Casio – just goes on and on . . .

So Casio – again! And not for the first time featured and I doubt it will be the last time either that I feature this amazing Company’s range of even more amazing watches, because there’s no question that for watch models for everyday and for you and I, they are probably unsurpassed. The fact is Casio is virtually a household name to many of us and certainly over the past 50 years. From that amazing Calculator you used to smuggle into school (they weren’t allowed in the good old days (1960’s & 70’s), then that snazzy Wrist Watch that had Digits and you were the first in the street that had one, to Cameras, Musical Instruments and so on – if it was to do with pushing the boundaries of miniature Electronics – then Casio was right there. And I’m pleased to say – still is!

What prompted this Post was that I took out of my display cabinet the other day, a spotless as new and pristine Casio AW80 Telememo 30 (Japan 2427 module, China case) and wore it for the first time in ages. The time after a few years was not quite right, so I had to try and remember how to set it. Fortunately the 2427 module is a clever and quite intuitive. I basically used the Mode (lower left) to select LON & time and set the digits to the current time. Then used Mode to reach H-S which is hand setting mode. Pushing the lower right button moves the hands (clockwise only) and in my case I had to move them quite a long way. Pushing both upper and lower left buttons starts the movement of the hands – take you fingers OFF the buttons – once you are within a minute or two, stop with the lower button, then each press moves it one minute – to the correct time.

I noted too that the last time I changed the battery was nearly 13 years ago, which is considerably over the 10 years stated. Good eh?

And this is one of the major points about Casio watches – they simply go on and on! And I’ve seen this same watch for sale, new on Ebay today at around $19 – talk about value! (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Casio-AW80V-5B-Mens-30-Page-Data-Bank-Analog-Digital-Watch-10-Year-Battery-50M-/231108284017). It even uses the same 2747 module, so that’s got to tell you something about quality.

But what’s new at Casio and do they even need anything new, I hear myself say – so I had a look . . . . .

Of course there are many new G Shock models around and these can command almost non Casio prices, such as the Premium 30th Anniversary model MTG-S1030BD-1AER which costs around £1000. Featuring Radio Control, Solar and so forth, the range continues down to the more affordable G Shocks we all know and love. But I’m more concerned with the smaller dimensioned non G Shocks which I find more interesting. Such as this classic round dial Casio AE1000W-1A – World Time, Alarm etc. at a very affordable £20. Great resin hard case with softer fixed bezel and a see what you need to see ‘at a glance’ dial – and so easily readable.

Casio SE1000W-1A World Timer, Alarm Watch

But this new model (to me at any rate) Casio AQ-190W-1A, World Time, Alarm etc. is reminiscent of the wonderful Citizen Skyhawks, but amazingly affordable at around £40 is a real surprise. Featuring analogue Neobrite luminous hands etc, high contrast digital displays, a 1/1000 sec stopwatch, 5 Daily alarms, Timer, Auto Calendar and unusually a rounded glass, 100m Water Resistance and a stainless & resin case. It’s also a neat size at 45mm x 13mm and so light weight, wearable by almost anybody.

And finally in my little round up of Casio is this rather elegant MTF-117L-5AV which is a more conventional style from Casio. It is an analogue model with no digital features with a stainless case, aluminium bezel, mineral glass Day and Date watch with a quartz movement at +/120secs per month. The dimensions are a very neat 39.5mm x 9.9mm so is a slim model and there are 9 Gents versions and 6 Ladies versions and a nice addition to the Casio range.

A slight departure from the more classic Casio look, but a very nice watch and I particularly like the day indicator, which does not reply on the more usual pointer, but rather a red dot indicator, on a vertical scale, which is both neat and visible. I have to admit I quite like the look of it and rather impressed they’ve managed to get away from the stereotypical Casio image – nice one!

That’s it for Casio for now, but I leave this Post with a montage image of a few of the Casio models featured or mentioned over the past few months on this site – – it’s quite a line up. I will however, every so often trawl the Casio sites to see what’s new. So, as ever “Watch (this) Space.

Lotsa votches - and everyone a Casio! — Every one different – and every one a Casio!

I always seem to have around a dozen or so Casio models, bought over the years since the 1970’s – very few of them expensive apart from my Oceanus and so far they all seem to share a common factor – they still work!

Latest –
Well when I got my Oceanus, I though it was the last Casio I’d ever buy. BUT whilst expensive and clever and all that, it simply didn’t give me the same buzz as the ‘cheap and cheerful’ resin hybrids packed with nice little last for ever modules – AND you could swap and change them at little cost, which was fun.
So, in the event I sold on the Oceanus to someone, like me, who (at the time) thought it was the best thing out there. I wonder if he’s still got it?

Citizen Value (updated 09/12/2022)

A tricky thing to describe is “value” and how do you actually measure it. In very basic terms for me, it means when applied to a watch, that the basic requirements I wanted are in fact met and the price was right. To illustrate the point I can do no better than highlight this Citizen Eco-drive model I bought some years ago in 2008.

This military inspired Citizen Eco-Drive 180 ( BM8180-54E ) – with centre seconds highlighted in red with pointer and a nice sized day and date window @3. It is as good today as the day I bought it and I’ve never had to adjust the time, as it’s accuracy is about as good as it gets from a mainstream quartz watch. I also can’t fault it in any way whatsoever, as it does exactly what it’s supposed to do and does it very well indeed. It also cost under £100 at the time and a sure sign of the longevity of this model is the fact that it’s still available today and hardly changed.

Citizen Military - available at Argos £69.99 (04/01/2014) — Citizen Military Eco – available at Argos (UK)

The model from Argos (above), is basically the same watch and the price again is good at under £70 and in my opinion it is a real “value” watch, no question about it. It also is remarkably good at night as the luminous hands and dial are excellent. The neat day and day window @ 3 is easily read and it manages 100m water resistance – so what’s not to like?

Here it is again, this time it is the same model code as well and at time of writing, available at Watchshop in bracelet form and still under £100.

The Citizen BM8180-54E still around — The Citizen Eco BM8180-54E still around

And it’s amazing in how many guises this model can still be found – this one (possibly the most current of them all) for example is the BM8470-11E, with a nice dial facelift perhaps and the case has changed a little, but it seems very familiar to me. A rather more modern take on my original version and still under £100 (from Timeshop4you).

Citizen BM8470-11E — Citizen Eco-Drive BM8470-11E

So there you have it – what I call a “value” watch. The design is really as good as it gets, the size is what I would call universal (not too big, not too small), very clear to read, day or night and with clear day and date information. A good second hand, excellent crown size and is water resistant to 100m, so swimming no problem. And the price of course has virtually stayed unchanged in years, AND of course it’s Eco-Drive day, so pretty much a “get it and forget it” watch watch. Also as evidenced by my own experience, this model would appear to be what we call a “good un” – never a problem, simply wear it and forget it!

Note – I updated this Post in December 2022, so there you have it.

This latest incarnation is rather good, almost a civilian version if you will (the older one was a so called military inspired creation) – no crown guards, cleaned up dial , but the essential model is still the same – I think Citizen know this is a winner all the way.

Now that’s what I call value!

Best value Diver?

Seeing it’s just before Christmas I thought I’d have one last look to find a “best value Diver” watch, that was as good as the mainstream boys and hopefully considerably cheaper. After a little bit of investigation I did manage to find one and it impressed me so much – I bought it! It is the Apeks 200 AP0406 Mens Professional Diver, named and sold by the Apeks Diving Company and one of their best sellers – and if first impressions turn out to be true, I can see why!

Apeks AP0406 Mens 200m Professional Dive Watch

For a Divers model straight out of the box it seems on first looks to tick all the boxes –

Easy to read analogue dial, large luminous markers and hands.
Tested to 200 metres Water Resistance.
Tough compact Stainless steel case with Screw Down bezel.
Large uni-directional bezel for dive timing.
Very reliable Seiko/Epson Quartz movement.
A readable day and date window @3 (not a requirement but nice if you have it).
Polyurethane PU strap fitted to standard lug strap fittings.

Sounds good doesn’t it AND available for under £70! Too good to be true?

Solid case, uni-directional bezel and Screw Down Crown. Quality build.

Well I have it here in my hands and first impressions are not only good – they are very good!

It is very well made with an excellent stainless steel case. The case finish is brushed on the top and shiny sides and nicely shaped too. The size is about perfect at 41mm diameter according to my micrometer and 44mm including the crown. Lug to lug is 47mm and only 10.8mm deep, so this is a very neatly made case. Good crown protection and the well knurled crown is Screw Down and performs very well – no hint of any cross threading here. In short a very well made exterior. The crystal I believe to be mineral glass appears flat. (only on a dive will you tell if this causes a mirror effect).

41mm diameter x 13.8mm depth - makes for a compact fit. — 41mm diameter x 10.8mm depth – makes for a compact fit.

The well defined uni-directional bezel has 60 clicks, which are smooth and definite and the large minute markers at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 including the zero align exactly with the internal dial minute track. Another indicator of the quality of this watch. And as to the question “Can I operate the bezel with gloves?” – the answer is yes. Oh there is also an effective luminous dot at Zero on the bezel.

The back has a stainless steel screw back with model details, model Number, 200m Water Resistance etc.

Stainless Steel screw back and standard strap pins.

The watch has a nice weight at 78gms, which is lighter than the Citizen at 88gms and the Seiko Monster at 113gms, so not heavy on the wrist at all.

The dial is matte black with large luminous markers. The broad hour and minute hands are good length and have luminous infills. The centre seconds hand has a luminous arrow tip and also lines up accurately with the minute perimeter track. In addition this model has an outlined day and date window @3, which is well proportioned and easy to read with a decent contrast and font.

The luminous quality is every bit as good as Seiko and betters my Citizen Diver and I can easily read the time after 6 hours in the dark. The shape of and layout of the markers and hands makes for easy reading. This is much better than I’d hoped even against models over 8 times the price and easily matches the Citizen Diver I featured earlier.

In summary this watch surpasses all my expectations by a considerable way – not only does it look good, it IS good, darned good. 🙂
The only question I have is “Why did it take me so long to find it!”

Good dial layout, broad decent length hands and good lume.

Forgive the repetition, but this is one good looking watch and it’s a delight to wear, even with it’s standard Polyurethane PU strap (and that’s unusual in my experience). I was going to change it for one of my silicon deployment ones, but as I’d run out of them I wore it, as is, straight out of the box – and it’s very comfortable! Probably the most comfortable of my three Divers. (update – I discovered why it was more comfortable. Diver straps invariably have that “wave” in the rubber, three or four heavy “ripples” near the watch body. Well this one has those as well BUT are flat on the wrist side, making for a very comfortable strap).

On the wrist in standard strap - best fit I have. — On the wrist in standard strap – best fit I have.

So a surprisingly good watch and terrific value in my opinion – and just what I was looking for. In fact this is my Xmas present to me!

One point – the sales information by the seller states it’s a Seiko/Epson VX42 movement, that generic version is a date only @6. This model has the day and the date @3 and this movement is actually the Epson VX43E
And as I’ve found in the past, it’s as smooth as silk and appears so far to keep very good time indeed. I would also note that the font used on the Epson VX Date and Day wheel is one of the better ones I’ve come across – other brands should take note!

Note –

One small point is that whilst it comes well packed in a nice box – it doesn’t come with instructions. Now a day, date quartz model isn’t rocket science I know, but if you don’t know watches too well – they would be handy.

The crown @3 of course sets everything on this watch – Unscrew the crown from it’s screw down position, let it pop out free, then pull out to first position, turn left or right to adjust the day or the date, pull out to position 2 to adjust the hands. This is a hacking movement, so the second hand stops when you adjust the hands, which is so useful for accurate setting.

Remember even with quartz watches if they’re analogue, it’s best when setting the day or the date, to first move the time to anywhere between 0300 and 0900. You do this as setting the day and date within the change over period (roughly 2200 to 0200 +/-) it could cause damage to the mechanism. So to make sure, you should move the hour to a time where no changeover occurs – as above. The best and easiest way is to set the day and the date for yesterday’s date (this is important) – and once done you can in crown position 2, advance the hands until the day and the date change to today’s date – (the date will probably change first at around midnight to 01.30 ish, followed sometime later up to around 02.00 by the date). Then set (advance) to your present time with the crown at position 2 (if a morning time, you won’t pass the 12, if an afternoon time make sure you pass the 12).
Sounds complicated (and maybe I’ve confused you) but it’s really quite easy really.

My friends at Watchuseek.com explain it far better than I and you can find analogue watch settings information HERE.

And finally – Here is an image of my three Divers – and for the money I believe they are about as good as you’ll get today – but this Apeks is really something – at under £70? Brilliant and I wished I’d found it sooner. Certainly on first acquaintance I have to recommend it. And I note that it is available in a Ladies version – Model AP0406-2 Ladies 200m Professional Diver.

My Divers - value for money and great quality. — My Divers – value for money and great quality.

These watches and others can be seen HERE.

So that question again – Which do I like the best – now? Well, I like them all and that’s the truth. I love the “Monster” because it’s got that “something” and I like the Citizen, as it’s 300m and very compact and now very comfortable in it’s silicon strap and then there’s this amazing non mainstream gem, the Apeks at under £70.00 – I mean what’s not to like!

Lume wise – the Seiko and the Apeks are both excellent and better than the Citizen which doesn’t last as long in the dark it’s OK but not as good as the others.

From a practical point of view I’m leaning towards the Apeks I have to admit – I mean it’s just so good and at an amazing price. I think Christmas is here already!

Have a nice one everybody!

Note – When it comes to getting yourself a watch for everyday use, it’s worth considering a “divers” watch. Not the huge professional style ones, but ones similar to those featured here. You may not need one of those large ribbed straps and even if the watch you like has one, more often than not they are easily changed to a simpler silicon deployment strap or even a leather one. But there’s no doubt that you can get yourself a VERY good watch at a VERY good price when looking at the Divers. Great strength, very easy to read and they usually look great.

Have fun.

2022 – UPDATE –

Been looking at today’s Divers and there are an so many out there, it’s become a crowded category. The above Apeks is still my favourite even at just 200m water resistance, so for normal everyday use and occasional swimming and so on, it’s virtually impossible to beat – period! The price is now around £90, so gone up a fraction, but the value and quality is still very evident.
If depth is a worry, then Apeks also have a 500m model at just £103 and a 1000m model at £120 and both are of the same quality standard as the 200m – so for me these are still the best value out there. For me they fulfil the basic criteria – great value, are clear to read in the water, not too big on the wrist and simply put – they do the job!

To then go and look at the seemingly endless parade of Divers watches available now, is to go nuts! Some are very expensive, some feature cluttered dials, thin hands, not that easy to read, some automatic (OK) some quartz (also OK) – I have no preference – digital models too and some with debatable clarity in the water etc etc.
But, so many have issues for me, mostly to do with price and practicality – and I definitely prefer a sensible price and really good practicality – so I invariably end up once again with my Apeks, which I bought in 2013 I think – and here we are

Citizen Diver & comparison

Another relatively low cost Divers model – the Citizen model BN0000-04H Date model.

This is the Citizen BN0000-04H Stainless Steel Divers Date model. 300m Water resistance rated and Screw Down crown plus rubber strap.
Eco Drive solar powered Quartz movement should mean good accuracy and no battery to worry about during it’s lifetime.
This model is particularly compact with a brushed stainless steel one piece case (no case back) of 40mm diameter (44mm with crown) 45mm lug to lug and only 9mm deep, which is very neat for a Diver.

Compact Diver but big markers compensate.

Powered by the Citizen E-168 solar quartz Eco-Drive movement. It has a black textured dial with inbuilt solar sensor and a hardened slightly convex mineral glass crystal, a perimeter minute track plus large luminous hour markers with luminous silver edged hour, minute and second hands. There is also a small silver edged date window at @3.

One piece mono-bloc stainless steel case - (no removable back). — One piece mono-bloc stainless steel case – (no removable back).

Topside it has a really positive action 60 click uni-directional bezel with a luminous dot @12. Screw down crown with a Water Resistance depth rating of 300 metres, which lifts it above the more usual 200m rating.
This model is paired with a Divers style rubber/resin band of good length, fitted to standard but heavy duty lug spring bars, which is good news if you need to change the strap for an alternative (see later images).
As usual this Citizen model comes with their 5 year Guarantee included.

A word on the bezel – On this model, it has a smooth rounded top, which slopes away from the crystal. This in my opinion gives rise to two slight concerns – 1) it makes the bezel slightly more difficult to grip despite the great click action and 2) it arguably reduces what little dial/crystal protection there is. I personally would have preferred a more defined knurled/shaped bezel to assist grip, but I’m maybe being over picky here I suppose and the actual bezel click action is very, very good.

In use – The overall impression is of a smooth edged compact watch and one of the smaller Divers around and all within a “one piece” 300m Depth rated case. I note the dial background is indeed black, but a little reflective in bright or artificial light, though conversely in low light situations it’s OK (makes sense as there’s less light to reflect). My own preference would be for this to be completely matte, but it’s not a big deal.

Now to comparison – Citizen BN0000-04H v Seiko SKZ781K3 Monster.
As I have the two Divers models above here’s my personal thoughts on my preferences and reasons.

Size – Now I said this Citizen model is a compact watch, though when compared to the Seiko Monster, at first glance there doesn’t seem much in it apart from the depth (9mm to 13mm), where the Monster is very chunky. The actual diameter of both two models is only 1 or 2 mm difference.

Comparative sizes - Citizen versus Seiko — Comparative sizes – Citizen versus Seiko

It is however in the dial size and more specifically the dial marker diameter and separation where the real size difference can be seen. And this is very evident in the images showing the luminosity of both models and where in my opinion the Seiko scores over the Citizen. The Seiko hands are longer and broader which also helps the overall clarity.

Dial & markers size differences. The Seiko is much larger.

In the dark or in low light the visible luminous dial of the Seiko is much larger and the marker diameter obviously for me is clearer to read.

Note the size difference of the luminous dials. The larger the better.

Movement wise the Citizen is a Solar Eco-Drive quartz therefore light driven and the Seiko is a mechanical automatic which uses the wrist movement to wind. As they both work well my preference has to be a purely personal thing.
And this is a tough one for me, as here in Scotland I’ve always had a tiny concern re’ solar watches, simply as we don’t have much sun and it’s also cold. Both observations have a bearing on my conclusion. Here watches are more often covered by sleeves and they don’t get much chance of an optimum daily charge (Citizen actually warns you that not doing so may cause the watch to maintain insufficient charge). So whenever the opportunity comes along to let the watch get some light on it – you should take it.
But it’s easy to forget . . .
And as far as accuracy is concerned however, the E-168 Solar movement, being quartz of course is better than you’ll ever need.

The Seiko being a mechanical Automatic, winds itself by your wrist movement, so once it’s on your wrist, forget it (no light worries then). It will easily keep fully wound when on the wrist and when off the wrist, it’ll manage around 40 hours (assuming it’s fully wound of course) or so before it stops. So if the Seiko is your daily beater, then no problem, just wear it and forget it.
Accuracy – of course it’s not going to be as good as quartz, but in practice the Seiko is accurate to around 4 seconds a day and that’s easily good enough for me or most of us for that matter.

So which power source do I prefer? – Surprisingly I prefer the mechanical Seiko. However if I lived in the South of France or the USA where short sleeves was the order of the day – then I might prefer the Solar accuracy (maybe). There are of course, newer technology models now from Seiko, that utilise their Kinetic system and they do produce some Diver models with it, so maybe these would be the ideal for me. I may have to look into that!

And the final question – which model do I prefer – the Citizen BN or the Seiko Monster Orange? I would note that both models are good to wear and I do like them both – but . . . which?

Well for me, all things considered, I have to admit a preference for the slightly larger Seiko Orange Monster.

And the reason is basically an amalgam of parts – and just because of the overall package .

How it looks I suppose is the first thing – and the Orange Monster really does look the business and that matters (maybe it’s the latent macho in me – who knows) but it just “looks” right!
Dial wise it’s that little bit larger and with larger hands and better markers separation, it IS easier to read. It’s luminous quality is also slightly better, in that there is a small difference in brightness after being in total dark for 6 hours – the Seiko IS just that bit easier to see – and that’s a fact (not that the Citizen is poor – far from it – but it’s not quite as good).
I prefer the bezel on the Seiko too, with the slight turn up towards the edge and the better defined knurls, gives better protection and is slightly easier to grip.
Also and not speaking diver here, the Date window on the Citizen is a tad small, whereas the Seiko Day/Date is larger and again much easier to read.

Interestingly as I write these points down it’s very apparent that “clarity” is an important element in my decision. There is a difference in the perceived clarity of both models and the Seiko scores almost every time. Little wonder then, why so many have raved about the “Monster” (a cult icon for many it appears), as it has that something about it that “works”.

As a friend said to me recently – Watch? Diver? Orange Monster? – Let’s ‘ave a look then? – Oh yeah! Monster! (sorry about that, but he’s not from round here! 😉

And no it’s not perfect of course, but it has much to be liked, such as that amazingly constructed case – I urge you to take a close look at it – 3 different lug sizes, uneven case overlaps shrouding the bezel and that odd crown protection, the upwards slanting bezel and the case overlap profiles at the strap fixing points.

Amazing detailing that is so easy to miss maybe – but perhaps just part of the secret of this watch and what makes the “Orange Monster” – one of a kind.

I love it!

Additional images –

And finally –

Seiko Orange Monster with Silicon deployment.

Update –

Well it’s in the wearing that a watch really shows it’s true colors and that is certainly true of the two models featured above. I’m finding that wrist time is pretty much equal in that I’m wearing each one more or less alternately. In short I like them both very much – take this last few days for example – Friday Monster, Saturday Citizen, Sunday Monster and today Citizen and there is no doubt in my mind that much of it is to do with the strap change, with both now on Silicon deployment straps. They’re simply far more comfortable, especially if you are using these as daily beaters – and that said – they are both difficult to beat!

Citizen Diver comfort on silicon deployment.

Seiko Monster comfort on silicon deployment.

Variety 2

Another trawl through some of the great watches that are available today and maybe we don’t see too often. Once again this selection are what I’d call in the affordable price range and some good value items. Almost all of them are common in one respect and that is, you can be pretty certain that your friends won’t have one – but will after they see your new wrist wear! My image here is a collage as before with brief details below and in no particular order.

Only 6 are shown here as one of them, the Junghans, has a sideways shot, showing it’s unusual crown/pusher set up and it’s 9.6mm case depth.

Junghans Megasolar Spektrum, stainless & ceramic, solar quartz, 100m WR, – 43.5mm diameter (£600)
Fortis B42 Flieger Black, Auto, Day/Date Titan Limited model at 42mm diameter (£600 – £1500)
Bruno Sohnle Glashutte Rebito, 42mm diameter (£380)
Schaumburg GT “Raceclub”, Auto – 46mm diameter (£900)
Askania Templehof in steel, Auto – 42mm diameter (£850 – £1300)
Schaumburg Regulator, hand winding, 50m WR, 42mm diameter (£850 – £1300)

I’ve listed the case diameters this time, as there are too many models out there that are unfortunately ruined by being way oversize and just too big for comfort. So I’m doing a gentle bit of championing the smaller guys. But let’s not be silly here – most of the models shown here are all decent size, as all are over 40mm (remember many Patek Philippe models are around 36mm and don’t look silly on ANYBODY’s wrist!!).

OK Monster

My new Citizen Diver unfortunately has not yet arrived, I thought I’d show my other model – my Seiko diver, which may not need any introduction, but for those who don’t have one, here it is.

And this is a real favorite amongst many it seems – the Seiko SKZ781K3 “Orange Monster”. It’s one of those “tactile” models, you know the thing – once you wear it and really see it close up, it is one very solid chunk of stainless steel and yet it somehow just “feels” right. Mostly and deceptively, because it is NOT large – not at all! So don’t be put off by those massive looks, because in reality it is remarkably compact, though looking like it’s title – a Monster! The case is a very clever and dare I say, almost extravagant, stainless steel that really does give a great feeling of solidity. There is absolutely no doubt it has that something about it and the specification’s pretty decent too.

As I say – this is a compact diver at 42mm x 13mm so a great size for those if us with normal size wrists 😉 and the band/lug width is a tight 20 mm, so easy to source an alternative bracelet or strap. (See my wrist shot – and I only have 170mm wrists). Unfortunately no screw in lug/strap bars, which would be my preference, though Seiko do use really heavy weight spring bars between the lugs for strap or bracelet fitting

My Monster here sports a non Seiko ladder flexible rubber strap though is due for a change, but that’s no reflection on the watch of course.

The large 120 click uni-directional bezel is very “in your face” with sharp black clear markings and a luminous dot @12. It also slopes down slightly towards the Hardlex Crystal, which is gently domed for optimum viewing under water, so the eye naturally is drawn to the super clear orange dial. Large luminous markers and a minute track on the perimeter, broad black edged Lumibrite hour and minutes hands complimented by a black luminous tipped arrow head seconds sweep hand. An excellent and very clear day and date window @3 with edge highlight in black plus contrasting white background discs with black letters, means it’s easily read without the need for a magnifying bubble.

At the 18 minutes position the well defined Screw Down Crown sits, very well protected by a crown guard above and below by the very clever extended steel case lug.

The movement is the 21 jewel mechanical automatic (self winding with movement of the your arm) Seiko 7S26, so will never need a battery and is a reasonable accuracy for a mechanical engine. It is also a very well tried Seiko Japanese movement so there should be no surprises with it. It is also a non-hacking movement, which means when the crown is pulled out to adjust the time, the second hand does not stop. (I understand newer model versions use Cal. 4R36, which is hacking). However with a mechanical watch I’ve personally never needed such split second accuracy anyway, so I’m fine with that. Accuracy-wise the 7S26 at 21,600 bph is maybe +/- 5 secs per day with a power reserve of up to 40 hours. The movement also doesn’t hand wind but simply waving it about a bit, starts it off easily, so just put it on and your away!

Overall impressions with this watch is that it’s a built like a tank and is very solid and reassuring. And as any Diver should, it has a 200m Water Resistance rating and a good sized screw down crown.
So overall in my opinion and that of many others apparently, this is an exceptional watch for the money, of that there is no doubt – and whilst it may be a bit of a statement, indeed almost a cult watch, it actually does the business, does it very well and looks stunning.

Seiko Monster - looks the part, but only 13mm depth — Seiko Monster – looks the part, but only 12.9mm depth

Just a word about the luminous quality of the dial. There is no question that if exposed to daylight for any length of time, the light “charge” is bright and very effective. If you then put the watch in a dark place soon after, the luminous markers and hands etc. are outstanding, very bright and clear so you could almost read a book by it! This image is taken in a darkened room (not fully dark) and shows the luminous quality – note the black outlines accentuate the hands rather well.

Luminous effect after about 10 minutes (after the initial charge dies off).

Of course this brightness does not remain as the image above and does fade, though I’m happy to say the “Monster” performs well enough to tell the time in the dark even after 6 hours or so.

5 am - luminous dial still readable — 5 am – luminous dial still readable (Sorry – not my best photo!)

Whilst the luminous dial does fade and dependent on the initial charge as to how long this fading takes, it could just glow a little by early morning. However your eyes will be well adjusted to the dark and should still be able to make out the time. So overall not bad and almost as good (though not quite!) as my old Breitling, which always manages to retain a luminous quality, regardless of light exposure.

So in conclusion the Seiko lives up to it’s reputation very well and especially with this model, which really represents excellent value as a Diver class model. And as soon as my Citizen turns up I hope to check it out here and perhaps do a comparison. Anyway it’s nice to have two different takes on a theme from competing brands – should be interesting.

Update – Thursday 5th December 2013

I noted that the non-Seiko ladder rubber strap on my Monster was needing replaced. I did this the other night and used a twin button over locking deployment type in Silicon rubber. It was 20mm width and apart from the fact I had to coax the heavy weight Seiko spring bars into the strap fixing holes with a touch of WD40 (they slid in easily then) it fitted just great. Gives a much lower profile on the wrist and more comfortable too.

Replacement Silicon deployment strap for under £12

As you can pretty much guess, I don’t do diving these days so my simple lume test was basically day time/bed time and see what I could see on wake up. But from that it’s pretty obvious that underwater, what with the light before the dive and the initial descent, the Lumibrite will absorb more than enough light to manage the task. As to the strap; if I was diving or scuba/snorkelling or whatever, I’d fit a full rubber strap, as it’s long length would allow me to wear it over a wet suit and so on. I’m unsure if the bracelet version of the Monster has an extension (like my Breitling) to extend the wrist length just for that purpose, but whatever, this does show that strap and bracelet wise this watch will take almost any standard item, no problem.

Update –

You may be pleased to note that the Orange Monster series is still going strong. v2 appeared in 2012 with the upgraded 4r36 hacking and hand winding movement. Series 3 appeared in 2014 with the 6r15 automatic movement with a 50 hr reserve. I note that the latest 4th version has reverted back to the 4r36 movement for reasons unknown.

Personally I love the Series 1 and wouldn’t consider parting with it – it’s iconic, great to wear, smooth as silk and never lets me down – ever. Personally I’m always on the lookout for limited edition series 1, which feature different dial colurs, but they are tricky to find. But always hopeful.

Davis Watch Company

Whilst trawling around the web I found this Company, the Davis Watch Company, who have a rather neat range of mid priced Quartz models plus a few more up market mechanical watches too. Always on the lookout for a sensible priced quartz Dress watch I came across this rather nicely styled model from their “AllRound Series”, the 0582, which I think has a rather elegant classic look about it.

I like the look of this model as it harks back to just a hint of Art Deco and Classic, without being actually Retro. The overall appearance is interesting and that little bit different with the leather strap and integral tan stitch fitting into smooth hidden lugs case design – very stylish in my opinion and as a Dress watch, pretty much what I was looking for. Additionally the dial is elegantly configured with fine Guilloche background and three multifunction sub-dials. The indexes are white applied with stainless accents which aides clarity, the hour and minute hands similarly outlined.

It features Day, Date and 12/24hr time and is powered by the MIYOTA quartz movement Caliber 6P29 (SR621SW battery) and has a accuracy of around +/- 20 seconds per month. The case is brushed Stainless steel, has a Water Resistance of 100m and dimensions are 50 x 33 x 10mm, so a relatively neat watch and it comes with their International 2 year guarantee.

We tend to forget these days that Dress watches are exactly that and surprisingly rare to find, or those of decent appearance anyway. They are simply not meant to be Military, or Divers or big and flashy, but instead are sleek, smooth and elegant, meant to slip under the shirt cuff. I think this one is just that and at a very agreeable price of under €130 (Euro).

Davis also make quite a decent range of non dress models too and this one – the Davis Aviamatic 1020 features Chronograph, Day and Date, in brushed Stainless Steel, which is also available in white. A 22mm leather strap compliments this neat 42mm x 11mm case with a 50m Water Resistance and screw down crown. The solid performing MIYOTA quartz Caliber OS21 with a +/- 20sec/month movement is used here and has an approximate battery life of 3 years (SILVER OXIDE SR927W),

This model has a larger version, the 0450 at 48mm diameter and other dial colors are available, which makes it quite versatile.

The high color yellow and black Aviamatic model I alluded to and posted an image of, in my last article, though for me a little on the large side at 48mm, will certainly appeal to many as it really has that “military” look.

Davis watch also offer a few mechanical watches , though there is a price premium to pay, they are still very reasonable and feature Miyota mechanical movements. I have a couple of other brands using these movements and I rarely, if ever, have a problem with them and they invariably represent excellent value.

Ladies are not left out and they have a few different models in their range and should you wish to see these, this is the link to them. From ring watches to designer and even ceramic, they are that bit different from the mainstream, in my opinion.

Refreshing to see a not so well known watch brand (to me at any rate) with such a diverse range of pretty good looking models and at not unreasonable pricing across that range. I like the fact they major on good solid mainstream and standard quartz movements such as Miyota in that it gives confidence that the engines will work pretty well and be reasonably reliable.

In fact I’m rather taken with more than one model myself and might just be tempted to acquire one, or at the very least persuade my Wife that one of them could make an “AllRound” Christmas present.

That’s a hint my Dear!

Black & Yellow

Black and Yellow watches seem to be on the increase, maybe because Wiz Khalifa the US Rapper features it in song, or perhaps Pennsylvania’s NFL team colors, or Radiation warning – whatever it is this color combination can be pretty striking in a watch – and there are quite a few around. The models featured here have quartz movements.

One that comes to mind (excuse the pun), this is The One 01 in stainless steel with a Polyurethane rubber strap. A square disc model at 53 x 30 x 9.2mm that pretty much says it all from “The One” Fashion House.

The 01 The One - AN04G02 Yellow Spinning Wheel — The 01 The One – AN04G02 Yellow Spinning Wheel

Quite striking actually and pretty easy to read the time, unlike many in their range. They have a few models that do have dots, lights and odd sequences, that might be OK for the young, but not really my style – but this Yellow Spinning Wheel model is not at all bad. It reminds me of the old LIP watches, and they were good.

Followed by a Diesel Mr Daddy Radar DZ7296 – which is indeed a BIG watch (too big for me) but interesting nevertheless. This model is a whopping 64 x 57 13mm, very futuristic, but only 3atm which is a pity, but it’s a bit of fun and certainly a fashion statement if there ever was! I’d be tempted to put it on the mantlepiece above the fire as a clock!

But my favorite is this good looking watch from Davis, the 1840 model, though perhaps still a little big for me (though they have other models not quite as bright which are more my size at 42mm), it is a very stylish military look watch. It features the MIYOTA quartz movement Caliber OS21 and dimensions are 48mm x 12mm, with 50m Water Resistance and an Italian Lorica strap and under €200 would make a nice gift for the more conventional amongst us.

Chronograph, Date, 12/24 sub-dials and that fantastic bright Yellow configuration makes for a striking watch. I love the matching yellow stitching on the Lorica Strap, which sets it off nicely.

This is also the first time I’ve had a serious look at Davis models, though the Davis Watch Company has been around for a few years (1987 Cannes) and I hope to feature them soon on “Spotlight”, as I have been on the lookout for a low/medium priced dress watch and looking at their range – they might have one that suits me . . . . .

Divers-ity

As one of my previous posts recently showed, there are many choices when it comes to “Divers” models, especially when considering major brands. There are also other models from Casio, Invicta and Momentum to name just a few. There are also others that advertise as Divers, but for me I only consider “dive rated” models at 200m or better. Plus basic features such as good dial legibility under water, large hands and numerals, good luminous qualities, a screw down crown and a uni-directional bezel.

I highlight here some that caught my attention, starting with the classic Seiko “Monster” Divers SKX781K, Automatic in Orange and black versions – one that I particularly like.

This is an absolute classic Divers watch and very popular with good reason. Solid chunky watch in Stainless Steel watch with high visibility dial and contrasting hands and markers, rated at 200m Water Resistance and with a large uni-directional bezel that is a delight to use. The bezel markings are sharp and clear with the conventional 15, 30 and 45 minute graduations in large high contrast figuring with a luminous dot marker at Zero. The orange dial also features a Day and Date in a nicely outlined window @3 again with good contrast luminous figures and large enough not to require any magnifier bubble. The luminous system used is Seiko Lumibrite, which for me has one of the best luminous properties of any (I don’t include Tritium light source technology). The large screw down crown is very well protected by the projecting case profile on one side and the cleverly extended solid case lug on the other. The mechanical automatic movement is the dependable 7S26 which has reasonable accuracy at around +/- 25 secs/day – not quite in the quartz bracket, but good for a mechanical model. The crystal is the Seiko in-house “Hardlex” which is a good combination of scratch and shatter resistance.

Seiko "Monster" in black — Seiko “Monster” in black

These models are available from around $120 to $160 depending on discounts etc. and represent superb value when you consider these are from a major Manufacturer with good guarantees and service back up.

I have not included Citizen this time as featured some in the previous post on Divers, so this time I’m looking at other brands that offer a similar capability, such as Momentum from the St Moritz Watch Company of Canada. They have quite a neat range of 200m Water Resistance “Divers”, though I find it difficult to know what’s current and what’s discontinued. Of several Diver models I have opted for and particularly like the Shadow 11 model (IM-DV86B0), which is a good sized black IP coated stainless steel version at 41mm x 12mm case size. It has a quartz movement with Day/Date window @3, luminous hands and markers with a second hand with arrow tip. The uni-directional bezel is well defined, though as others in the Brand, they use slightly unconventional 20, 30, 40 and 50 minute markers (another model uses, 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55, which I find confusing). There is also an offset semi-protected screw down crown.

This model version has black IP 316L steel case and bracelet, though my next featured watch has the more usual stainless finish. The Momentum Storm 11 model, which I find more compact looking in case a dial set up, perhaps as I’m more used to the Seiko and Citizen models, but certainly worth considering.

The dial on both models appear quite Seiko looking with the round markers and so on which I find very pleasing. The prices of both watches seem to be in the same bracket as the more popular models and certainly shows there are no shortage of models in this Divers category.
Another brand at the low end of this price bracket is the Invicta Watch Group, a US Company trading on the original Swiss Invicta Watch Company name since 1991 and they feature a few Diver category models in their range.

Invicta ProDiver 8926 Automatic — Invicta Pro Diver 8926 Automatic

A more Rolex Submariner looking watch you’re unlikely to see, which can be got for around $80 or £65+ in the UK (may be subject to VAT and customs here in the UK). Good looking 200m Water Resistance model with uni-directional 120 click bezel with good markings and that luminous Dot at Zero. It uses a Miyota 21j automatic mechanical movement and has a mineral crystal. The movement from memory does not have the best power reserve, so unless you are pretty active it could be an issue. The later model 9937 the features a 23j movement, where the power reserve is improved, a sapphire crystal and better magnifier date window. Though the date is actually OK for me on this model. A screw down protected crown @3 and watch dimensions are 40 x 12mm, so is a really neat sized Divers watch which will suit the smaller wrist. Rolex style dial with luminous hands and markers, plus center sweep seconds hand, sets off a rather handsome watch.
As long as you don’t expect Rolex quality, this watch should manage quite well, but time will tell in the long run.

So a few more Divers to consider and I hope to have a more in depth look at the Seiko “Monster” and the Citizen BN models in the near future, which should be fun as I’m hoping to replace some of my older Divers and move them on.

That’s diversity for you.

Variety!

It never ceases to amaze me the sheer variety of watches and watch designs that are out there. From the incredibly good to the mind numbingly bad and yet somebody somewhere, will love the look of whatever it is and then buy it. Whether its the color, the sheer extravagance or whatever, there truly seems to be a watch model for everyone.

This is just a quick selection and for reference and I’ve listed the models below as one of them could just be the little gem you’ve been waiting for! – you never know!

In no particular order – All prices are UK.

Stuhrling Original 204A.33 Sports Fleet Street, Day/Date, Yellow, Quartz – approx £140

Shhors Rubber LCD LED092 Ladies, Day/Date – £10.49 (I call this the “Lego” watch! – the bracelet can be altered to change color sequence)

Shark Day/Date,24hr, Mens Yellow SH091 – £30 approx.

Seiko 5 Sports Navy Blue Day/Date Automatic self winder SRP351 – £113.00

Harley Davidson (aka Bulova) Gents model 78C103 – £248

Invicta multifunction IP Day/Date Model 43658-004 – £113

Cavena Noni Big Da/Date, Alarm Dual Time, Quartz, CVN019 – £23

Giulio Romano GR-3000-13-001 Piemonte, Luminous, IP plated, Dual Time, Day/Date – £140

Lancaster OLAO461SLYGNR Yellow, Gold IP Day/Date – £170

All the above are Day and Date models and just a fraction of the sheer variety of models, that without the power of the internet, you would simply never get a chance to see, let alone buy. Such is the fascination of this watch business, that in the time it took to post this, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of new designs, new models already being offered and amazingly new ideas of presenting the time on your wrist! I have not included the weird form of interpretation of time, with lights and codes etc. as these are just not my thing at all! These I find far too complicated as what I prefer is to be able to read and understand the time at a glance. Not that some of this first collection can also be tricky, but there is for me a limit.

And would I buy any of the above? Well for me personally no, but I know somebody will. Yet I do find some of the ideas and presentation quite fascinating. I love, for example, the Ladies Shhors “lego” building brick bracelet watch, just for the sheer fun of it and the fact that from a fashion point of view, to be able to mix around the segments of the bracelet blocks to give a different look, is fun.

And I had forgotten that particular Seiko 5 model, the Sports Cal 4R36, 24 jewel automatic, with it’s wonderful Day/Date window @3, broad luminous hands with a great center seconds arrow hand, a Hardlex crystal and 100m Water Resistance. As one of my pals used to say – “it’s an absolute belter!” and he’d be right as it is indeed a very stylish watch. Too easy to forget that Seiko make an enormous number of mechanical automatic models, most of which we never see here in the UK, which is a great shame as they represent excellent value for money.

The Cavena Noni Big Date/day ana-digi is also quite a striking watch and one I’d personally never heard of before. A low cost model it may be, but design-wise it looks pretty good to me. And the others more or less picked at random from the almost limitless selection available, again simply show the fantastic variety and so much so that I’ll probably have another trawl around and see what turns up.

Variety! It never ceases to astound me.