Seiko SRPA19 Limited Edition Zimbe "Turtle" Reissue

Here's one more Seiko "Turtle" reissue variant for your consideration - the limited edition Thailand Zimbe SRPA19:

SRPA19 "Zimbe" Limited Edition.

As far as dimensions and mechanicals are concerned, this is basically identical to all the other "Turtle" variants featured on this blog in the past (see past posts for other variants). What this version has going for it, is its unique appearance and presentation brought about by the following:

• Bead-blasted finish on the case, crown and bracelet giving it a gray, titanium-like matte appearance...inspired by the colors of the whale shark;
• Unique gray/slate dial and chapter ring with orange highlights;
• Orange second hand;
• Silver bezel with black markings;
• Use of a sapphire crystal instead of the typical Hardlex;
• Day/date magnifier;
• Extra rubber strap in matching shade of gray;
• Unique box with Prospex and Zimbe markings.

The word "Zimbe" comes from the Japanese term "jinbei-zame" (ジンベイザメ) which means "whale shark".

Only 1,299 units of this particular model will be made, all intended for release in Thailand. That, plus the material upgrades and additional finishing makes this piece more expensive than your typical standard "Turtle" reissue, assuming that you can still find one for sale.

I managed to snag this from an independent importer a few months ago for around 800 USD, which was actually a reasonable price at the time. Nowadays, given the limited release and still ever-present demand, prices can go up to 1,300 USD and up, at least locally.

All-in-all, its unique color scheme and rarity makes it stand out from the rest of the Seiko "Turtle" crowd. A must-have for the Seiko dive-watch collector.

Some photos:

2007-2013, 2015-Present Longines HydroConquest in Blue L3.642.4.96.6

The HydroConquest is a relatively affordable line of Swiss dive watches produced by Longines since 2007. The line went relatively unchanged until 2013, when a fully Arabic dial version of the HydroConquest was launched (see my earlier review here). Curiously, after only two years, that version was dropped and the original iteration introduced in 2007 found itself back in Longines' catalog. It is this current version, in blue, which is the subject of this review.

2007-2013, 2015-Present HydroConquest.

The 2007-2013, 2015-present HydroConquest bears a lot of similarities with its 2013-2015 brother, but both have unique design elements that makes it virtually impossible to confuse one over the other. The most obvious difference is in the dial.

The current dial features applied numeric markers on the 12, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, and similarly applied circular and linear indices for the rest of the hours. These dial elements give the watch face a more upscale demeanor than the printed Arabic numerals on the 2013-2015 HydroConquest, though at the expense of simplicity, as the overall appearance can come across as being quite busy. Tastes obviously vary,  and I personally like both dial styles, though I have to admit the 12-6-9 dial strikes me as being a tad more eye-catching, perhaps in part to the sunburst blue dial.

Dimensions (41mm case diameter, 50mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thickness, 21mm lug width) as well as most other design details of the watch head are similar, from the applied Longines winged logo, the date window at 3 o'clock, the beveled and rhodium-plated  hands, the snowflake hour hand, the red-tipped lumeless second hand, the polished sides and brushed top, the angular crown guards surrounding a highly polished crown, up to the highly detailed engraving of Longines' hourglass logo on the caseback. Topping off the entire package is a 120-click rotating dive bezel with an aluminum insert and a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.

The bracelets are basically similar in design, use of split pins and the lack of half-links and all, though the finishing is different. The 2013-2015 HydroConquest's bracelet is brushed all the way, while the current HydroConquest features polished center links, contributing to its slightly more upscale vibe.

Lastly this version of the HydroConquest uses an Elaboré grade ETA 2824-2 L633 movement, instead of the ETA 2892-A2 based L619 in the 2013-2015 model. The 2892-A2 movement is generally considered to be slightly higher end than a 2824-2, but for this implementation, hardly any differences in performance can be perceived.

So, which one to get? Both versions have their advantages and disadvantages, but the main point for deciding to go one way or the other has to be the preference for the dial design. The 2013-2015 HydroConquest has a cleaner, simpler design with the use of printed Arabic numerals, at the slight expense of looking like an ordinary field watch. The current model has a more distinctive and more upscale appearance, at the slight expense of design simplicity, with perhaps too many design elements on the dial itself.

Overall, despite the "Hydro" in the model name and the 300m water resistance rating, this watch is seemingly more of a desk diver than an actual tool diver, for the same reasons given in my review of the 2013-2015 HydroConquest, particularly in regard to poor lume performance, an unlumed second hand, the smooth sections of the timing bezel, and the oversized, sharp-edged crown guards.

From the perspective of a desk diver, it is more than up to the task, and despite its design shortcomings, it is still a fully capable dive watch.

While the 2013-2015 model seems to have been discontinued, it is still somewhat relatively easy to come by with new stocks still available, not to mention their availability in the second hand market. Because of the relatively short production run, it is speculated that the older version may very well end up as a collector's item or a future classic. While that may or may not happen, the current model is no slouch itself in terms of appearances. You won't go wrong regardless of version you opt for. Price for the current version is around 1,000 USD from authorized dealers or online retailers, but you can likely get one at a lower price if you look around.

In a future post I'll making a more detailed photographic comparison between the two HydroConquest versions. For now, here are some more photos of the current model:
 

Seiko SRPA21 Special Edition Pepsi "PADI Turtle" Reissue

It took it's own sweet time getting here, but the special edition PADI "Turtle" has finally arrived:

SRPA21 "PADI Turtle".

I won't be boring you with the specifications, dimensions, or other technical details of this watch considering that I have discussed this several times before in my reviews of the other "Turtle" reissue variants, starting with the SRP777 Black "Turtle", the review of which can be found here.

What this variant has going for it is it's unique color treatment and the PADI logo, a nod to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a renowned diving organization which teamed up with Seiko in promoting the project AWARE ocean protection program.

It features a blue sunburst dial, white-lumed indices with silver surrounds, a dark blue chapter ring with a white minute track and red hash marks every five seconds. The chapter ring in this particular sample, in typical Seiko fashion, is slightly misaligned, but not significantly so to be distracting. The bezel is predominantly blue with a red portion extending from the twelve o'clock position up to the 20 minute mark. The Prospex insignia, love it or hate it, has moved from below the center of the dial in the other Turtle variants, to above it, making way for the PADI logo prominently emblazoned in its own distinctive font. The minute hand sports a red border, making it stand out from the rest of the dial, enhancing what is already a very legible overall package. This variant comes with a stainless steel bracelet.

All-in-all, this is a far cry from the color scheme of the original Pepsi SRP779 (see review here) which shares its black dial with the SRP777, it's only claim to the "Pepsi" moniker being  a Pepsi bezel using a shade of blue darker than the one on the PADI variant. Honestly, of all the reissued Turtle variants I've seen in the metal, this is hands down the most visually appealing.

This watch has been hyped quite a bit ever since rumors of its existence first surfaced early in the year, and as a result there has been a lot of anticipation with regard to its release. This anticipation has caused launch prices here to rise way above the levels of the other variants when they first came out. Being a special edition, production will be continuous, though there have been reports that distribution will be limited both in numbers and availability in some areas.

Locally, the SRPA21 can be purchased, assuming you can find one, for the equivalent of anywhere from 280 to 430 USD for the "K" models, and even up to 640 USD for the "J" models. Good luck finding one though here, as most have been snatched up by Seiko aficionados and collectors in less than a day after being made available. Time will tell though if availability, and prices, will settle down.

What is certain though, is that this is bound to be a much sought after future classic.

More photos:

Note the slight misalignment of the chapter ring.

Seiko SRP789 Black/Red "Turtle" Reissue

Here's the other half of Seiko's recent release of new "Turtle" reissues, the black and red "Coke" SRP789. The details of this line of watches can be found in my earlier reviews of the SRP777 (see post here), and this model's launch sibling the SRP787 (see review here).

The key feature of this model is the adoption of a black and red ("Coke") color scheme, particularly the use of red with the unidirectional rotating dive bezel up to the 20 minute mark, and the outline of the minute hand. Almost everything else is black, except for some white and silver highlights here and there. The effect is pretty much minimalist, but the overall execution provides for a very legible package which is on the whole pleasing to the eye.

Some photos:

SRP789, AKA "Coke Turtle".

 

Seiko SRP787 Black/Blue "Turtle" Reissue

Seiko dive watch fans in this part of the world are fortunate again in that we have first dibs on new members of the "Turtle" reissue series, a few months before they are scheduled to be made available in other territories. Most Seiko aficionados recall that the initial release of the new series of SRP77x divers paying homage to the iconic Seiko 6306/6309 happened here in Southeast Asia around late November or early December last year, at least a full month before these were made available anywhere else. Now, at least two months before the announced official release date of May 2016, available for purchase from authorized dealers here are two new members of the reissued "Turtle" family, the SRP787, and the SRP789.

In case you're not yet familiar with this particular line of Seiko dive watches, the key details include a case and dial design harking back to the old cushion-style 6306/6309 divers produced from 1976-1988, ISO 6425 dive watch certification, 200m water resistance, use of Seiko's workhorse movement, the 24-jewel hacking/handwinding 4R36 which runs at 21,600 bph with a 41 hour power reserve, and hands reminiscent of the hands used in the iconic SKX007/009 line of divers. Dimensions are 45mm (excluding crown) x 14mm x 48mm, with a lug width of 22mm.

For more details on this particular range, you can refer to my review of the SRP777 Black "Turtle" reissue here, or my reviews of the other earlier released variants, the SRP773, SRP775 and the SRP779.

This post will be focusing on the black/blue variant, a color scheme often referred to as "Batman", based on the color scheme of that particular comic book character. The watch is predominantly black, similar to the SRP777, but with a solid end-link stainless steel bracelet with dive extension same as the SRP773 and SRP775. The bezel is blue up to the 20 minute mark, and black the rest of the way. The minute hand sports a blue outline, making it stand out more visually from the rest of the dial. I would expect these new models to be popular given that the changes would likely appeal to those into modding.

Locally they are priced anywhere from 260-310 USD. I would expect these to be priced a bit higher in other territories when they are made available there.

Some photos:

SRP787, AKA "Batman Turtle".

 

Certina DS Action Diver in Blue C013.407.11.041.00

For today I will be posting photos of the Certina DS Action Diver in blue. A review of this timepiece's black sibling is posted here, and virtually everything in that review applies to this model as well.

The only differences between the blue and black models are the colors of the dial, bezel insert and date wheel. While the black DS Action Diver has a glossy black dial and bezel insert, this model has a glossy blue sunburst dial and bezel insert instead. What's unique about this model's shade of blue is that it warms up depending on the lighting and angle you are looking at it, ranging from cobalt blue, to royal blue to almost violet. This is in contrast to the Blue Oris Aquis Date (reviewed earlier here) where the matte dial takes on a cooler shade, almost bordering on gray in certain angles.

The date wheel adopts a color scheme the reverse of that on the black DS Action Diver, with black numerals on a white background.

Here are some photos:

DS Action Diver.

Oris Aquis Date in Black 01 733 7653 4154-07 8 26 01PEB

Here are some photos of the Oris Aquis Date in black. I recently wrote a review of the Oris Aquis Date in blue here, and everything in that review applies to this model as well, with the exception that this particular model's color scheme is a black dial and black bezel combo. One other difference is that the bezel in this model features a brushed finish, unlike the the blue model's polished bezel.

Aquis Date.

Ceramic bezel with brushed finish.

Certina DS Action Diver in Black C013.407.11.051.00

Certina is a brand whose name doesn't come up often when discussing Swiss watches, unless you're in South America, Europe, or Asia, and perhaps not even then. It's lack of popularity notwithstanding, the name represents what may be one of the best sleeper watches to come out of Switzerland, with quality at least on par, and in several cases exceeding that of other Swiss brands.

Belonging to the Swatch group, its popularity is eclipsed by it's stablemates Tissot, Hamilton and Mido on the mid-tier segment, and Longines and Rado on the higher-range end. It compares favorably in terms of heritage, being founded in 1888 and its timepieces seeing action in various historical endeavors including mountain climbing, marine research, winter sports, sailing, various motorsports and exploration in general. Despite its storied history, the brand remains relatively obscure affording an atypical level of exclusivity among those who are  aware of the virtues of its watches.

Case in point is the watch featured in this review, the 200m water resistant Certina DS Action Diver. First introduced in Baselworld 2011, it stands toe-to-toe with its Swatch Group stablemates which include the Tissot Seastar 1000, the Hamilton Khaki Navy Sub, the Mido Ocean Star Captain, the Longines HydroConquest (reviewed earlier here) and the Rado D-Star 200. Outside the Swatch Group, it's peers include the Oris Aquis Date (reviewed earlier here) and perhaps the Victorinox Swiss Army Maverick Mechanical (which is only water resistant to 100m).

Despite the somewhat crowded mid-tier Swiss dive watch segment, the Certina DS Action Diver holds it own with notable scratch and water protection via its proprietary Double Security (DS) concept. The DS concept consists of number of technical features, which include a scratch-proof sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, O-ring gasket in the stem, two O-ring gaskets in the crown, a caseback gasket, and reinforced caseback. The DS concept is not limited in application to the Action Diver, but extends throughout Certina's entire watch line.

The DS Action Diver is the only one among it's peers with an ISO 6425 certification for dive watches, a distinction it proudly states on its dial. This means that aside from the aforementioned scratch and water resistance afforded to it by Certina's DS Concept, it also boasts notable condensation, thermal shock, magnetism, corrosion, and shock resistance, along with durable straps and bracelets as well as superior legibility. This watch is clearly a true dive watch, and not intended to be a mere desk diver.

The watch itself features a contemporary-sized 43.2mm brushed stainless steel case with mostly unchamfered edges (except for the top edges of the lugs and the crown guards) giving it a no-nonsense functional appearance, which is balanced out by a relatively slim 12.3mm case thickness allowing it to slip under most shirt cuffs. It possesses perhaps one of the best case finishing seen in a Swiss dive watch worth less than 1,000 USD with consistent brushing all throughout. Lug-to-lug length is a moderate 48mm, making it wear the right size for most wrists except exceedingly small ones. Lug width is 21mm, which is typical for this type of watch, though the odd-sized lug width will probably turn off those with a preference for aftermarket straps. The included Oyster-style double folding clasp with dive extension bracelet which is solid all throughout also features a brushed look, and matches the case perfectly. There are four half-links included, allowing for a more customized fit. In perhaps the only nod to cost-cutting, the links are secured with split pins, instead of pins and collars or screws.

Topping all of these is a rotating, 60-click unidirectional dive bezel with a glossy black insert finished in acrylic, instead of the usual aluminum or ceramic. Some may balk at the use of acrylic as bezel insert material given its lack of scratch resistance, but this is offset somehow by the fact that acrylic can easily be refinished using a scratch remover such as PolyWatch. The bezel edge features rectangular teeth for extra purchase, finished in polished steel. Bezel feel is robust, a bit on the stiff side, with little indication that it can rotate inadvertently.

The dial consists of a matching glossy black dial with applied hour indices with silver surrounds consisting of an inverted triangle at the 12 o'clock position, rectangles at the 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions and circles everywhere else. Despite the commonality of these dial elements with the Rolex Submariner, the DS Action Diver doesn't really come across as a Sub homage, especially when the rest of the elements of the watch are considered. The hour hand is arrow-shaped, while the minute hand is sword-shaped. The second hand is painted white near the center of dial and red towards the end, with a lume ball ("meatball" to some) a third of the way to the very tip. A date window is situated between the 4 and 5 o'clock indices and the date wheel is in a matching white text on black background. There is a total of six lines of text on the dial in varying font sizes (seven if you include the "SWISS MADE" inscription at 6 o'clock) which some may find distracting, but to me it doesn't really detract much from the overall appearance of the dial.  In low light conditions, the hands and indices emit a cool blue glow courtesy of the generous application of  Super-LumiNova® BW-G9.  Duration and intensity is just average though. The bezel also features lume from the 12 o'clock position up to the 20 minute mark.

Performing timekeeping duties is a Standard grade ETA 2824-2, a hacking/handwinding 25-jewel, 28,800 bph movement with a 38-40 hour power reserve. Screwing and unscrewing the signed crown is buttery smooth with little possibility of crossing or stripping the threads unless one is extremely ham-fisted or insists on using inordinate force. Action when pulling the crown to the first and second position is clean and deliberate, and setting the time and date is pretty much effortless. Handwinding, as with most other 2824-2 movement based watches, can be a bit stiff.

Caseback is solid, with a laser etching of Certina's turtle logo.

The Certina DS Action Diver is available at most authorized dealers here in the Philippines modestly discounted to around 730-750 USD. Online, they can be quite a steal at around 500 USD on either rubber or bracelet.  As far as Swiss divers is concerned, you'd be hard pressed to find something with better bang-for-the-buck.

Some photos:

DS Action Diver.

 

 

 

Oris Aquis Date in Blue 01 733 7653 4155-07 8 26 01PEB

Oris is a rare breed among Swiss brands. There simply aren't that many relatively well known, independent Swiss watchmakers with a design aesthetic truly unique to themselves, and not derived nor shared, with any other. The majority of it's timepieces are priced in the realm of reality, not artificially bloated in order to jack up the prestige of the brand, nor devalued to avoid crossing into some arbitrary market segment or competing with a stablemate brand.

None of that nonsense here. As Oris' tagline goes, real watches for real people.

Case in point is the subject timepiece for today's review, the Oris Aquis Date 300m dive watch, first introduced in 2011. Just one look at the watch and one cannot help but be struck by it's uniqueness. The shape of the case, the dial, hands, the lugs, it simply does not look like most other watch, and no other watch looks like it...except perhaps other Oris dive watches.

The Aquis Date features a 43mm diameter (excluding crown), 13.5mm thick stainless steel case with an integrated lug system with an overall lug-to-lug length of 50.25mm. The case itself is tapered in such a manner that while the case may be 43mm large at the base, at the bezel the diameter is reduced to around 42mm. All of these elements conspire to bring emphasis to its circular shape which makes the watch wear somewhat smaller than what the 43mm figure would suggest. Make no mistake, it looks big, but wears small, and the short protrusion of the lugs from the case itself is at least partly responsible for that. The crown is at the 3 o'clock position, and is surround by finely machined crown guards secured by screws, which complement the dressy-tool dive watch look the timepiece is recognized for.

The case is topped off with a rotating unidirectional 120-click ceramic scratch-resistant bezel, a material choice usually found on significantly more expensive watches, like the 116610 Rolex Submariner or the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. The bezel is coin-edged all round for easy grip and with a solid action characterized by clear clacks indicating when the bezel is rotated. The aforementioned tapering of the case means that the bezel edge extends free over the case itself, providing clear purchase whether rotating the bezel with bare or gloved fingers. The bezel insert itself may feature a polished or brushed look, depending on the color scheme chosen. On this particular blue model, the ceramic bezel is polished.

Speaking of blue, the blue on the dial is not your typical blue, but a dark blue-grayish hue which may appear blue, gray or black depending on the angle of view and the lighting. Indices are applied, with bluish Super-LumiNova® BG-W9 luminous compound which is also on all hands and the 12 o'clock position of the bezel. Lume is short of Seiko expectations for duration and intensity, but nonetheless very usable, and pretty good in its own right. Far better actually, than the Longines HydroConquest (reviewed here). A date window with white text on a black background is elegantly situated at the six o'clock position. Capping off the dial is a double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside.

Powering the timepiece is an Oris 733 hacking and hand-winding automatic movement, based on a 28,800 bph Sellita SW-200-1 with 26 jewels and a 38 hour power reserve. Crown manipulation and action are both very good and smooth. Hand-winding is a lot smoother than in most other ETA based movements, though ETA movements seem to be already renowned for that. The movement features Oris' signature red rotor, which is visible through a mineral glass exhibition caseback.

Because of the integrated lug system, your choices of straps or bracelets off the bat are limited to what Oris offers with the watch...which is either a stainless steel bracelet or a vanilla-scented rubber strap. The stainless steel bracelet is a somewhat massive and robust folding clasp affair with solid steel construction, brushed finishing on the center and polished on the sides, a dive extension, secured with screws instead of mundane split pins or pins and collars, and measures 26mm at the lugs, tapering down to 22mm at the clasp.  Aftermarket straps are a no-no unless you invest in one of those lug adapters, but if you're really into aftermarket straps, then this is probably not the right watch for you.

On wrist, the Oris Aquis Date is by no means uncomfortable, though a lot of other watches beat it in wrist comfort. What it is, is substantial. It's not bothersome by any means, but you will always be aware of the fact that you're wearing it. For those who like to feel the heft of their watches, this is a boon. For those who would rather forget that they're wearing a watch at all, look somewhere else, or consider the Oris Aquis Titan, which is made from titanium (albeit with a larger 46mm case), or go for a version with the rubber strap.

If you have smaller wrists, this particular model is also available in 40mm and in ladies' size of 36mm. There are also several color combinations to choose from.

This may not be an investment piece, but if you're looking for a no non-sense affordable dive watch from a respected and well-known Swiss matchmaker with quality rivaling, and at times exceeding  that of more expensive brands, the Oris Aquis Date should be on your list.

Here in the Philippines, they can be bought from authorized dealers at a discounted rate of around 900 USD. It seems they are a bit more expensive in other countries though, with prices in the 1,000 to 1,200 USD range.

Some photos:

Aquis Date.

 

Screwed crown guards and signed crown.

Tapered case.

 

Oris' signature red rotor.