches I’ve ever owned. This is something I didn’t really consider at all when just looking at pictures online, but I’ve really come to appreciate it while actually wearing the watch.

I love the silver sunburst finish, and the way the applied markers pop against it. The lume-filled markers are white, so they stick out against the silver dial. Overall, the watch is more legible than you might think.

No Way Around It: The Tudor Black Bay 41 Is A Big Watch

I have a 7.25″ wrist, so I can pull off most watches residing in the 38mm to 42mm range. At 41mm, the Tudor fits right into my wheelhouse on paper. I was surprised how thick and heavy the watch was when I unboxed it, however.

The case is only 11.2mm. That’s relatively slim, but the slab sides make it wear really thick. For comparison purposes, the Omega Speedmaster and Oris Sixty-Five are both over 13mm in height, but wear way slimmer on wrist because of the slimmer midcases.

The Tudor also wears larger because of its larger dial, as well as its silver color. Throw in a longer lug-to-lug length (50mm vs 48mm for the Speedmaster) and larger lug width (22mm for the Black Bay 41 vs 20mm for the Speedmaster) – and you have a watch with significant wrist presence. I knew that the Tudor would wear large, but not this large.

It’s not such a large watch that it looks ridiculous on my wrist, or feels overpowering, either. The other option was the 36mm case, and unfortunately that would wear too small for me, personally.

I’ve read on watch forums and places like Reddit that 39mm really would have been perfect, and I have to agree. At 39mm, there might be a little too much competition between this and the Rolex Explorer 1 perhaps.

Still, the 41mm model does wear great for me, it just seems slightly larger than it needed to be. It’s also growing on me as I adjust to the size and weight of the watch.

I’d say it definitely feels a little larger than my (technically larger) Omega Speedmaster when on wrist. This may be because of the Tudor’s thickness, however, as it doesn’t necessarily look larger on wrist.

Overall Finishing

The Tudor Black Bay 41’s finishing is exceptional, and I think that it punches above its weight class in this area. The tolerances on the case and bracelet are tight, and I love the beveled edges on the lugs. The polishing is excellent and there’s a sharp transition between these polished parts and the brushed parts of the case.

The hand-winding feels buttery smooth and so does the action of the screw down crown. The bracelet also feels of above average quality, and was a breeze to size.

The clasp is especially nice, utilizing ceramic bearings, and closing with a crisp snap. It integrates into the bracelet nicely, and looks clean. This is in contrast to a double deployant (like on my Baume & Mercier Capeland), which also looks nice, but results in pushers sticking out on both sides. The flip lock clasp on the Tudor looks cleaner in my opinion, and feels just as secure.

Wrapping Up My Initial Impressions So Far

My first twenty-four hours with the Tudor Black Bay 41 have been overwhelmingly positive. The only slight negative I can think of so far is the size of the case. It would of been so perfect at 39mm. The 41mm still works, but just seems ever so slightly larger than it should be.

Even if it was kept at 41mm, I think shrinking the lug-to-lug length down to 48mm and the lug width down to 20mm would make the watch wear a little better proportionally. It’s not a deal-breaker for me at this point, just a minor complaint, and overall I’m more than impressed by the overall quality of the watch.

I love everything else about it, especially the dial. The most unexpected thing about the watch that I like is the extreme legibility, even though the dial, markers, and handset are all silver. The applied markers and handset are filled with lume, so they’re either white against the dial, or green if the lume is charged. The lume glows green and seems to be very strong.

I wouldn’t call this watch a replacement or substitute for the Rolex Explorer 1. The silver dial (combined with the smooth, polished bezel) also gives off a little bit of an Oyster Perpetual vibe. Make no mistake – the Tudor Black Bay 41 is its own watch with its own vibe too, though.

The Tudor’s dial borrows its design from the Black Bay divers, which are true tool watches. The Black Bay 41 seems to evoke a mixture between an Explorer-like tool watch design and a dressier Oyster Perpetual-style watch. I think that makes it a great GADA (go anywhere, do anything) watch overall. I also think that the signature Snowflake handset tops off the whole package – making it distinctively Tudor.

It was a “forum favorite” when I was looking for my first diver to accompany me on a trip to Maui over a decade ago, but it was also a lot cheaper. After another holiday where it was my sole watch for the week (not in Hawaii this time, unfortunately), I figured I’d write up a review.

The Seiko SKX009: A Classic Dive Watch

I’ll admit, The SKX isn’t the nicest watch out there, it’s actually got a lot of flaws. For what the SKX lacks in features, however, it makes up for in charm and durability. The SKX series dive watches are battle-tested and as close to indestructible as you can get with a mechanical watch.

The chapter rings are usually misaligned on these watches and the bezel action is spotty (mine slips counter-clockwise in certain positions, giving me an added “feature” of a slightly bidirectional bezel). It doesn’t “hack”, and it sports an outdated aluminum bezel insert (as opposed to more modern ceramic).

I personally like the look of faded bezels, so the aluminum insert is a positive, not a negative in my book. Ceramic is nice and doesn’t fade, but you can give me a classic aluminum bezel over a shiny ceramic, modern dive watch bezel any day.

The SKX’s matte navy dial is extremely legible, especially in combination with the contrasting white markers. Filled with Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite, they blaze green even in broad daylight sometimes. The lume on this watch is better than many divers costing many multiples of the SKX’s price.

Despite its misgivings, I get a similar feeling wearing this watch that I get from my Speedmaster (which also doesn’t hack, interestingly enough). Like the Speedy Pro, the Seiko SKX009 feels like a genuine tool watch – one made before the Quartz Crisis and modern computers. The SKX was introduced in 1996, not the 1960s, but it still has that rugged, old-school tool watch charm.

A Classic Seiko Dive Watch

The Seiko SKX009 that I own is the “J” model, which really just means it says “Made In Japan” on the dial, and also has the extra “21 jewels” line of text under “DIVER’S 200m”. I sold my first SKX009, which was the “K” version, regretted it, and decided to buy another SKX.

The second time around, I went for the “J” model. My current SKX009J is not for sale. It’s seen too many adventures – and I’d be crazy to let it go. Plus, it was manufactured the same year my son was born, so I plan to give it to him one day as a “birth year” watch.

One of the best things the SKX has going for it, in my opinion, is the ergonomic case. Listed at 42mm, it doesn’t wear large. Part of this is because of the relatively short lug-to-lug distance of 46mm.

The other reason it wears smaller is because the rotating bezel, which takes away from the size of the dial. Overall, Seiko knocked the dimensions out of the park with this watch.

The case also has a visually-interesting mix of brushed and polished surfaces. This is nicer and more intricate than what you’ll find on most watches at this price level. The case is very “Seiko” in design, which includes one of its most identifiable design cues – a crown at 4:00.

Don’t let the low price tag fool you, this is a legitimate, even iconic, dive watch. It can trace its lineage all the way back to Seiko divers from 1965, and it’s also an ISO certified diver watch. In other words, it’s a genuine tool watch. One that’s produced by a manufacturer with one of the best pedigrees out there when it comes to making battle-tested dive watches.

Is the SKX-Series Still Worth It In 2022?

This is the main question I wanted to answer with this review. For me, the answering is a resounding “Yes!” But here’s the thing. I have so many sentimental moments and great trips baked into the metal of my SKX009, that I’m extremely biased.

Many brands make much “better” watches for cheaper prices, in my opinion. Check out newer Seiko divers with the 4R series movement that offers hacking and hand-winding. Or even check out some offers from Orient or many micro-brands. Alternatives are beyond the scope of this article.

That’s also assuming you can’t find a brand new SKX for around $150 or less (but I think those days are gone forever, unfortunately). The SKX still has a lot going for it, too. It just works. The 7S26 is a cheap movement, one that’s probably cheaper to replace than service, but it’s also rock-solid and capable of running trouble-free for a long time with minimal maintenance.

At the end of the day, if you want a proven, iconic dive watch from a reputable brand, the SKX is hard to beat – even to this day. It’s definitely not the best value after prices shot up following its discontinuation, though. Not everything is about value for money, either, and I’d gladly pay double what I originally did to re-acquire this watch if something were to happen to it.

If I was a new watch collector without my mind already made up about the SKX, I’d likely take a look at Seiko’s Turtle models, or even a Samurai. They’re better made watches with slightly better movements. I actually purchased a SRPB55 Samurai to replace my SKX a few years back, but guess what? I still wear the SXK009 more.

The Baume & Mercier Capeland Chronograph: Measuring Speed And Distance

I knew my first really nice Swiss watch was going to be a chronograph when I started the research process. This model (reference 10061) fit the bill. It was automatic with a white dial, the complete opposite of my “grail” at the time – The Omega Speedmaster. I knew that one day I would own a “Moonwatch”, so I wanted something that would be different enough to co-exist in a collection that also contained a Speedy Pro.

The Capeland also comes with a telemeter for measuring distance, along with the more common tachymeter for measuring speed. I thought this was cool (even if it’s something I’d never actually use). I bought the watch sight-unseen online, but was even more impressed when I finally saw it in-person.

The dial really takes on a different look under different angles and lighting conditions. The silver snailed subdials and telemeter scale play with the light in very interesting ways. The stark white dial looks almost enamel-like. The crisp black printing of the Arabic numerals and red accents of the telemeter scale all come together nicely, and really pop against the white dial.

The date wheel is placed between 4:00 and 5:00 blends in because of the white dial, and is unobtrusive. Throw in the rhodium-plated leaf hands, which are also filled with lume, and you have a classily-designed chronograph, which pulls inspiration from the 1940s and 1960s. These are two of my favorite eras for watch design. The dial is a little busy overall, so it might not be for everyone – but I love it.

A Bracelet That Compliments The Capeland Chronograph Perfectly

I love the look of the bracelet as well. It’s different than the Speedmaster bracelet and doesn’t look like a generic Oyster-style bracelet, either. Its design language is exclusive to Baume and Mercier. It also mixes up the design of the overall watch.

A double-deployant clasp also keeps the watch secure on wrist, and melts into the bracelet. This gives the bracelet a clean, integrated look – without any visible clasp present:

While the dial is more classically-styled, the bracelet is definitely a modern design. I think Baume and Mercier blended the two conflicting design cures perfectly, though. I like this because it makes the watch feel like a fresh, new design in some ways, but also familiar, too.

It’s a very solid bracelet, and I’d put its quality up there with the best of them. The solid feel is also heavy, however, so you feel it on wrist. There’s no taper, either. If you like thinner, vintage-style bracelets (like the Oris Sixty-Five or 3861 Speedmasters), then this bracelet might not be for you.

I’m generally a fan of tapering bracelets myself, but I still find the Capeland’s bracelet comfortable on wrist. It’s just very heavy and solid feeling. The tolerances are very tight (on the individual bracelet links themselves, and also where the endlinks meet the case). It’s a bracelet that oozes quality.

The Case: Built Like A Tank

The Capeland’s case is completely brushed, with very sharp edges. The quality is superb. It’s also very thick, which it kind of has to be to accommodate a Valjoux 7750-based chronograph movement. The movement is actually a Valjoux/ETA 7753 (the subdials are arranged in a different layout than the traditional 7750 where they’re placed at 12, 9, and 6). It’s nicely finished with perlage on the plates and Geneva stripes on the rotor, and appears to be rhodium-plated.

The thickness of the case is largely why I keep this one on its bracelet, because the watch feels a little “top heavy” on straps, unless the strap is highly padded. You can see how thick the case wears compared to a Speedmaster above.

Overall, I like the simplicity of the case and the sharpness of the edges. It’s simple, but not boring. Despite the thickness of the case, I’ve had no problems slipping it under a shirt cuff, and I don’t think the watch looks out of place with a suit or button-down shirt.

The bezel is polished, which plays off of the polished accents of the bracelet. It adds some visual interest to the case. The pump pushers are also polished, and I think they were the perfect choice to compliment the dial and overall vibe of the watch. they’re actually one of my favorite things about this watch for some reason.

The polishing on this watch is a step above your standard “entry-level” watch, turning black at certain angles. There aren’t any distortions in the mirror-like finish, either. I’d say that the overall case finishing is on par with my Omega and IWC.

Conclusion: A Great Watch From An Underrated Brand

I’m still in love with the Capeland Chronograph after almost a decade of ownership, despite recently gravitating towards smaller, thinner watches as I’ve refined my taste over the years. I love pretty much all of the design elements of the watch itself; especially the way it can look and feel modern, but also subtly and seamlessly hint at design cues from the past, too.

I believe it was designed by Alexandre Peraldi, who came to B&M from Cartier and now works for Ikepod. He was also the designer behind the Clifton collection, which I’m a big fan of, and I always liked the watches he designed for Baume and Mercier.

As I said in a previous post, I think Baume & Mercier is underrated as a brand, or at least overlooked for no good reason. I’ll also admit that I have a soft spot for the brand due to sentimental reasons.

The brand’s watches are usually deeply discounted on the grey market and have horrible resale value, but if you factor in the quality of the case finishing and attention to detail – the overall quality of watch you’re getting at that discounted price is usually a steal. The Capeland chronograph is no exception.

The SARB035 is technically my wife’s watch, but I get away with wearing it sometimes, too – which speaks volumes to its overall wearability. It’s a watch that is truly well-rounded, and could be a “one watch” for those fortunate souls who are not hopelessly addicted to watches like me.

The Seiko SARB035: A True All-Arounder

The SARB035 is arguably more refined than the SARB065 Cocktail Time. Its simple dial is cream or white – depending on lighting. It’s almost a pearlescent sheen. Attached to this wonderfully finished dial are deep applied indices and an applied Seiko logo. I’m a huge fan of Seiko’s applied logos. They just look good.

While the watch appears simple in a lot of pictures, and probably even from a distance in real life, there’s a good amount of subtle complexities that make it a joy to wear on wrist – such as the ever so slight sunburst quality of the dial and the way light reflects off of the impeccably finished markers and hands. This is a watch that finishing-wise, punches far above its weight. It looks and feels more expensive than its initial price tag (before it was discontinued and the subsequent price bump).

Like the OG Cocktail Time (which was later re-released in a way with the Presage models), there is a SARB035-similar offering from Seiko that’s not discontinued, but I personally almost always favor the originals when it comes to watches.

A Refined Case That Melts Into Your Wrist

A major reason why the SARB035 is a joy to wear is because of the nicely sculped case. Coming in at 38mm wide and about 11mm thick, it’s very ergonomic. That 11mm thickness feels much, much slimmer when you’re wearing the watch. The reason is largely because of the extremely slim side-case profile, as can be seen in the below images borrowed from my post on the SARB065 Cocktail time:

This allows the watch to melt into your wrist, wearing much more like an elegant ultra-thin than a chunky 11mm watch with a slab-sided case (like that of the Cocktail Time). Also contrary to the Cocktail Time, The SARB035 has lumed hands and markers, which are tastefully done.

The SARB035 comes with a flat sapphire crystal protecting the dial, adding to the compactness of the overall package. A mixture of brushed and polished surfaces adds complexity to the case. The mixed surfaces and clean lines of the case also create visual interest.

The transitioning between the polishing and brushing on the case is also top-notch, especially for the relatively entry-level price the watch was sold for before its inevitable discontinuation. The “goldilocks” dimensions of the case size and the way it wears on wrist are hard to beat.

The Bracelet: Good, But Not Great

Next I’d like to discuss the bracelet. It’s definitely a good bracelet that suits the watch, but it’s not great. It utilizes a pin and collar system, which is a total pain in the ass, for a lack of a better term, to size. Once the sizing is done, however, it’s a decent bracelet.

It’s mostly brushed, with polished sides. It’s also beveled, a nice added detail that’s a little more intricate than the average, run-of-the-mill oyster-style bracelet. The endlinks are solid and the bracelet itself is rather comfortable and exhibits a nice heft to it. It feels solid, but it’s got a little more jangle to it than a pricier bracelet.

A double deployant clasp is also a nice added touch. It’s much nicer than your average friction clasp found on cheaper watches. The tolerances just aren’t as tight as a higher-end watch, but that’s to be expected. It’s lightyears ahead of the cheaper bracelets found on Seiko’s lower-end offerings like the SKX-series and Seiko 5 watches as well. Overall, it works. It’s nice enough for the price point.

Wrapping Things Up

After owning the watch for about five years now, it still looks good. It’s also still keeping relatively good time (+5 seconds a day – give or take). That’s anecdotal, as in on wrist, because I don’t have a timegrapher.

It’s served much of its first two or three years of its life as my wife’s daily wearer, before becoming part of a rotation that includes an Oris Big Crown and an Apple Watch (if you consider it a watch). While there isn’t a screw down crown on the SARB035, it does maintain 100m of water resistance. That should be plenty enough for most activities, except maybe actual diving.

Taken as a whole package, it’s hard to beat this watch as a “one and done” or go anywhere, do anything watch – especially factoring in the price before it was discontinued by Seiko (sub $500).

I think it’s a shame that Seiko discontinued it, but the SZSB011 appears to be close replacement for those interested. I can’t comment on this specific model, however, since I’ve never actually handled one. It also appears to be powered by a 4R-series movement, which could be perceived as a downgrade, but probably not enough to be a deal breaker if you like the look.

All-in-all, the SARB035 is a classic, and any watch put out as a follow up has big shoes to fill. Would I buy a new SARB035 in 2021? Probably not, because the asking price seems to be as high as $1k or more by some ambitious sellers. If I didn’t already own it and found one for say $500 (or less), though, I think it would be worth the plunge.

Why The Mark Series Is Great

The “Mark” series watches have a long history, arguably starting with the Spezialuhr für Flieger, or Special Pilot’s Watch. This is referred to as the Mark IX, although IWC likely never labeled it that. The Mark X is where things get interesting. The British wanted watches to issue troops in the 1940s, and outlined specifications for these watches. Classified as Mark X by the British MoD (Ministry of Defense), this led to the “Dirty Dozen” watches that are prized by collectors today.

The IWC Mark X was powered by a hand-winding Calibre 83 movement, and included stricter specifications, as well as upgrades such as a faraday cage (to prevent magnetism). It also included a waterproof stainless steel case with a screwed ring to protect the crystal from sudden drops in air pressure.

The Mark XI was introduced in 1949, built initially for Royal Air Force navigators, but also utilized by pilots as well. In the beginning, both IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre supplied the watches. JLC eventually ceased production once the RAF decided to buy solely from IWC. Mark XI watches produced by IWC can also be found with JLC movements, however.

The series continued in 1993 with the Mark XII, and the transition from military to civilian watch arguably happened in 1999 with the introduction of the Mark XV. Then came 2006, when the Mark series was shaken up dramatically with the introduction of the Mark XVI.

Why The IWC Mark XVI Spitfire?

So of all the choices in IWC’s Mark series lineup throughout the years, why did I settle on the Mark XVI Spitfire? Because it’s the most unique, that’s why. If I was a purist, I’d maybe go for a Mark XVIII (I’m not a huge fan of buying vintage), but in this case, I’m willing to go with the oddball of the series.

The Mark XVI introduced a larger case (39mm) and different hands (larger flieger-style). The design language is different, and in the case of the Spitfire line – dramatically different. Arguably different from any other Mark series watch ever produced by IWC.

It’s not just the hands that changed completely. Take a look at the dial, and you’ll see what I mean. Gone is the sterile black dial with printed Arabic numerals. In their place are applied numerals, with a cut-off “10”. While this is probably controversial amongst purists, I love the look.

The silver-plated center and outer track, sandwiching in the cream, concentric circles in the middle, really look great. It also feels like this watch gives you access to three or four different dials, largely because of the way it transforms its look depending on light and angle. I’m not aware of any other IWC Mark series watch with this level of detail on the dial – or any other classic flieger for that matter. That’s why I think it’s awesome. It’s a quirky standout that doesn’t bow to tradition.

The Case: More Traditional

The Mark XVI Spitfire’s case is more traditional in contrast to the dial. It’s mostly brushed, but does have some nice, polished bevels on the lugs, which I really appreciate. The brushed, conical bezel is flat at the top, and this flat part is polished. It adds another interesting visual element to the watch and complements the color-shifting dial. Sometimes the flat, top part of the bezel looks black – due to the excellent polishing skills of IWC.

The 39mm case comes in at 11.5mm thick, but wears much slimmer. Part of this is the slightly domed sapphire crystal. The watch also wears much thinner than the quoted specs because as can be seen above, the mid-case is all that can be seen when on wrist. The part that juts out at the bottom sinks into your wrist and isn’t visible when you’re actually wearing the watch. I personally think it feels more like 9mm or 10mm on wrist, and it’ll fit under any shirt cuff you throw at it.

A True GADA

As previously mentioned, the Mark XVI Spitfire has a much more elaborate dial than any other Mark series watch I’m aware of. I’d argue that it can be “dressed up” easier than the more traditional versions of the Mark series watches. From a distance, it looks like a dress watch, especially on a nice alligator or croc strap. It’s not like it can’t be dressed down either, though.

Let’s not forget, the Mark XVI is still a real tool watch, with a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields. It also maintains a crystal that’s secured against displacement by dramatic drops in air pressure, just like its predecessors. It’s powered by IWC’s caliber 30110, which is based on the venerable workhorse ETA 2892-A2.

It can definitely be considered a true go anywhere, do anything (GADA) watch. It could even be an “only watch” in my opinion, considering it also comes with a screwdown crown. The watch has a random 60 meters of water resistance. Not 50m, not 100m – 60 meters exactly. How and why they came up with this number is beyond me, but it should be more than enough to survive a dip in a swimming pool.

Conclusion

The IWC Mark XVI Spitfire was only produced from 2006 to 2012. If you’re a purist, you may not like this model. Which I get. I’m somewhat of a Speedmaster purist: insisting that my classic manual-winding, non-hacking Moonwatch came with a Hesalite crystal.

The cut-off “10” marker might bother you as well, but in person, I don’t find that it detracts from the watch – or the beautifully detailed dial for that matter. The applied numerals are deep and create an interesting three-dimensional look. They complement the mixture of different textures and finishes on the dial. I’ve found that this watch looks good with a suit, but just as good in shorts and a T-shirt. It’s different than any other watch in IWC’s Mark series – in a good way.

The Hamilton Intra-Matic: A Reissue Done Right

For a dress watch, the 38mm version of the Intra-Matic is perfect. If you’re concerned that 38mm is too small – don’t be. It’s all dial and wears closer to 40mm. The case thickness comes in at 10mm on paper, but part of that is the domed sapphire crystal. On wrist, this watch wears more like a 7mm or 6mm thick watch in my opinion. In other words, we’re talking ultra-thin status here, and for a really great price.

You’re also getting a better-than-usual movement at this price, the ETA 2892-A2. It’s a great movement, and also part of the reason the watch is so thin. If Hamilton decided to downgrade to an ETA 2824, I don’t think the case would have been so slender.

In pictures, the black strap might look boring. In real life, it’s surprisingly fitting for the watch. Like the rest of the Intra-Matic, attention to detail is really good here, and Hamilton decided to utilize curved spring bars – a classy added touch. This allows the strap to contour to the case, and it’s another feature that adds to the argument that this watch is one of the most compelling value propositions on the market.

The sunburst silver dial is domed and shifts color depending on light. I’m in love with this dial, to be honest; but it’s not perfect. The one thing about the watch I’d change is the font. Do we really need “AUTOMATIC” and “intra-matic” on the same dial?

A Beautifully Finished Dial, With Some Minor Flaws

Check this article out, it even has a picture of the original Hamilton Intra-Matic watch side-by-side with the modern reissue version.

On the original 1960s version, there’s no “Automatic” on the dial, and I think it looks a lot cleaner. The modern watch is also larger, of course (the OG is 34mm in case size I believe). The OG version also has a really cool Hamilton Caliber 92 (based on the Buren 1282 micro-rotor movement).

Hamilton purchased Buren in 1966. Buren originally filed a patent for its micro-rotor movement in 1954, an industry first. This innovation, which allowed the rotor to be integrated at the same level with the rest of the movement, allowed for very thin automatic watches. It wasn’t until 1957 that its first micro-rotor movement went into production, but through a series of refinements, the “Intramatic” movement was born. This was the base movement that would inevitably be modified into one of the first automatic chronographs.

Removing the date window would have been ideal as well, but I don’t see it as a huge negative. At least it’s at 6:00, so the symmetry of the dial remains intact. It was also on the original watch, so it’s not a deal-breaker for me.

Next I’ll tackle another issue with the watch – the lack of a seconds hand. I thought that I’d miss that smooth, soothing sweep that the seconds hand of an automatic watch provides. Turns out I was wrong. I found the lack of a seconds hand almost liberating. It forced me to stop being neurotic about how many seconds a day my watch was gaining or losing.

I think dropping the date, paired with the lack of a seconds hand, would have made this an ideal dress watch. I don’t mind the date window either, though, because it “dresses down” the watch – making it more versatile.

If It’s So Great, Why’d You Flip It?

The only real reason I sold this watch is because I found a great deal on a Seiko SARB065 “Cocktail Time” and I only really need one dress watch in my collection. I also try to stick to a self-imposed “one watch per brand” rule, and I recently acquired a Hamilton Khaki Field, which I wear quite a bit.

The Internet has been great for the watch community as a whole I think. It allows way more people to connect and talk about watches. At the same time, I think it does a disservice to watches like the Hamilton Intra-Matic. Funnily enough, I never would’ve bought this watch in the first place if it hadn’t randomly caught my eye at a local Macy’s inside the mall.

I already knew about the watch, but online, it looked boring. 38mm? Too small. I dismissed it right away when I saw it mentioned on a watch forum. When I saw the beautiful domed silver sunburst dial in person, though, it was a paradigm shift. This is one of those watches that is done a disservice by the advent of online shopping and information gathering.

You have to really see this one in person and feel the quality and thinness of the case to appreciate how truly awesome the whole package is. I’ll admit, I have an addiction to watches (at least I’m admitting it, right?), so I may actually end up with another Intra-Matic at some point – because it’s such a great watch. I’ve bought and sold the Intra-Matic twice now, actually. I already kind of miss it.

Unboxing A New Old Stock Seiko SARB065

I purchased the watch from a seller based in Australia, so it took some time to get to me in the US. It was worth the wait.

The first thing I did after wrapping up the unboxing video was take off the stock patent leather strap. Instead, it’s now fitted with a Horween Chromexcel strap, which I think suits the watch.

Anyways, onto my initial review of the watch. As I mentioned before, I have owned the OG Cocktail Time in the past, but that was long enough ago that now when I put it back on my wrist it feels like a new watch.

It’s a different feeling completely from picking up one of my old watches that’s been sitting unworn for only a few months in my watch box. It’s kind of like re-watching a movie you haven’t seen since you were much younger and don’t really remember the plot. You’ve seen it before and the nostalgia is there, but watching it now is still somewhat of a new experience, at least until the plot begins to unfold and it slowly starts coming back to you.

The Good

I think everyone can agree that the best thing about this watch is the dial. I especially like the SARB065’s dial, because I like the font for “automatic” and I like the “23 jewels” text above 6:00 way more than I like the “Presage” text and sterile “AUTOMATIC'” on the new Seiko Cocktail Time SRPB43. The dials are otherwise the same between the SARB065 and new Cocktail Time.

Another thing I like about the SARB065 is the story behind it and the fact that it was only intended for the Japanese Domestic Market. The watch was designed in collaboration with Japan’s top bartender Ishigaki Shinobu in 2010, and utilizes the 6R15 movement. This is a step up from the 4R series movements that power the new Cocktail Times.

High-quality, applied indices are really great, and coupled with the nice dauphine hands and framed date window, they add depth to the dial and complement it perfectly. I literally wouldn’t change a thing about this watch’s dial – it’s perfect.

The Bad

It’s hard for me to find fault with the overall package of this watch. The only thing about it that I’d consider bad, if I was really nitpicking, is the case thickness. Or more specifically, the side-case profile. The side case is thick, and the slab sides make it wear thick. I think that Seiko missed an opportunity here.

They didn’t even really need to make the case thinner per say, they could have just made the side case rounded so it appears thinner on wrist. I do think Seiko could have made it thinner, too. I mean look at the SARB035. It’s powered by the exact same movement, and also has an exhibition case-back (which is one of the main reasons the Cocktail Time sits high on the wrist, even excluding the boxed hardlex crystal):

I get that there’s no need for an elaborate case here. I don’t need alternating finishing between brushed and polished like the SARB035. The completely polished, simple case is fine, and it works well with the watch – especially since the dial is meant to steal the show. I just think Seiko could have found a way to make it wear thinner on wrist. I would never want them to scrap the domed hardlex crystal, though, because that’s my second favorite feature of the SARB065 (after the dial). It’s similar to the domed sapphire crystal on my Oris Sixty-Five – and I love it.

The Ugly

Coming back around to the stock strap – it’s the ugly part of the SARB065. I don’t like using the word hate, so let’s just say I highly dislike it. I wore it for a few weeks on my first SARB065 and it broke in nicely. It was very comfortable, but the shiny patent leather isn’t my thing. I get that it fits the whole “cocktail” vibe, but it’s just not for me.

I’ve experimented with black Shell Cordovan and cognac alligator straps in the past (on my old Cocktail Time that I flipped), and I’m still not sure if I’ll switch things up again.

As mentioned previously, the brown Horween Chromexcel strap that I had laying around the house will be attached to my SARB065 for now. I’m also seriously considering getting a black, small scale alligator (or crocodile) strap instead. The watch actually looks pretty good on most straps (excluding rubber straps and NATOs), so I might even try a grey suede or blue strap.

Bottom line: the stock strap is terrible and it’s the only ugly part of the watch. And that’s just my opinion. I can also empathize with people who like the strap if they like the look, because once broken in, it is a comfortable strap that does suit the watch’s vibe overall.

Wrapping things up

I’m glad to have the OG Cocktail Time back in my collection, and this time it will be staying there. The dial and hands are just as beautiful as I remembered. The thicker case is one of the things that I still don’t necessarily love about the watch, but I can get over that. I have thinner watches and I have thicker watches, so the SARB065 sits in between them. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker, and I don’t have any issues slipping it under a shirt cuff.

I like owning this version especially because it’s the true original. I also like this dial with the pre-Presage branding much more. The smaller applied Seiko logo looks classier and I like the smaller crown more than the larger “cupcake” crown on the new Cocktail Time watch. If I didn’t find a good deal on the original JDM Cocktail Time, I likely would have given in and purchased the newer SRPB43 at some point, though – because the ice-blue dial that both the new and old version share is just too good for me not to own.