Watch Reviews

I’ve been on a James Bond kick lately. So as the release of “No Time to Die” draws closer, I decided to check into buying one of the watches worn by the iconic super spy. But, a quick glance at the prices was enough to nix that operation.

Well, if I can’t afford a Bond watch, what about something that could have been worn by one of his Russian nemeses? Enter the $60-ish Vostok Amphibian, a Soviet timepiece released in the same year as the Connery classic “You Only Live Twice.” These watches are legendary for their oddball appearance and durability, backed by a legitimate diving pedigree. And hey, if it’s good enough for Steve Zissou, how bad could it be?

Fit

On paper, the Amphibian (also known as the Scuba Dude) reads as a moderately-sized watch. The steel case measures some 41mm across, with a sensible lug-to-lug span of 45mm. The outlier here is its 15mm thickness, which makes this a rather high-riding piece. Just take a look at that domed acrylic crystal.

My eyeball test estimates that the glass rises somewhere between three to four millimeters above the rest of the case. Why so tall? We’ll cover the purpose behind its architecture in a few moments. For now, know that Vostok does offer several different cases. This particular example is from their 710 line, also known as the “Ministry” style. There’s also the rounded 420, and a host of other more minor variations.

Despite its height, I’ve found the Scuba Dude to be an incredibly comfortable piece on my wrist. The lugs slope nicely away from the bezel, creating an interesting geometry. It’s a definite departure from your typical Swiss or Japanese design aesthetics, making it immediately recognizable.

Movement

Let’s get this out of the way: The Vostok 2416 is not a modern movement. It’s a hand winding, automatic mechanical straight out of the swinging 60s. In fact, it’s changed very little since it debuted alongside the first album from “The Doors.” That was in 1967, with LBJ in the White House and The Jungle Book in theaters. So, if a hacking seconds hand and quick set date are on your list of bare necessities, you’re out of luck.

Still, there’s plenty here to light my fire. For what it lacks in modern amenities, the 2416 is a proven, durable movement. There are certainly some rough edges, however, especially in the setting experience. Hacking may be absent, but you can get the seconds to stop for a while by dialing back the minute hand. This lets you get somewhat close, though it occasionally requires a shake to restart. Also, my Amphibian arrived with a weird stutter-step between the five and ten second marks. This sorted itself out over the course of my first two hours with the watch, and hasn’t reappeared since.

Let’s talk accuracy. For the first half the week, I was running around 45 seconds fast per day. While that’s certainly not great, I’d rather have my watches run fast as opposed to slow. Further reading indicated that most watches passing through international mail will be exposed to some form of magnetism. That’s a major problem for automatics, so I ran the Vostok over my degausser. The results since then have been closer to plus-35 seconds per day, so there’s been a slight improvement.

It’s also worth noting that, according to various internet forums, these watches have a break-in period of a few weeks. While this could be anecdotal, mine has gotten more accurate over its week-plus on my wrist. The hand-winding is a bit rough, but we’ll cover the quirks of its crown below.

Overall, I knew what I was getting into with this movement. With its hearty gears, stoic silence, and blue-collar ethos, it’s not hard to see the Russian DNA here.

Case and Crown

Though there are countless Amphibian combinations, I opted for the standard Scuba Dude because of its more traditional divers’ appearance. The entire affair is made stainless steel, with a surprisingly nice polish. The brushed back features Cyrillic script that I can’t read. Oh, except for the “200M.”

Let’s take a second to cover the uniqueness of the Scuba Dude’s construction. The story goes that, back in the 1960s, the Russians needed to develop a watch with a 200M diving rating. Being a Communist nation, they weren’t keen on the idea of purchasing patents for such tech from the Swiss. A group of engineers was tasked with replicating their results, while operating within the limits of the Soviets’ industrial capabilities. What they came up with was the Amphibian, a watch that utilized a domed crystal and rubber gasket. Under pressure, the watch’s components actually squeeze in on themselves, creating a tighter seal as the wearer descends in depth. It’s a neat bit of history, even if I’m unlikely to take up deep-sea diving.

Speaking of unique construction, the Amphibia’s 2416 movement has one of the strangest crowns you’re likely to encounter. It’s actually disconnected from the shaft, giving it a wobbly feel that can trick folks into believing that their watch is broken. Supposedly, this is intentional. Vostok enthusiasts claim that it provides additional protection to the mechanism in the event of an impact to the crown. The theory is that, since it’s free-floating, the winding shaft won’t be able to slam into the heart of the movement. Some folks consider this annoying, but I’ve chalked it up as another lovable quirk. Connected or not, I’m just happy that it’s a screw-down crown.

Dial, Bezel, and Crystal

Call me crazy, but I feel this is one of the most stylish watches available under $60. The eponymous Scuba Dude is a classic logo, and the polished hands and indices are really sharp. I love the sea-green dial, and the red second hand really pops. The date window is perfectly placed at 3-oclock, and the whole affair is nicely proportioned. Oh, and the lume far outpaces the weak paint found on the similarly-priced Seiko SNK809. The hands and hour pips are clearly visible through the night. Not quite as bright as the Citizen BM8180’s, but that’s more due to the smaller applied points.

Let’s talk about the bi-directional bezel. This is a sore spot for some dive-watch purists, who want to stick closer to the diver aesthetic. A one-way bezel allows you to more reliably track the amount of air left in your tank, while an unwanted spin of the Vostok’s outer ring could provide a dangerously misleading reading.

But for my needs, I’m onboard with the two-way spin. I actually found myself using the Amphibian’s bezel more than those on my traditional divers, from timing flights to making basic computations.

Lastly, there’s the acrylic crystal. Will it scratch? Yes, for certain. Do I care? No, not really. This is a fun, budget diver meant to be worn. And unlike harder mineral crystals, a quick application of Polywatch should be able to restore the Amphibian’s glass to its former glory.

Strap/Bracelet

Ready for my biggest criticism of the Vostok? This is, hands down, the worst bracelet I’ve encountered. Even among enthusiasts, the universal consensus was this – The metal is sharp, prone to pinch, and loves nothing better than to devour each and every hair on your arm. Thankfully, I had a backup plan in place.

Full disclosure: The green NATO you see here was provided free of charge by an outfit called Cincy Strap Company. I’ve been a long-time customer of theirs, and they hooked me up with a few of their “Premium SB Straps” as both a “Thank you” and a way to get their name out there. Until now, I’ve always purchased their standard (and excellent) Milspec models. But these premium SB’s are worth every cent of their $26 price tag. The material quality is top notch, from the hardware to the supple strap itself.

Here is a shot of the Amphibia next to my Casio MDV106-1a “Duro”:

While I love the look and feel of the NATO, it does cause the watch to ride higher than a UFO on my wrist. Still, I gladly rocked this look for several days’ worth of travel and testing.

I’ve purchased a basic rubber band for wear on the job, which should help keep the Dude’s dome from smashing into a steam valve. But, man, that olive NATO really pops with this dial.

Vostok Amphibian “Scuba Dude” Review – Final Thoughts

Long story short, I adore this watch. Between the historical significance, quirky design, and rugged personality, it’s exactly the kind of fun piece I enjoy having in my collection.

Now, here’s the hard part – Where can you buy one? While they’re available on Amazon for around $100, your cheapest route is through eBay. I paid $57 for mine, with free shipping. Just look for a dealer with a lot of positive reviews, and you should be okay. Here’s the catch – The watch ships from Russia. That means you’ll be waiting somewhere between two and four weeks for the Scuba Dude to swim across the pond.

There is another option – Meranom, the official Vostok distributor. The shipping isn’t any quicker, and the prices are generally around $75. But if you want to browse through the mind-boggling variety of the Vostok catalog, they’re your source.

Necessity is often the herald of invention. There is perhaps nowhere that exemplifies this better in the watch world than pilot’s watches. In 1904 Cartier released what came to be known as the first Aviation-focused timepiece, the Santos. The watch was designed at the behest of Albert Santos-Dumont, an early European aviator, who found it difficult to use his pocket watch while controlling an aircraft.

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Pilot’s watches needed to be reliable, easy to read, and luminous. Many other brands took a swing at designing pilot’s watches most notably Zenith, Stowa, Laco, and IWC — to name a few. As the popularity of these timepieces grew, they became fashionable and were appreciated for their simplicity.

The watch we’re talking about today is the IWC 3777-17 or the Le Petit Prince. The modern interpretation of IWC’s pilots’ chronograph. The Le Petit Prince aspect of the watch is derived from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel, The Little Prince. Saint-Exupéry was a well known French author and aviator that disappeared on a reconnaissance mission in 1943. His work has received a lot of notoriety both before and after his death, but Le Petit Prince stood out. The children’s book has been translated into 250 different languages and is one of the top-selling books in the world.

With that in mind, it quickly becomes clear how a significant producer of aviation-themed watches would choose to memorialize Saint-Exupéry with one of their pilot’s watches. The way they opted to do this was with a sunburst blue dial and a caseback engraving. The rest of the watch remains true to the 3777 Pilots Chronograph collection.

Now, before we get too far into this, let’s go over some specs:

• Case Width: 43mm
• Case Thickness: 16.25mm
• Lug to Lug: 53.5mm
• Depth Rating: 6 Bar or 60m
• Weight: 7.1oz on the bracelet
• Movement: Calibre 79320 (Valjoux 7750)
• Lug Width: 21mm

(All Measurements are my personal measurements and may differ from the manufacturer’s specifications.)

Fit

The IWC Chronographs from the 3777 family are all on the larger side. The longer lug to lug length mixed with the thickness of the case causes the watches themselves to present rather large on the wrist. They’re not uncomfortable, however. The dramatic downward angle of lugs causes the watch itself to hug your wrist nicely.

The thickness of the case itself could be a turnoff to some, but for my needs, it isn’t an issue. We’ll talk more about the bracelet later, but it’s worth addressing here; it’s excellent. The drape is well-executed, and the quick adjustment buckle system is a work of art. These really lend themselves to this watch’s comfort.

Movement

The movement IWC chose to use in the 3777 series is a bit of a sore subject. They opted for a modified Valjoux 7750 that they dubbed the Calibre 79320.

There are two sides to this story: On one hand, folks wish they IWC had opted to use one of their in-house calibers, perhaps something from the 69000 family. Which, of course, they did in the recently released Spitfire Chronograph from SIHH 2019. The 79320, however, is not an “off the shelf,” 7750. It’s been highly modified and regulated by IWC.

In my experience, the changes that IWC chooses to make to the 7750’s result in a movement that is extremely accurate, reliable, and anti-magnetic. So, for my wrist, I am more than pleased. This also means that down the line when the time comes to service the watch any competent watchmaker can do it. In-house movements generally need to go back to the manufacture for correct servicing (there are, of course, exceptions).

Case & Crown

One of the things that I appreciate about IWC’s pilot series and the choices they made with the cases; is simply that they have chosen to retain the tool-watch vibe on what could be considered a somewhat up-market piece.

The entire case is brushed, except for the thin bezel around the crystal and the beveled edges on the case. Polished details like this really serve to make the watch sparkle on your wrist. With a lug to lug length of over 53mm, you might think the watch would wear exceptionally large, but really the angle of the lugs curve down dramatically making it very comfortable on my 7” wrist.

IWC opted to use a 7mm screw-down serrated crown on their 3777 line. I’ve found it odd that with a screw-down crown the watch is only rated to 60m. I suspect that IWC is being conservative with that rating, but it’s not something I’ll push. This isn’t a diver after all. All that being said, the crown is excellently sized and designed for its intended use.

Dial & Crystal

Dials are what draw us into watches, aren’t they? I remember sitting in the (very fancy) lobby of a Wempe in Paris with my wife. The salesman wasn’t particularly friendly, but even my wife (an admittedly non-watch person) was drawn into the blue sunburst dial of the Le Petit Prince. When set next to the regular black dialed 3777, there was no comparison.

Each of the three subdials is recessed slightly and have a circular texture applied to them. This gives them some visual contrast against the rest of the dial. The hands themselves are polished silver and filled with pure white Super Luminova while the chronograph seconds hand is painted white. The ticking second’s hand at 9 o’clock stands out painted red next to the other subdials which are just white. I’ve always loved this detail, it adds just a tiny pop of contrast to the blue dial.

Being that this is a pilot watch technically, legibility takes priority on this dial. All of the hours that are not occluded by subdials or the date window are represented in large white numerals. At noon we see the traditional “Flieger” triangle. The date wheels are both white as well. This allows the date to jump off the darker dial. The hands also taper to precise points, allowing for accuracy when setting the watch.

Lastly, the lume… Oh IWC, why have you done this to me? Only the hands and quarter-hour markers are lumed. Now, they’re lumed well, but it would have been so easy for them to lume all the numerals. I can’t think of a good reason why they’d overlook this. It’s forgivable, but barely.

Bracelet

The price difference between the 3777 on a leather strap vs. on a steel bracelet is $1000. That’s a steep price grade for a strap option, but that’s what I did, and I feel like it’s totally worth it.

The steel bracelet from IWC is a mechanical work of art. Starting with the links, there are push buttons on the back. When these are depressed with the included pusher tools, the links slide apart. No screws, no split pins, or god forbid pin and collars to monkey with. The clasp is pure genius. It has a generous ratcheting quick adjustment feature. To expand the bracelet you simply press on the IWC logo on the clasp, flex your wrist some, and it will expand to accommodate. To retract it you just push it back together, and it’ll click into place. Genius. In addition to the mechanisms, the strap offers remarkable flexibility and movement. The “drape” of the strap over your wrist is perfect.

One negative aspect to the 3777 when it comes to straps is the lug width of 21mm. This is an uncommon width, so your options for aftermarket straps will be somewhat limited. I would suggest going the custom route and for $100-200 have a strap made to suit your watch and wrist specifically.

IWC Le Petit Prince Chronograph Review – Final Thoughts

If it’s not apparent from the review above, I’m a fan of this watch. It’s something that had been on my radar for quite a while, and ultimately I was delighted to put it on the wrist. If you’re someone that’s a fan of chronographs but want to get out of the usual Omega Speedmaster rut, this is an excellent choice. I personally suggest that you purchase it on the bracelet, but if you know for a fact that you prefer leather it’s an easy way to save some money. There are a lot of options when it comes to the pilot’s chronographs all across the spectrum of prices and quality. If you choose to go with one of IWC’s offerings, I think you’ll be pleased that you did.

IWC Pilot Le Petit Prince Automatic Chronograph Mens Watch IW377717

• chronograph

$5,670.01

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the IWC Le Petit Prince Chronograph at Amazon and watches in general at Jomashop. Thanks for reading!

Watches, for some of us, become mementos of something we’ve done or somewhere we’ve been. Today it seems painfully appropriate that I am writing about this particular watch; It’s April 15th, 2019 and my afternoon was interrupted by the news that the magnificent Parisian cathedral of Notre Dame had caught fire and was burning.

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The reason this is applicable here is that I purchased this watch while I was on vacation with my wife in Paris just a few months ago. Something that I have learned is: you can’t force something to have significance, but the time you spend, the places you go, and the people you’re with can all help imbue something with memory and importance to you. This Tudor Black Bay Chronograph will always remind me of those flying buttresses, and that giant rose window.

Now that we have that out of the way, let me introduce you to the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph, released at Baselworld 2017, this watched marked a big step for the Black Bay line that until now was comprised of just time-only watches. The Black Bay Chrono also marked an exciting partnership between Breitling and Tudor wherein the two brands exchanged some movement technologies with each other. I’ve always found this partnership to be one of the more interesting things about this particular watch—and it’s what attracted me to it. (that and my voracious appetite for chronographs)

Before we get too far into the review let’s go over some specs:

• Case Width: 41.4mm
• Case Thickness: 15.3mm
• Lug to Lug: 50.1mm
• Depth Rating: 200m (660 ft)
• Weight: 6.4oz on Bracelet
• Movement: MT5813 based on the Breitling B01
• Lug Width: 22mm

(All measurements are my personal measurements and may differ from the manufacturer’s specifications.)

Fit

I’ve always found Black Bays to wear and fit very well. My wrist is roughly 7” depending on how warm it is and if I’ve recently consumed MSG…but that’s always been a pretty versatile wrist size and I’m comfortable with watches that range from 38-44mm’s. That being said, the Black Bay Chrono is a comfortable-if-chunky watch on the wrist.

I would say the chunkiness is mainly due to its thickness. The in-house movement increased the thickness of the Black Bays slightly, but I would assume that the chronograph complication only exacerbated that. It’ll be up to you to decide if it’s too much for your arm, it isn’t for me.

Movement

As I stated in the intro Tudor was involved in a movement exchange program with Breitling. In this exchange, Tudor received the B01 movement for use in this watch. Breitling, on the other hand, took the MT5612 movement and renamed it the B20 after modifying it for use in the SuperOcean Heritage II.

It’s my understanding that the movements are modified by Tudor to include a tungsten winding rotor, variable inertia balance wheel, and a silicon balance spring. Lastly, Tudor changes the minute register to 45mins instead of Breitling’s 30 minute counter. This last modification is due to a historical reference, Tudor’s chronos have used 45mins since the Reference 7031 “Monte Carlo,” Chronograph.

My experience with this movement has been nothing but exceptional. All of Tudor’s in-house calibers come COSC certified these days, meaning that you can expect excellent performance. While I have not timed my watch to the second (I don’t own a timegrapher) I can say that it been right on the money every-time I’ve checked it. The chronograph pushers have a great action, as one would expect from a column wheel chrono like this. One other thing to note, the silicon balance spring means that this movement should resist a good deal of magnetism—this is a valuable quality to have in today’s magnetic-field-rich-climate.

Case and Crown

By this point in my watch-collecting practice I have owned four or five Black Bays, and one thing I love about them across the board is the case. Tudor, being the little brother of Rolex, benefits from their bigger brother’s case finishing capabilities. The watch is brushed on the tops of the case and polished on the slab-like sides. Tudor has also included some really lovely polished details along the bevel on each side of the case as well as the edge of the bezel where it meets the case. The effect these small details create is a subtle sparkle on the wrist as the watch moves through the light.

The Chronograph has the standard large Black Bay crown with Tudor’s rose printed on it, as well as two screw down pushers. My experience in the past with screw down chrono pushers has not always been the best, but Tudor’s nailed it with very smooth screw down action, which is easily used on wrist. One thing Tudor has stubbornly retained is the anodized aluminum collar around the crown tube, I would personally prefer a crown sitting flusher to the case, but it’s a minor gripe.

Dial and Crystal

The Tudor Black Bay Chronograph, like other Black Bays, has a boxed sapphire crystal. This is a pretty firm nod to the “heritage-yness” that Tudor is drawing from for these watches; It also looks great. The dial itself is a textured matte black that in the bright sun can almost look grey or charcoal. The hands and hour indices are a bright silver color with white lume filling the centers. I much prefer this over gilt dials used in other variations.

In terms of readability, Tudor has always excelled. The “snowflake” hour hand was designed for precisely that. It allows you too quickly too differentiate between the two hands and orient yourself on the dial at a quick glance. The choice of colors and materials also creates a helpful contrast. The Chronograph hand is a simple thin silver hand tipped with an arrow, I personally love the way it catches the light.

Not to pander to the internet forumites, but one issue that I have seen regarding the hands used on this watch is simply that the snowflake can obscure the sub-dials. That’s valid, and I suppose true; however, it’s never been something that bothered me.

The lume Tudor uses on the Black Bays is very effective, glows bright when you walk into a movie theatre and is easily seen for several hours. It’s green lume, so Tudor isn’t using Rolex’s proprietary Lumibrite.

Lastly the date window sits at six o’clock. It’s a rather stark contrast a from the textured black dial to the white back date wheel, but I generally prefer to have a date than not.

Bracelet

The Tudor Black Bay Chronograph comes on the standard steel bracelet available to most of the Black Bay collection. You can also purchase the watch on a leather or nylon strap, but honestly, I wouldn’t suggest that. Tudor, like its parent Rolex, has a reputation for making excellent bracelets and this is no exception.

The bracelet is an exceptionally well-executed steel bracelet with a fold-over clasp. It has been stylized to some extent with faux rivets on the links to emulate old-timey bracelets that were actually riveted together. These links, on the other hand, are screw together making adjustments simple and quickly done by the end user. The clasp features three micro adjustments to really dial in the fit.

I think in a perfect world there are several great strap options for the Black Bay Chrono. The first being, obviously the OEM bracelet, the second would be an Everest Rubber Strap, and the third would be either the OEM NATO strap or Crown and Buckle’s adjustable Chevron Strap.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Review – Final Thoughts

Well, what can I say? I bought it…This is one of the few watches that I walked into an Authorized Dealer and left with it new. I think these are healthy options for those that like the Tudor Aesthetic or are interested in the movement exchange from Breitling. It’s a little weird to talk about a $5,100 sticker price to be a good value but considering AD discounts (and in my case VAT refunds) they can pan out nicely. You get a lot for the money.

I think these are also solid options for those that are looking for a chronograph but don’t really want to go down the Speedmaster route—the Black Bay Chronograph has a lot of ties to some nice watch heritage but is also not super expected. I think it would be rare for you to run into someone else with one.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono 41mm Men's Watch 79350-0001

• Model M79350-0001

$4,855.00

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Editor: If you would like to buy a Tudor Black Bay Chrono, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or Jomashop. Thank you.

After years of choosing timepieces based on their durability, it’s finally happened – I find myself in need of a dress watch. While 200-meter monsters like the Casio Duro and Victorinox INOX still rule my days, there’s now the occasional evening which calls for something a bit more refined.

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I’d previously owned an Orient Bambino, a $130 mechanical bought and sold long before the need arose for tucked shirts and nice shoes. Fond memories of that watch brought me to the Orient Esteem Gen. 2, an open-heart automatic with a classic look and pedigree. Here’s how it fared after several months of testing.

Fit

Let’s grab a few stats before we dive into the details of the watch:

• Case Width: 41mm
• Case Thickness: 12.3mm
• Lug to Lug: 47mm
• Depth Rating: 5Bar (50m)
• Lug Width: 22mm

As someone with medium-sized wrists, the numbers that jump out most are the case width and distance lug to lug. These dimensions make for a dress watch that’s slightly on the larger side, both in wear and visual signature. We’ll get to the Esteem’s dial later, but there’s no denying the amount of white space in that 40-plus millimeter circle. If you’re planning to wear this watch to a fancy dinner party, be prepared to pick a suit that matches.

That being said, the watch does wear quite comfortably. It’s relatively thin for a budget-minded mechanical, sliding easily under the cuff of a shirt or jacket. I enjoyed the tactile sensation of the Esteem against my wrist, so long as my hand was on the table or at my side.

Movement

The Gen 2 Esteem is powered by Orient’s in-house Caliber F6T22 movement, a 22-jewel automatic assembly featuring the ability to hack and hand-wind. These are must-have features for me, no matter how loud the Seiko fans protest (I’m looking at you, 5 Series and SKX apologists). One of the main selling points of this watch is the open-heart design, which gives you a glimpse of the F6T22 in action.

We’ll talk more about appearances later, though. For now, I’d to say a few words about the movement’s performance. “Inaccurate, inconsistent, and scratchy.” Yeah, those just about cover it. Look, I’m not expecting masterful performance from an entry-level mechanical. My other Orients (the Mako 2 and Bambino 2nd Gen) both ran about 10 seconds fast per day. But the Esteem ticks ahead to the tune of 15 seconds on the wrist, and as much as 20 in my watch drawer. The movement can be regulated for increased accuracy, as demonstrated by the “+” and “-“ symbols visible through the clear case back. But out of the box, this was something of a bummer.

My frustration with the Caliber F6T22 is exacerbated by the roughness of its winding. Turning the crown produces some rather harsh feedback, even more so than the Bambino. The rotor has a similar problem. Every swing of your arm sends the scratch of its arc into the bones of your wrist. At no point will you forget you’re wearing an automatic. That being said, I don’t think there’s anything mechanically unsound about the movement’s construction. It’s just the nature of lower-end autos.

I also find myself missing the date window. As someone who needs to know the date more or less constantly for work, I pine for the Bambino’s simple 1-31 display. The idea that people spend thousands of dollars on date-free watches boggles my mind. Maybe when I’m rich enough to afford one, I’ll understand. But until I reach that point, I need to know my days of the month.

Case and Crown

The Esteem’s case is nicely beveled, polished, and finished. Sure, it’s a bit large for my liking, but that doesn’t detract from the quality of its construction. There’s no brushing to be found anywhere. Every metallic surface reflects my face like a funhouse mirror.
The crown is simple, unsigned, and easy to use. The ridged grip is perfect, and the push/pull feel is solid. I have no reason to doubt its claimed 5-bar (50m) water resistance, though the leather band will probably keep this particular piece out of swimming pools.

Speaking of the water resistance, let’s flip to the back of watch. That’s where you’ll find it printed, along with data on the movement’s origins and manufacturing details. But why take the printer’s word for it? Orient has included a clear case back, allowing you to see the action for yourself. I especially appreciate the etching on the rotor, with its interesting angles surrounding some additional branding. The visual interest of the movement almost makes up for its relatively poor accuracy. Almost.

Dial, Bezel, and Crystal

Let’s turn the watch back over and examine the face. Wait, what are those hollow rectangles above the hour markers? And why are the hands hollowed out? As it turns out, the Orient Esteem is part of a rare breed: A dress watch with lume. While certainly no Super-LumiNova, the applied compound will make for a smooth transition from the brightly-lit ballroom to the more intimate glow of the balcony.

Speaking of applied things, take a look at the logo. The twin lions are in fine form here, mimicking the look of the Orient Mako, Ray, and Bambino. Unfortunately, that’s where the Esteem begins to dress down. While the Bambino features applied indices and a date window, this watch is left with painted numerals and a massive amount of white, empty space. It’s more off-putting in person than the photos perhaps convey, which is why I didn’t notice before pulling the trigger on the purchase.

“Hold on,” you might say. “You’re missing the entire point of the Esteem’s ethos. Just look at that beautiful open-heart movement.” And you’re right – The window into the watch’s inner workings is really a sight to behold. The nicely polished components spin and click behind the sweeping seconds hand, showing the complexity to be found even in a basic, dateless movement.

Too bad about the 9 o’clock marker, though. The numeral is partially cut away, creating this awkward reminder that the indices are simply painted onto the watch’s face. It’s a visual bummer, nagging at me every time I stop to enjoy the movement window.

Let’s round out this segment with a few words on the crystal. It’s Orient’s standard mineral glass, which served admirably on my Bambino. Here, however, the dome effect has been flattened considerably. There’s still a bit of rounding above the polished steel bezel, but nothing near the lens-like quality of its cousin. I actually prefer this approach. It’s easier to read at an angle, and the flatter surface will probably avoid scratches more than the Bambino’s bubble.

Strap/Bracelet

The Esteem’s leather band addresses another of my biggest annoyances with my previous Orient dress watch. While the Bambino features an oddball 21mm size, the Esteem has bumped things up to the much more common 22mm. This greatly widens the pool of potential replacement straps.

That is, if you feel the need to make a switch. The black “Genuine Leather” seems nice enough for a watch in this price point, and the signed buckle makes for a nice touch. I found this to be a thoroughly comfortable wearer. Additional break-in time would further improve the experience, softening the crocodile-patterned canvas.

Orient Esteem Review – Final Thoughts

After more than two months, I still haven’t warmed to the Esteem. It addresses several of my main complaints with the Bambino (hidden movement, no lume, and weird band size), but adds several nitpicks of its own. The spotty accuracy, plain face, and absent date window stick in my craw more than expected. Add in the slightly larger size and scratchy movement, and I find myself pining for the old days.

That’s not to say that this is a bad watch. It’s light years ahead of the Seiko 5’s of the world, whatever my complaints may be. But as the unnumbered days roll on, I’ve come to the conclusion that this isn’t the watch for me. My search for the perfect budgetary dress piece will continue.

However, none of this means that the Gen. 2 Esteem is a terrible timepiece. If you see what you like here, then I can still vouch for its comfort and construction. The accuracy isn’t great, but overall quality I expect from Orient is still here.

Orient Dress Watch (Model: RA-AG0010S10A)

• Mineral Crystal
• Open Heart Display
• Japanese-automatic Movement
• Case Diameter: 41mm
• Water resistant to 50m (165ft:  in general, suitable for short periods of recreational swimming, but not diving or snorkeling

$144.98

Buy on Amazon

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Orient Esteem at Amazon or Jomashop. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Also, if you like the watch reviews, here is a link to all our watch reviews.

Although this particular Seiko wasn’t on my radar, I knew I always wanted to check out one of their divers, or maybe an Alpinist, so when Dan ‘Jackson’ came by my place for a visit and offered one up as a trade it kind of went like this: https://youtu.be/uvqazhJJ01A?t=2

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My everyday watch is an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean ref 2201.50.00. I was guessing that this wouldn’t be kicking my PO off my wrist permanently, but also thought hey, why not. Life isn’t a practice run so I have to pull the trigger when it feels right. Right? It’s a nice watch at an apparently reasonable value. It’s also both blue and shiny which can be strong qualifiers for a guy like me. YOLO, just not in a frat boy kind of way. That might catch you a case. Kidding aside, with such a devout group of brand enthusiasts I had to give one of these a shake to see if Prospex Divers live up to the fanboy hype and deserve our money.

Now that it’s been a couple of weeks of wearing this every day I feel like I can share some opinions, but lets get the details out of the way first.

Specs (From the Seiko website)

Case:

• Stainless steel (Duralex coating) with a stainless steel bezel
• Thickness: 13.8 mm
• Diameter: 42.6mm
• Lug width: 20mm

Crystal:

• Curved sapphire
• Anti-reflective coating on inner surface

Movement:

• Caliber 6R15
• Automatic with manual winding
• Hacking seconds hand function
• Calendar (date)
• 23 jewels

Reserve:

• Approx. 50 hours

Accuracy:

• +25 to -15 seconds per day

Stock Strap:

• Silicon/Stainless buckle and keeper

Features:

• Screw down crown
• Unidirectional rotating bezel
• LumiBrite on hands and indexes
• Water Resistance 200m / 660ft

Just a note, while this watch was released as a “modern interpretation” of the 1965 62MAS. I’m not really feeling a strong connection as seen in the closely reproduced SLA017 Limited edition. The similarities could be compared to Battlefield V repping WWII so for the purpose of this review I won’t be making many comparisons. Following the design lineage of the Prospex line can, and should be its own article.

If you truly want a 62MAS though, the real deal, in reasonable vintage condition can still be found. Limited to 2000 units, a new SLA017 might be impossible to find brand new but I’ve seen lightly used ones pop up on Watch Recon for a little less that $3500 USD.

Fit

As a medium to large sized diver this doesn’t exactly melt into your wrist although its relative thickness at 13.8 mm keeps it from feeling like you are wearing a teetering brick. Its proportions help it stay put which is nice for people who prefer a looser fit like myself. In fact, it is surprisingly comfortable with the exception of the somewhat stabby crown which at the 3:00 position, occasionally reminds you that you are alive and didn’t actually drown in 1984.

It would be an improvement if the crown was slightly shrouded like on my PO, with a guard, or at 4:00 like on the [easyazon_link identifier=”B07DNJRHW1″ locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]SPB079J1[/easyazon_link]. Sometimes referred to as a “retro” or “heritage” kind of crown position/look, I may refer to it as “mildly uncomfortable” but I digress. It will make you a man like they used to make men. Your dad’s, dad. Barefoot to school at 6:00 am in the freezing cold on broken glass kind of stuff. It’s not actually that bad. Mild is the key word here.

In retrospect I remember finding the PO’s crown noticeable as well, so it’s something I can easily say everyday users will forget about. Traveling forward in time, I have. Otherwise, all of the edges are flowing and well rendered which translates to a comfortable wear.

With my modest 7.25” wrist this fits well without looking ridiculous on the bracelet or (I’m guessing) stock strap. For you sneaker wearing low-brows this is comfy and looks sharp on a NATO too. If you are a bit weedy though, it may look more like a [easyazon_link identifier=”B075768WQR” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Pip-Boy 3000[/easyazon_link] than a watch, so something a bit more demure may suit your delicate wrist better. In these modern times, something > 40 mm would be my recommendation for you.

Movement

The movement is a calibre 6R15 (23 Jewels) which is a mid-range, in-house design that operates at 21,600 vph. It’s a step up from the Seiko 7S26 that’s found in the likes of the venerable SX007’s and other entry level mechanical Seikos.

I’ve heard of this movement referred to as both “tried and true” and “just a 7S26 with hacking and winding” hastily tacked on. On the other hand I’ve read that the movement’s support has been re-engineered enough that it deserves a distinction far beyond that of a modified 7S26. Honestly I’m just getting started with these Seikos so I still have some things to uncover over time but hey, that’s what the hobby (and comment section) is all about.

Personally I like the performance I’ve been getting out of this movement. I’m not hooking this thing up to my Timegrapher or anything. I just like to be on time and this gets me there without a daily check against my iPhone. Well not entirely true, during the time of this review I had periodically checked it against my phone and it seems close enough to me. I would say it safely sits well inside Seiko’s advertised tolerance of +25 to -15 seconds per day. Much tighter would be my guess but again, I haven’t any kind of real measure. Maybe when I get my mildly abused PO serviced I’ll have this watch regulated and share some more info on the movement when it is looked at by a proper watchmaker. In the meantime I’ll let the heritage boot guys banter about the faults or virtues of the 6R15 over a craft brew. You know who you are.

My only beef with this movement is how the date turns over. It starts to slowly creep just before 11:00 pm and finally, snaps into place at about 11:59. I’d like this to just snap over at 12:00 ish like my Omega. I’m a night owl so I’m always seeing this half turned over date. Maybe I’m just spoiled.

Circling back; movements without hand winding, a screw-down crown and to a lesser extent hacking are a deal breaker for me so this fits the bill. Having the date is also a big plus. As far as reliability, only time will tell. I tend to be pretty rough on my watch so if anyone will awaken the gremlins, I’m your man and will duly report.

A bit of trivia; Seiko is one of the few companies that makes their own mainsprings. They use their proprietary Spron 510 alloy which is also found in the balance spring. Spron helps gives this watch a 50-ish h power reserve which I seem to be getting most of. The alloy is similar to its Swiss counterpart Nivarox but not as high tech as newer alloys or the Silicon mixtures in the most current Rolexes, Omegas and their ilk.

Along with the aforementioned features the 6R15 includes Diashock which in this watch is basically a flat spring that cradles the balance wheel end stone and jewel helping to protect the balance against shock. I’m pretty sure most mechanical movements worth their salt have a decent one of these.

Case and Crown

The screw-down crown is a pleasure to use on this watch. Setting the time or “quick set” date is a smooth procedure. I’m also liking the wind which feels satisfying with its slightly audible ratcheting. A crisp, coin edge and fair size gives you a good grip for easy operation. If I could change one thing, I’d probably add some detailing to the cap of the crown which is “sterile”. Maybe the PX logo a “S” or “Seiko” like on some other models?

The case has a flowing shape with drilled, tapered lugs at 20mm apart. The face has a brushed finish that follows the circumference of the bezel. Moving toward the edge there is a highly polished bevel followed again by brushing on the outmost sides. The back is largely mirror polished, with the exception of a ring around the screw-down case-back that frames the embossed Prospex, Tsunami logo. I’m not crazy about the Tsunami Embossing. Maybe it will grow on me but it doesn’t capture my imagination at the moment. I prefer the dolphin logo which shouldn’t be cooler but kind of is. I personally like a more traditional depiction of the tsunami. There’s more info and the serial number, logo’s etc on the case back. All things you don’t really see but may admire when off your wrist in full nerd mode.

Overall, the case is attractive, with good attention to detail and thoughtfulness in its design. The workmanship is protected with a Seiko’s Diasheild which I’ve read is some type of PVD coating similar to what you would find on black-bladed knives or those gold-titanium coated drill bits. I have no reference as to how long this will last but so far so good. The bracelet must not be coated with the same stuff as it’s showing a fair bit of scuffing already, but nothing unexpected.

Dial, Bezel, and Crystal

The Dial is blue with a sunburst pattern. It presents a dark, near black color in low/artificial light and a vivid, bright royal blue in strong daylight. The indexes are oversized, made up of wide, applied, flat stainless borders and filled with Seiko’s LumiBrite. The signature consists of the Seiko logo on the top half with the Prospex logo, “Automatic” and “Diver’s 200m” on the bottom half.

There’s a chapter ring with a flange meeting the bezel with the hour and minute indexes. The primary lumed indexes are straight at 6 and 9 with a double width at 12:00. The others taper toward the dial’s centre. A chamfered date aperture is found at 3:00 which has a small white border giving it a tightly finished look. The Lume works great and keeps its glow for a long time.

I’ve read that some of these watches have alignment issues with the bezel and or chapter ring. I’m not seeing anything like that on this particular watch which looks to me, as expected. To be critical, It would have been nice if there was another applied element. Either the Seiko logo or Prospex logo would do and I’ve seen it done on Seiko models at a less than half the price. A little more detail would have me totally sold on this dial but I’m still about 85% there.

The handset is shared with the Seiko Tunas and includes a portly arrow for the hour and a slender rectangular minute hand that terminates at a blunted point. While not as elegant as some of the other Seiko diver hand sets, you can’t argue with the legibility. You could argue that the steel bordering on the hands could be polished to match the index borders and I wouldn’t disagree. I think it would help tie things together.

Back to legibility, the dial might be be better with more contrasting indexes like the bubbly ones found on the Tuna that these were borrowed from (I get that it’s supposed to reference the 62MAS). Either way it’s a pretty moot, enthusiast issue in my opinion. If you can’t read your watch you have other problems to address. The second hand is narrow with a lumed tail. The lume here is used to show that the watch is working, as per ISO 6425 (diver’s watch) standards.

The bezel is a 120 click, unidirectional that rotates counter-clockwise. As on the crown, a tight crisp coin edge makes it easy to get a hold of. That’s a good thing since the rotation is pretty firm, albeit smooth with a dampened feel. The insert is super polished, blue and with matte indexes and numbers. Like the dial, In low light the bezel almost appears black but presents a bright blue in daylight. While the bezel and dial aren’t exact in color, they compliment each other perfectly. There’s a lume pearl so the bezel position can be easily read in the depths.

The crystal is slightly domed with an antireflective coating on the inside. There’s not much to say here other than it looks great and it should stay that way since it’s a sapphire crystal, not Seikos cheaper Hardlex Mineral. If it’s anywhere near as hard as the one on my Omega, it will take more of beating than it will ever deserve. Before the crystal meets the bezel, there’s a generous bevel that is large enough to refract elements of the dial below. Since the dial is pretty simple, I feel that this adds a necessary detail. On a busier watch I appreciate it if the crystal flows into the bezel seamlessly.

Bracelet

This watch came with the Seiko M01X331H0 bracelet which is normally purchased separately.

It’s an attractive Oyster copy with a pinch button deployment clasp with a safety. There’s also a Diver’s extension. For the price the fit and finish is excellent. The links are brushed and have polished inner and outer edges. The inner edge polishing in particular, adds some luxe appeal without the associated premium.

If I were to adjust the bracelet aesthetically, I might give the clasp a little more love but to reiterate, at this price I have no legitimate complaints. Mechanically, the detent on the safety could be stronger. While it’s staying put now, I’m not sure if that will always be the case. Functionally it’s not a big concern since the main clasp is sturdy.

Speculating from photos, the stock silicone bracelet looks to have some inner texture so it should breath a little for comfort. The ends flow fluidly with the case, more so than the bracelet or a nato does. Not surprising though, since this strap is made for the watch. The pin buckle is polished while the keeper is brushed with an embossed Seiko logo.

The silicone strap’s accordion shape won’t be for everyone but it serves the practical purpose of working as a diver’s extension with the added function of maintaining a comfortable tension under variable pressures/wet and dry. If I was actually diving with this watch (which I won’t be), this would be the strap I’d use because its purpose built. At the desk I like the look of a Nato or the bracelet and I’ve read that these silicone straps are lint magnets.

Seiko SPB053 / SPB051 Watch Review – Final Thoughts

The Seiko ref. SPB053 is a sharp looking watch that has a sophisticated balance of conservative detailing and good functionality that references decades of Seiko diver designs. The stand out for me has to be the dynamic combination of dial and bezel that shows different personas depending on the lighting. This has been the most enjoyable aspect and I may have found it a touch too minimal otherwise.

As to be expected with all the Prospex line up, it meets the diver specifications outlined in ISO 6425, making it a viable mechanical alternative to a dive computer if you are feeling old school or want to look medium-fancy in your Y-40 swimming pool.

Value wise, there’s a lot of watch for your money here but the pricing/feature is still carefully measured. Seiko has amassed a following that they are clearly aware of by releasing such models, so while easily worth the ask, you aren’t getting an absurd amount of extra value – just what the brand is typically known for. That said, the fit, finish and function will satisfy.

As for me personally, the SPB053 has ticked enough boxes to put it in the recommend column, so long as you aren’t actually looking for a 62MAS and can pull off the larger 42.6 mm case.

An applied signature, polished hands and some detail on the crown would have made this even more competitive and memorable at a price point where there are some other tempting offers. Regardless, I’m understanding why people love the Prospex line. They have a compelling value proposition and wear well, dressed up (maybe not black tie) or down while maintaining that tool watch pedigree. There aren’t many divers around this price with a similar build quality and fewer with such a long and clearly documented design history.

The addition of a couple of Natos and the excellent bracelet will makes this considerably more enjoyable. The drilled lugs make for easy strap changes to get more life out of this beautiful watch.

If blue isn’t to your taste the model also comes in black as ref. [easyazon_link identifier=”B077YQCY6D” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]SPB051[/easyazon_link]. There’s also the [easyazon_link identifier=”B07DNJRHW1″ locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]SPB079J1[/easyazon_link], a similar type vintage inspired ‘re-issue’ that was previously mentioned and has worked its way onto my wish list.

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the Seiko SPB053 at [easyazon_link identifier=”B06W5PXRPM” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link] or Jomashop. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Also, if you like the watch reviews, here is a link to all our watch reviews.